“Can I help you?”
“I was hoping to see Mr. Lane,” Rick said.
“I’m sorry, but he’s in San Ladron for the day.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Marquetta Weiss told me about him. Does he handle out-of-state divorce cases?”
“Wait, are you Rick?” The smile spread and she stood. “You are. I’m Beth Lee.” She held out her hand to greet him and leaned across her desk. “Marky and I went to school together. I haven’t seen her in ages.” She sat, elbows on the desktop, and laughed. “Tell her Jordan’s wife gave birth to their first this morning at three-fifteen. The poor man was totally delirious when he called to tell me. I’ll bet he didn’t sleep a wink.”
At first, Rick wasn’t sure what to make of Beth’s sudden switch from professional receptionist to best bud. A heartbeat later, he realized the change made perfect sense. He’d said the magic password—Marquetta sent me. “Well, congratulations to your boss,” he said. “I’ll be sure to pass on the news.”
“Hey, I just made a fresh pot. How about some coffee?” She stood and went to a small coffeemaker on a table behind her. While she was there, she peered out one of the front windows.
“No thank you,” Rick said. He turned to see what was so interesting out on the street. It was Reese coming out of Thorne Waldorf’s office. When he looked back at Beth, he realized she was still watching. “Does she go there often?” he asked casually.
“Miss Potok? Oh yeah. She’s in there like a few times a week. This was a short visit. She and Thorne are up to no good.” She paused and gazed at Rick. “It’s a shame about Miss O’Connor.”
“What about her?”
“Somebody’s pulling strings to get her out of town. There are too many coincidences.” Beth held her mug with her palms resting against the sides. She craned her neck so she could see around Rick, then shrugged and returned her gaze to his. “Me and Jordan are super disappointed in Francine for giving in to Exploration International. And Thorne, well, he’s like totally predictable. Typical Thorne.”
Rick’s breath caught. He’d found another busybody—how interesting. “What makes you say that?”
“He’ll do their bidding, for sure. We’ve heard from a couple of local business owners about Thorne making inquiries to see if they’re interested in selling.”
“Is Isabelle Murdoch one of those owners?” Rick asked.
“I have no idea. Could be. Jordan thinks whoever is behind the offers has big plans for downtown.”
“So you don’t know who the actual purchaser would be?”
“No.” Beth said, stretching out the word. “Thorne is acting as their agent and he’s keeping that information on the down-low. Hey, are you helping with the investigation?”
“Maybe.” Rick glanced over his shoulder and out the front window. Reese was gone and there was nobody within view.
Beth reached down and flipped a page in the paper appointment book on her desk. “You definitely need to talk to Jordan. You should also know Reese Potok came here first. Jordan turned her down.”
“Can Jordan shed some light on what your competition across the street might be doing?”
“I would think so. Would you like an appointment?”
“Yes. As soon as possible.”
CHAPTER 21
ALEX
July 21
Hey Journal,
What’s with this taser confetti? Deputy Cunningham told Daddy about it. It sounded important, so I looked it up and it’s these little pieces of paper. Kinda like the stuff people use at a party or a parade. And you know how hard that stuff is to get rid of, don’t you, Journal? So what if it’s still there? Nobody like cleaned it up. If it blew away in the wind, it could be stuck in the rocks or something. They didn’t do a big search, so I’m gonna organize one. Things went super good for the fundraiser, so maybe I have a knack for this organizing thing.
Before I get started on the search party, I’m gonna talk to Mr. de la Guerra. He totally wants to find the treasure for Spain, so I’m gonna see if he’s got any ideas. I hope he doesn’t get mad at me again!
Bye for now,
Alex
Mr. de la Guerra is hanging out in the lobby like he usually does. I already planned my cover, so he won’t know I’m investigating. But before I can talk to him, it looks like I’m gonna have to deal with Marcus again. I can see him hiding behind the couch and it looks like he’s gonna try to surprise Mr. de la Guerra again. What a lame kid.
“Hey, Marcus, where are your parents?”
Marcus glares at me like I stole his lunch at school. Mr. de la Guerra inclines his head so he can see him, too. “Well, young man, what are you doing down there?”
I get another nasty look from Marcus. But he’s the one doing stupid stuff, not me, so I try to sound like Daddy does when he wants to be ‘in charge.’ “Where are your parents, Marcus?”
He rolls his eyes. “Upstairs.”
“You snuck away again, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Do I need to take you up there?” I figure he was super embarrassed the last time, so he’s not gonna want to go through that again.
“No. I’ll go myself.”
Mr. de la Guerra smiles at me as Marcus walks away. “Thank you for saving me from what could have been a most frightening experience, Señorita.”
Wow. What a dreamy accent. He called me señorita! And he’s being nice. Awesome. “He’s been trying to surprise people since they checked in. It’s super annoying.”
“Perhaps he is lonely and searching for attention.”
I never thought about that. “Could be. Can I ask you a question, Mr. de la Guerra? What’s it like working for the Spanish government? Do you talk in Spanish a lot?”
“At home we use Spanish very regularly. However, when I travel for the ministry of culture, English is of great benefit.”
