by Rick Murcer
“Weird. Where’s Tim going?” Ramona asked.
“Don’t know, don’t care. Let’s go shopping now,” Tessie said.
Ramona blew out a sigh. “It’s their honeymoon. Why would he leave her alone?”
“I’m sure you’ll find out tonight at dinner.”
Chapter Eight
The long mahogany table seated twelve people and was elegantly decorated with cream silk placemats, sterling-silver napkin rings, bone white china, and crystal cut glasses and wine goblets. Jake and Tessie were the last couple to the table. Thankfully, Ramona and Clay were seated at the other end with two other couples. Marlo was absent from the table as was her husband Tim.
“Tonight, we have a treat in store for you guys. Our guest chef is from Beachwood Bistro. Chef Thomas cooked up a wonderful meal for you. For starters, we have fried green tomatoes and bacon-wrapped scallops. The main course is a grilled ten-ounce sirloin steak with sautéed mushrooms and onions, shrimp and grits, and steamed broccolini and glazed carrots. Dessert tonight will be your choice of key lime pie or Georgia bourbon peach cobbler. I hope you enjoy,” Elsa said before her dining staff started bringing out the platters of appetizers and filling water and wine glasses. Tessie found herself starting to relax with her first sip of wine. She had told Jake about her day with Ramona. Once she got the Mathis couple out of Ramona’s mind, they actually had a nice day of shopping and lunch on Pier Road.
“The tomatoes are delicious,” Jake said scooping up another bite of southern delicacy.
“All the food has been great.” Tessie chose the scallops, relishing the crunchy bacon paired with the chewy scallops.
As Elsa was refilling the wine glasses, Tessie overheard Ramona ask her about the Mathis couple.
“Oh dear, I’m afraid that Mr. Mathis is ill. They took dinner in their room tonight.”
Tessie and Ramona exchanged glances. They both knew that wasn’t true. Even though they didn’t actually see Tim get on a plane, Marlo had driven off and left him at the airport. Why lie and say he was ill?
“How about a walk on the beach after dinner?” Jake whispered in Tessie’s ear.
“Sounds wonderful,” she replied.
***
The waves were lapping gently along the shoreline and a slight ocean breeze kept lifting up the hem of Tessie’s skirt, showing off her shapely legs.
“Tess,” Jake wrapped his arm around her shoulder, “is everything okay?” He played with the long braid down her back.
Jake had been attracted to Tessie since day one. She, with her long, dark hair, wide emerald-green eyes, and perfectly proportioned body; he, with his tall, movie-star good looks—together, they made a handsome couple. People on the street would often stop and stare at them, trying to recognize if they were somebody special.
“All this talk about the Honeymoon Killers is starting to get to me. I didn’t think it would affect me as much as it does,” she answered. “I keep having bad flashbacks.”
“We could always cut our trip short, hop on a plane to south Florida, maybe Miami? Spend the rest of our honeymoon down there,” Jake suggested.
“Possibly. But I don’t think running away from everything is going to help.”
“Your headaches are getting worse. I can tell.”
“I just need to keep my distance from Ramona,” Tessie laughed.
Jake gently yanked her braid, pulling her head back before going in for a kiss. He then grabbed her hand and led her up to a sand dune that afforded some privacy. Tessie pulled up her dress, revealing a black, lacy thong.
“Frank was telling me about a boat we could rent from the marina. Elsa will make us a nice appetizer tray, and we’ll take a sunset cruise around the Atlantic,” Jake said as he ran his hand up her thigh, then slipping his finger between the lacy thong and Tessie’s warm skin. “We could invite the other couples. Then we can do what we do best.”
“You’re forgetting something.” Tessie said before sighing deeply as Jake inserted his finger deep inside her. “They know who we are.”
“And you’re forgetting something. Ramona is already convinced that Tim is the Honeymoon Killer.” Jake nibbled on her ear. “This could help with your headaches.”
