Handbags & Homicide

by Anne Marie Stoddard

  Mia followed my gaze and made a face. "Yikes. That is way more of Coco than I ever needed to see."

  "No kidding," I agreed. I turned away from the blonde cheerleader and gestured to Mia's beach bag. "Can I use some of your sunscreen?"

  "Sure." She retrieved a little blue bottle of SPF-50 lotion and handed it to me.

  I glanced over at Emma, who was reclining on the lounger beside Mia's, playing with her phone. "Any chance you might have missed a call about my purse?" I asked hopefully as I slathered the lotion onto my shoulders.

  "Let me check my call log." Em tapped at the screen for a few seconds and then shook her head, giving me a sympathetic smile. "Nothing yet. Sorry, girl. I'm sure it'll turn up soon." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Wait a sec. I've got an idea that might help us track it down."

  "I'm all ears," I said, tossing the lotion bottle back to Mia.

  Emma met my gaze. "Remember when someone stole my phone at the gym last year, and we found it with that GPS tracking app?"

  I felt my whole face light up. "That's right! I'd completely forgotten." Emma had managed to recover her missing cell before it had even made it out of the building. I'd been so impressed that I had downloaded the app for my own phone on that same day. We'd linked our accounts so that we could track each other's devices in case it ever happened again.

  Em handed me her phone. "As long as your battery isn't dead, we should be able to track it to within about fifty feet of its location."

  I pulled up the locater app, pumping my fist with excitement when the little pin appeared on the screen. "It's working!" I squinted at the little map, feeling a rush of cool relief. "It says my phone is right here at the resort. Koma must have found it on the bus after all and taken it back to Gabby's office." I zoomed in on the map and felt my relief turn to confusion. "Wait. That can't be right," I muttered.

  "What's wrong?" Mia sat up and leaned forward so she could see the screen, too. "Where is it?"

  I turned the phone around so that she and Emma could see the little dot, which appeared to be close to the boardwalk that led to the beach near Ramada Pier. "It looks like it's on the beach," I said, unable to contain my surprise. "But how did it wind up out there?"

  "Maybe your purse really was stolen," Mia replied, frowning. "Whoever took it must be near the shore."

  I rose from the lounger and gathered my things. "I'm going to go find it."

  Emma's forehead wrinkled. "What if the person who took it is dangerous?" she asked, her tone laced with trepidation. "Maybe I should go find Dante and make him come with us."

  "There's no time," I told her. "Whoever took my purse might be gone by the time Dante gets down here."

  "I'll go with you," Mia offered. She turned and gave Emma an encouraging look. "Come on, Em. We'll be fine if we stick together."

  Emma was still for a few moments, her face twisted as if she were struggling to make up her mind about something. Finally, she nodded. "Okay," she said. She turned toward Coco, who was still standing next to the lifeguard chair. "Coco, we're headed to the beach," she called.

  The short blonde waved us off. "Have fun," she yelled back, never taking her eyes off Remy. I stifled a laugh when I saw her reach over and trace a finger along one of his biceps. Remy took a small step back, shifting his weight uncomfortably. Coco seemed oblivious to his disinterest, and she continued to flirt with the lifeguard as Mia, Emma, and I left the pool patio.

  We made our way to the boardwalk that led to the stretch of beach reserved for resort guests only. The shore hadn't yet been warmed through by the sun when I slipped off my shoes, and an involuntary shudder worked its way down my spine as the cool sand touched my skin. The beach was surprisingly empty for midmorning, with only three of the resort-owned lounge chairs occupied by guests. A young couple was jogging along the shoreline several hundred yards from the pier. The rest of the area was deserted.

  "Think one of these people has your phone?" Mia asked, scanning the other beach-goers.

  I checked the map. "No. According to this, it's past the lounge chairs," I said, pointing.

  Emma frowned. "But there's no one over there."

  I shrugged and started in the direction that the map indicated. Emma and Mia followed, and a few minutes later we were standing in a quiet part of the beach. I surveyed the sand, but there was no sign of my purse or the phone. "I don't understand," I said, puzzled. "It's supposedly within fifty feet of where we're standing."

  "Why don't you try calling it?" Emma suggested. "Your phone isn't dead, or we wouldn't be able to track it, right? Maybe we'll be able to hear it ringing."