“It would be a lot of fun to travel all over. That’s what I wanna do when I grow up. How did you get your job?”
“Ah, little one, I do not work all the time for the ministry. I also work as a reporter.”
“My dad was a reporter once. What paper do you write for?”
He stops smiling and looks around like he’s getting nervous or something. “I am a freelancer.”
“Awesome. Are you reporting on the murder, too?”
“No. I am not. Now, if you will excuse me…”
“Are you on Facebook?”
“Why?”
“So I could send you a friend request.”
He looks up and smiles at somebody. Then he stands and does that little bow thing of his. “Now, I must be going. Perhaps we can speak again before I must leave your quaint town.”
Marquetta comes and stands next to me. “Hey, Sweetie, schmoozing with the guests?”
I look up at her and shrug my shoulders. “It’s weird the way he took off so fast. He was nice and all, but why’d he get so weird when I asked him about Facebook?”
“It could be he doesn’t use it a lot. Or, he could be the kind who only likes to communicate with his close friends. Not everyone is a social media maven like you.”
“What’s a maven?”
“An expert.” She winks at me and cocks her head toward the kitchen. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
I follow her to the kitchen. On the way, I ask if they found any confetti down on the beach.
She stops, frowns at me, and asks, “Alex, what are you referring to?”
“Deputy Cunningham was telling Daddy there should be confetti from the taser on the beach.”
“Oh my goodness, how do you pick this stuff up?” She sighs and rubs the back of her neck, then kneels next to me. “I do wish you had less interest in this killing, but you are single-minded, very much like your dad. So, no, they didn’t find any confetti. Then again, they haven’t done a thorough search.”
“Why not?”
She bites her lower lip and shakes her head. “I’m not sure. N
ow, in the kitchen. I have a surprise for you.”
She puts a hand over my eyes and leads me through the butler door. When she moves her hand away, there’s a kitty made out of white towels on the island.
“That’s awesome!” I run to the center island and check out the towel kitty. “It’s stretching with its tail in the air. How’d you do it?”
“I’ll show you. You already know how to make an elephant, so we’re going to start the body the same way. Grab a bath towel and roll the two ends to the middle.”
Marquetta lays out her bath towel next to mine. Our counter’s really huge but it’s not big enough for two towels side-by-side. Once we get the ends rolled we’ve got plenty of room. She shows me how to make the back arch, and then we fold one of the hand towels diagonally until it looks like a tail. After that we make the head with another hand towel.
“Whoa. Yours totally looks like a kitty. Mine looks more like a mouse.”
“A little practice and your cats will be as good as your elephants, Sweetie.”
“I’m gonna make this one better.” I pull mine apart and stretch out the bath towel. “How’d you learn to make these? This is so much fun!”
“I started when I was very young.” She laughs and watches me roll the ends to the middle. “I was younger than you when I did my first origami.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s kind of the same idea, but you make things by folding paper instead of towels. It’s a Japanese art form. I could show you how to make a few things if you want.”
“Awesome. But first I gotta make my kitty look better. Who taught you…origami?”
“Captain…” Marquetta clears her throat. “Captain Jack.”
I can feel my mouth hanging open for a second, then ask, “So you knew Captain Jack when you were my age?”
“Yes.” She clears her throat again and her voice gets kinda creaky. “All right, enough of this ancient history stuff. I tell you what, Sweetie. Why don’t you practice making towel animals while I get started on some cookies? What do you think about some Coconut Macaroons?”
“Oh…my…God. Those are awesome. How did you know Captain Jack?”
“I…lived here once. When I was younger than you are now. Forget the towel animal, Alex. You don’t seem to be that interested.”
“I wanna learn how to make them…but, you lived here? Really? How old were you?”
Marquetta looks at me for a long time like she’s trying to make up her mind about something. “This is between you and me. You can’t tell your dad. Promise?”
“Promise.”
“My mother and I stayed here when I was six.”
“Is that when you rode the dumbwaiter?”
She kinda sighs and I can see her trying to hide a smile.
“It totally is. I can tell.”
“Enough with the questions. We need to get some work done. Put away the towels and let’s get started on the cookies.” She gives my ponytail a little tug. “Stop talking, start moving.”
CHAPTER 22
RICK
On his way back to the B&B, Rick’s path took him by Michelle’s Soap Shoppe. He took a hurried glance at the front window and noticed a new display. Black velvet hung behind two shelves made of cinder block and stained wood. Behind the shelves, six-inch-high, glossy letters spelled out the word LOVE.
Rick inspected the display. It was a nice way to show off all those boxed candles without spending a fortune, and he had been intending to get a little something for Marquetta. She kept a couple of vanilla-scented candles in the kitchen and Michelle’s looked very nice. It could be a great idea, thoughtful without seeming overly romantic.
A rush of scents assaulted Rick as he entered Michelle’s shop. When he recovered from the sensual overload, he saw Michelle standing behind the counter. She was packaging a purchase for a young man. A girl of nineteen or twenty wearing a large brimmed hat and a faded denim shirt was nearby. She glanced at Rick, lowered her gaze, then inched toward the young man. She took his arm, kissed him on the cheek, and waited while he completed the purchase.