“What do you have in mind? You know Tim is gone. We saw Marlo drop him off at the airport.”
“When Clay and I got back from the golf course, we sat at the bar. Marlo was on the other side on the chaise lounge by the pool. I overheard her talking to Tim on her cell phone. Wherever he went, he’s scheduled to be back tomorrow. Marlo is picking him up in the morning,” Jake said, struggling to pull down his pants. “She was pretty upset that he left her on their honeymoon to take care of some business. At least, that’s what I got out of the conversation.”
“And you’re just now sharing this with me?”
“I’ve been devising a plan since I heard her conversation. I wanted to think it through before I told you.”
Tessie sighed. “It would be nice to shut up Ramona. I would personally relish that job. How do you suppose we do all of this?”
Jake told her his plan. When Tessie agreed, he said, “Great. I’ll book the boat in the morning. You work your charm and invite everyone.” Jake put his shorts down on the sand and sat on top of them before pulling Tessie onto his lap. He loved the feel of her lowering herself onto him, clenching her thighs tight as she rode him. “Now, no more talk about this. Let’s have some fun.”
Chapter Nine
“We’ve got a problem,” Jake said as he handed Tessie a cup of coffee. She sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes before putting on her eye glasses.
“What?” Tessie took a tentative sip of the strong, black coffee.
Jake reached for the TV remote and searched for a news station. He settled on CNN, which was covering a live broadcast. On the border of the screen, flashing in red, were the words “Honeymoon Serial Killers Claim Next Victims.”
“The owner of the private beach house in Panama City Beach is confirming that a couple he’d rented the house to was found dead last night. The couple’s names and the cause of death have not been released yet, but the owner has told us they were on their honeymoon. Speculation is that it is the work of the Honeymoon Killers. Myrtle Beach is the last known place the serial killers targeted, and investigators are saying that more than one person is involved. We’ll be reporting more on this gruesome murder once details become available. Back to you, Bob.”
Jake muted the TV. “What do you think about that?”
Tessie drained the rest of her coffee. “Copycat killer? Or coincidence?”
“I’m going for the copycat theory. The question is, who and why?”
“I thought we were going to leave work behind this morning and concentrate on us.”
Jake slid between the covers with Tessie. “Good point. You know how much I love you?”
“Show me.”
***
At breakfast, Tim sat at the table looking a little tired. Marlo was still keeping up with the story that he’d been sick. Tessie thought it was believable, seeing the black circles and bags under Tim’s eyes. It looked like he hadn’t slept the last twenty-four hours. Thankfully, Ramona and Clay hadn’t shown up for breakfast.
“Feeling better?” Tessie asked Tim.
He nodded. “Just a stomach bug.”
Tessie wondered how he was able to slip by yesterday morning without any of the staff or other guests noticing he was gone.
Jake fixed his and Tessie’s plate from the breakfast buffet. Fruit and coffee for her. A spinach egg-white omelet for him.
“If you are feeling up to it, Jake and I would like to invite you guys to a sunset cruise tonight. It’s our last night at the inn; we’d like to take a catamaran out. We’ll have some champagne and tapas.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not sure if Tim is up for it,” Marlo answered for them.
Tim waved her off. “I’ll be fine. What time did you have in mind?”
“We’l
l set sail at seven o’clock sharp,” Jake said. He then gave directions to Tim to the marina. “We’ll see you then.”
“That went good. Now to get Ramona and Clay on board. Literally,” Tessie whispered in Jake’s ear before laughing at her own joke.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s hit the pool for a bit before we get ready for tonight.”
Chapter Ten
Jake and Tessie had taken the catamaran out for a test ride before bringing it back to the marina. While Tessie drove back to the B&B to pick up the champagne and appetizers, Jake got the boat ready to sail. Nervous excitement floated through his belly as he thought through every scenario that could happen tonight. He liked to be prepared for anything and everything.