  Figuring I had nothing to lose, I dialed my number and waited. A few seconds later, my ears perked up as the chorus to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" sounded faintly somewhere to our right.

  "That's your ringtone, isn't it?" Emma asked.

  I nodded but held up a finger to my lips, signaling for her to stay silent so that I could focus on the sounds coming from my missing phone. The call went to voice mail, and I hung up and immediately redialed. I began walking toward the sound, straining to hear. My excitement mounted as the music grew louder. I was glad I'd turned the phone's volume all the way up at the club the night before, otherwise I'd probably never have heard it over the sound of the waves slapping against the shore. I was so focused on listening for the ring tone that I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking. My foot caught on something in the sand, and I gave a startled cry as I lost my balance and tumbled to the ground.

  "Kaley! Are you okay?" Emma sprinted toward me with Mia on her heels.

  "I'm fine." I sat up, dusting the sand off my legs. I pressed redial once more and waited for my phone to start ringing again. To my surprise, it sounded as if I were right on top of it.

  Mia crouched beside me. "X marks the spot," she joked. "Where's one of those kids with a plastic bucket and shovel when you need 'em?"

  I didn't respond. I shoved my hands into the sand and started working to unearth the object that had tripped me. My hands closed around soft leather. I could feel my phone vibrating as I gripped the object and lifted it. "My purse!" I cried, elated. I tugged at the bag, but the strap was stuck to something under the sand.

  Mia frowned. "What is it wrapped around?" she asked.

  "A piece of driftwood, maybe," I said, gritting my teeth as I pulled harder. Mia began to dig in the sand below the bag, trying to loosen it.

  A moment later, we both screamed. I let go of the purse and skittered backward, sending a spray of sand through the air. My purse strap wasn't stuck on a piece of driftwood.

  It was wrapped around the corpse of Valentina Cruz.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  "Ms. Kalua, I wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you." The portly Polynesian man standing in front of me nodded, giving me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. His name was Ray Kahoalani, and he was a homicide detective for the Aloha Lagoon Police Department.

  I understood his sentiment, and the feeling was mutual. While Detective Ray was a kind, courteous man, our paths only crossed when something bad had happened—like finding my ex-husband's lover in a shallow, sandy grave, for instance.

  The detective glanced over his shoulder at his team, who had already set to the task of blocking off the patch of beach where we'd found Valentina. We'd immediately stopped digging after our grisly discovery, and I'd used Emma's phone to call the police. Now a petite Asian woman from the coroner's office who had introduced herself as Dr. Aimi Yoshida was crouched low in the sand as she studied the corpse.

  Valentina's body was slumped in an unnatural position, and several clumps of darker sand were scattered around her head, matching the rust-colored streaks on her left temple. The shoulder strap of my new purse was still wrapped across her body, and my stomach lurched at the sight of dried blood that coated the leather in several places. I wouldn't be getting the bag back anytime soon—though, after seeing it on a corpse, I wasn't so sure I wanted it.

  Shuddering, I turne
d away from the dead woman, pulling my bathing suit cover-up more tightly around me. I couldn't bring myself to look too closely, but from what I had seen from a quick glance, I had the sinister impression that she hadn't died by natural causes. So much blood, I thought, going queasy all over again. As much as I'd disliked the woman when she was alive, I wouldn't have wished her such a gruesome death.

  I looked at Emma, who was huddled next to Mia on one of the nearby loungers, sobbing. Her beach towel was wrapped around her shoulders like one of those emergency blankets that EMTs often gave to accident victims. Mia sat close to Emma, staring at the sand. Though she was no longer crying, her shocked expression suggested she was equally traumatized.

  "Did you hear me, Kaley?" Detective Ray's voice punctured my thoughts.

  I blinked rapidly and then shifted my gaze back to him. "I'm sorry," I said, feeling heat creep into my cheeks. "What was the question?"

  "I asked when you last saw Miss Cruz alive," the burly detective repeated. Though his tone was patient, his lips drew down ever so slightly at the corners.