At the same time, Michelle glanced up. Rick saw the dread on her face. Her voice cracked as she said, “I’ll be with you in a moment, Rick.”
“Take your time.” He gave her a polite wave, then began wandering through the display cases. He’d never been in Michelle’s shop before—not because he was avoiding it, but life always seemed to get in the way. Maybe it was time he started taking time out and enjoying the sights in this beautiful little town.
He found a small, vanilla-scented candle in it’s own glass holder and decided he’d buy it for Marquetta. He waited until the couple finished their transaction and approached Michelle.
“I’d like to get this.”
“Nice choice.” Michelle paused, then asked, “Is it for someone special?”
“I thought I’d get it for Marquetta.” He quickly added, “It’s just a little thank you for all her hard work.” He forced himself to stop talking before he rambled on like he was tempted to do.
“I’m sure she’ll love it.” Michelle studied the candle she held in her hands, then swallowed hard.
“Look, about this morning. That was awkward.”
Michelle laughed. “You think? I’m so angry with my mother I could spit peas. I wish I’d have been doing my run after I stopped at your place. I’d have gone an extra couple of miles just to vent.”
“You’re a runner? That’s how you stay so slim. Look, don’t hold this morning against your mom. She wants what’s best for you. Any parent would do the same for their child.”
She stared at him, shook her head, and said, “No, they wouldn’t.”
They both burst out laughing, but Rick felt increasingly distracted. If Michelle was a runner, could she be a witness, too? “You’re right. Let’s call it water under the bridge.”
“I’m good with that.”
“Were you running yesterday morning?”
“What you want to know is if I saw anything. Right? I’m afraid I can’t be of much help,” Michelle said. “I was running down along the shore when I saw Flynn O’Connor. She’s so distinctive because she’s always wearing those cargo shorts and has her hair pulled back.”
“Did you see her face?”
“No. She was down by the water and had her back to me. But I’m sure it was her.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Was this near the body?”
“I never saw the body. I would have called 9-1-1 immediately if I had.” She shrugged and shook her head. “I just like to watch the ocean while I run. It’s relaxing and I get lost in the atmosphere. It helps me forget my love life.” She laughed. “Which is totally nonexistent. Don’t worry, Rick, I’m not setting my sights on you. I keep hoping my knight in shining armor will come through the door of my soap shop and carry me away.”
Rick snickered. “Good luck with that one, Michelle.”
“With my luck, the horse will break down the door and do his business right on my floor. Then my knight will freak out and ride away without me.”
Rick pursed his lips and tried to think of what to say. He had nothing.
“I know.” Michelle rolled her eyes. “Overactive imagination. Do me a favor, would you? Please don’t do what my mom does to me when Alex gets older.”
“Promise.” Rick raised his hand. “I swear I’ll never bake cookies and make her take them to a prospective beau.”
Michelle rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh, God. It never would have worked. You’re way too old for me.”
On his way back to the B&B, Rick felt thankful things with Michelle were “back to normal.” He did feel insulted by her comment about his age. He was, after all, not even ten years older. However, after having won the battle, he saw no point in arguing the terms of the truce. He also couldn’t stop thinking about Michelle’s comment regarding Alex and boys. How much did she know? He went
looking for Marquetta after he put the candle in his office.
She and Alex were washing mixing bowls, utensils, and cookie sheets. On the center island, there were a couple of dozen coconut macaroons cooling on wire racks. Alex and Marquetta acknowledged him with a quick hello, but continued their clean up. He went to the center island and let himself savor the aroma of the coconut and chocolate chips.
When the last bowl was washed, Marquetta nudged Alex. “Robbie’s going to be here soon. Why don’t you go get changed so you two can play?”
“Good idea,” Rick said. He took Alex’s dishtowel and stood next to Marquetta.
Rick picked up a stainless steel mixing bowl and glanced at Marquetta as he dried it. “Can I ask you a question about Alex?”
“Sure,” Marquetta said as she pulled the stopper from the sink.
Rick waited as he watched the water drain. How did he ask this? He blurted, “Do you think she needs the birds and the bees talk?”
“Oh, my.” Marquetta giggled and shook her head slightly. “I had no idea you were so old-fashioned.”
Not again. First Michelle, now Marquetta? “Because of what I called it?”
“No. Because of how red your face got when you used a euphemism for sex education.”
Wow, now he did feel old. “This isn’t easy for me.”
“What brought this on anyway? Was it Michelle’s visit?”
“I stopped in her shop on my way back. She made me promise not to make Alex take cookies to a prospective…to a boyfriend. I also get concerned because Alex insists she’s going to marry Robbie Sachetti when she grows up.”
“That doesn’t mean she understands what she’s saying. However, I’m going to be kind. She already approached me a couple of weeks ago. Some of the older girls were talking at school and she heard some things she probably shouldn’t have.”
“Oh, God. Like what?”
“Female problems. I explained how things work. You should be happy. Right now she wants nothing to do with all that icky stuff.” Marquetta winked and giggled again. “Her words, not mine. I think you’re safe for a while, boss.”
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