  I sucked in a mouthful of sea air and then forced it slowly back out. "She was with us when we returned to the resort," I said, squinting as I concentrated on my hazy, alcohol-soaked memory. "We'd all been out drinking and dancing at the Lanai Lounge for Emma's bachelorette celebration. When we arrived back to the hotel at a little after midnight, Emma and I headed straight to our room." I frowned in concentration as I reached back through my cloudy recollection. "I think I remember hearing Val say she wanted to keep the party going. She was planning to drop by The Lava Pot for another drink."

  "Did she go alone?" The detective's bushy eyebrows lifted in question.

  A light clicked on in the back of my mind. "Now that you mention it, I don't think so." I frowned. Coco. In all the chaos of the past half hour, I'd completely forgotten about her. My gaze shifted from the detective to Emma and Mia. Had either of them called the flighty blonde to let her know that her cheer mate and friend had been killed? Or was she still at the pool, oblivious to the tragedy as she flirted with Remy the lifeguard?

  "Can you elaborate?" Ray commanded my attention again. "Who accompanied Miss Cruz to The Lava Pot?"

  My eyes snapped back to him. Despite his patient expression, I detected a slight look of irritation in the creases around his eyes. "I think Coco might have—Nicole Becker. She's one of the other bridesmaids." I gestured to Emma and Mia. "We left her by the pool when we came out here to track my phone. I haven't seen her since."

  "Your phone," Detective Ray said, flipping to a new page in the little notepad that he carried in the pocket of his loud-patterned aloha shirts. His gaze locked with mine, and I felt a sense of unease. Though at first blush, the man's demeanor seemed laid-back and kind, I was picking up a subtle suspicion beneath his easygoing exterior, and it rattled me.

  "Kaley, how do you suppose your purse and phone wound up buried in the sand with Miss Cruz?" he asked.

  My mouth went dry. "I have no idea," I said honestly, though my voice cracked on the last syllable. I'd seen the detective in action before, and the trace of mistrust in his tone didn't bode well for me. I did not want to end up on the wrong end of his investigation.

  Detective Ray's eyes narrowed a fraction at the hitch in my voice. Lips pressed together in a straight line, he wrote something else down on his notepad and then looked up at me. "You said you went straight to your room when you returned to the resort around midnight. Did you leave again at any point?"

  "Not until this morning." I shook my head. "We had breakfast about an hour and a half ago."

  "Can anyone corroborate your whereabouts for the rest of the evening?"

  I blinked. He wanted someone to vouch that I had stayed in the room all night. Does he think I'm lying? "Of course," I said, hiking my thumb in the direction of the lounger where the other girls were still seated. "Emma and I are sharing a room. We were both there all night."

  I felt a hint of relief when Detective Ray shifted his gaze away from me, but it quickly vanished. He motioned for me to follow as he started toward Emma, making it clear that he wasn't done with me just yet. He introduced himself to the two women and then raised his notepad. "Can you state your full name for me please, miss?" he asked Emma.

  She dabbed at her soggy eyes with her towel. "Emma Jane Ross," she replied, her voice hoarse.

  "How did you know Valentina Cruz?"

  Em flinched and dropped her gaze to the sand. "This was supposed to be a fun weekend vacation," she said quietly. "I'm getting married in a few days. Val is—she was—one of my bridesmaids. And now she's…" Her voice died away. Emma's complexion lightened several shades, and she clutched at her stomach. "I don't feel so good," she moaned, rocking back and forth on the edge of the lounger.

  Mia wrapped a protective arm around Emma's shoulders. "I think she's in shock," she said. "She just needs a few minutes to calm down. I could walk her down the beach for a bit while she composes herself," she offered. Mia met my gaze. "Or maybe you'd want to go with her, Kaley."

  I shook my head. "No. You go ahead—if it's okay with the detective, I mean." I glanced at Detective Ray. "Is that all right?"

  He studied the two women for a moment, probably trying to decide if either posed a flight risk. Finally he nodded. "Just one more question first," he added, holding up a finger. "Miss Ross, you were sharing a room with Ms. Kalua. Once you arrived back at the resort from the night club, did you both remain in the room for the rest of the evening?"

  Emma shook her head. "No," she replied softly.

  It was my turn to be confused. "No?" I blurted, gaping at her.

  Emma flashed me a guilty look. "I went to Dante's room after you fell asleep." She shifted her gaze to Detective Ray. "Dante Becker is my fiancé," she explained. "He and his groomsmen are also staying at the resort for his bachelor party." She flicked a glance at me and then dropped her eyes, looking embarrassed. "We haven't spent more than a few nights apart since we started dating, and I have trouble sleeping when he's not in the bed with me. I went upstairs to his room and stayed there until just before sunrise." Emma looked up again, meeting the detective's gaze. "He can confirm that if you talk to him."

  I stared at my friend, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach. I'd had no idea that I'd been alone in our room after falling asleep. Emma's confession that she'd left for several hours put a serious dent in my alibi. Would Detective Ray think I'd lied to him on purpose?

  The burly man flicked a glance in my direction. As if reading my mind, he asked Emma, "Was Ms. Kalua in the room when you left to visit your fiancé?"

  Emma frowned. "I think so," she said, avoiding my gaze. "I left the lights off so I wouldn't wake her when I sneaked out." She clutched her middle again, and a soft groan escaped her lips. "I'm going to be sick." She doubled over and began to hyperventilate.

  Mia stooped beside Emma and rubbed her back. She shot Detective Ray a pleading look. "Can you give her just a minute?" she asked, her tone filled with concern.

  "Don't wander too far," he told her. "I have some more questions for you both."

  Mia quickly helped Emma to her feet and ushered the sick girl several yards down the beach. I took a few steps after them but halted when Detective Ray cleared his throat. I turned around to find him watching me. "Can anyone else confirm that you stayed in your room for the rest of the night?"

  I gulped. "No."

  The detective nodded. He fixed me with another probing look. "Did you know Valentina Cruz before she arrived on the island?"

  Crap. I had no choice but to tell him the truth. I swallowed, dreading the inevitable turn his questioning was about to take. "I met Val when I lived in Atlanta," I said, fighting to keep a neutral tone. "She's dating my ex-husband, Bryan."

  Detective Ray raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

  I felt beads of perspiration forming under my arms. I could practically see the gears turning in the man's head, deducing that jealousy or revenge could have been my
motive. He was quiet for several moments while he looked at me as if waiting for me to continue.

  The silence was unnerving. "Maybe you should talk to him," I blurted, feeling my palms begin to sweat. "He's also staying at the resort."

  Ray's other brow lifted to join its twin. "Your ex-husband—Miss Cruz's boyfriend—is here on the island?"

  The guilt came in a sudden rush. I'd just thrown Bryan under the bus to divert suspicion from myself, and it was too late to backpedal. "He's one of Dante Becker's groomsmen," I hedged. "They arrived yesterday afternoon."

  "What is Bryan's last name?"

  "Colfax." I tried to ignore the sour feeling in the pit of my belly while silently praying that he wouldn't ask me any more questions.

  Luck was on my side. Detective Ray turned away from me to flag down one of the uniformed officers as he passed. I noticed with a pang of sadness that the other man was carrying the clear, plastic evidence bag that contained my blood-soaked purse. After murmuring something to the officer that I couldn't hear, Ray dismissed the man and returned his attention to me.

  "I'll pay Mr. Colfax a visit once I've finished speaking to your friends," he said. "But first, I'd like a list of the names of everyone in the wedding party."

  "Sure," I said, trying to keep my voice even. I told him the names of the other groomsmen. When he'd dismissed me, I watched him head across the sand toward Emma. My friend was on her knees in the surf. Mia crouched beside her, holding back wisps of dark hair from Emma's face while she gagged. I grimaced and looked away. Poor Em. On top of the hellish hangover and wedding planning stress, she'd just experienced a terrible trauma. Though I wanted to help, there was nothing I could do for her right then. She and Mia still had to give their statements to Detective Ray, and in that moment I wanted to get as far away as possible from the beach, the police, and Valentina's body. I made my way over to the wooden boardwalk that led back toward the resort courtyard.

  "Kaley!" A familiar voice carried my name across the sand. I raised my head and scanned the edge of the beach. A small crowd had gathered on the boardwalk, with onlookers craning their necks to see what was happening beyond the police blockade. Cool relief flooded through me as I spotted Noa near the front of the cluster of guests. I quickly closed the gap between us, ducking under the yellow police tape.