While waiting for Tessie to come back, he went through the cabin, double-checking everything. Tonight would be a perfect night for a cruise, with cloudless skies, light breeze, and a full moon. If everything went as planned, Tessie would be rid of her headaches for a while, and he would be able to sleep well for a few nights. They could take off for south Florida and enjoy the rest of their honeymoon.
The catamaran was a thirty-six-footer that slept six people comfortably with three cabins, small kitchen, and a main saloon. Jake had a similar model back home and was comfortable with sailing the boat. Just as he was checking the compartments under the sink, he heard Tessie come aboard. She was carrying two large bags of food. He went to help her.
“The others should be on their way,” she said, putting the bags down on the small dining table.
“Smells good,” Jake said, kissing his wife on the lips.
“Elsa is a dream. She made us crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta with tomatoes and garlic, cocktail shrimp, and mini key-lime custards.” Tessie began to unload the food. “She also threw in a couple bottles of wine, one red, one white, and some coffee with a bottle of Kahlua.”
“So our guests will be full and happy,” Jake said.
“They won’t know what hit them.” Tessie smiled.
Chapter Eleven
Ramona stepped out of the bath and wrapped a warm towel around her. “I still don’t understand why they invited Tim and Marlo. Tessie knows that I despise that man.”
Clay pulled off his swimming trunks and stepped into the steamy shower. “Ramona, let’s not fight about this. I told you at lunch that we don’t have to go. It’s our honeymoon too. We can stay here and have dinner in bed. They’ll understand.”
“No, I want to go. A sunset cruise sounds romantic. I just don’t want to have to look behind my back every five seconds, wondering when Tim is going to put a knife in it.”
Clay laughed as he soaped up. “Tim isn’t the Honeymoon Killer any more than I am.”
“That murder happened in Florida last night! He hopped on a plane yesterday, but he claimed he was here sick in bed. What a perfect cover.”
Clay laughed again. “Whatever you say, darling.”
Ramona left the bathroom to go in search of the jewelry she’d bought at the cute shop on Pier Road. She looked in the bag and pulled out a few pieces of sterling silver. Bracelets, earrings, and a starburst-shaped ring. Ramona sighed as she realized that she had the wrong bag. Tessie must have grabbed hers when they got out of the car. Ramona was going to wear a white, gauzy sundress, and she had specifically bought a silver and turquoise necklace to go with it. She walked back into the bathroom and yelled at Clay. “I’ll be right back,” Ramona said, explaining to Clay about the mixed-up shopping bags.
Ramona tightened the belt on her robe as she made her way down the carpeted hallway. Tessie’s room was just a few doors down from her room. She hoped that she hadn’t left yet.
She thought about what Clay said earlier about Tim. She knew Clay wasn’t convinced that Tim had anything to do with the recent murders and didn’t take her allegations seriously. But he’d done the same thing when she was worried about the neighborhood burglar. Ramona had great instincts, which helped in catching that teenager stealing a TV from her neighbor’s house. No one believed Ramona when she tried to tell all her neighbors and the local police that a certain teenager was responsible. She took satisfaction when the boy was caught. Now Tim may not have had anything to do with honeymoon killings, but he was guilty of something bad. She just knew it. Maybe if she did find out what was going on, Clay would finally quit teasing her.
She knocked on Tessie’s door. No answer. Jiggling the handle, she realized the door was unlocked.
“Tessie?” she called out.
Again, no answer.
Ramona proceeded to walk inside the McBride suite. The king-sized bed was neatly made, and the room was clean and tidy. Ramona looked around for the shopping bag. All their clothes were neatly folded in the dresser bureau or hanging up in the closet. Ramona thought back to her own suite, which was strewn with clothing, makeup, and jewelry. Tessie and Jake were apparently OCD neat freaks.
She felt a little guilty for being in their room, snooping around. The bathroom was just as neat as the rest of the suite. All makeup and toiletries were stashed in a cabinet under the sink. Not a drop of water in the double sinks or tub. Two damp towels hung from the towel bar.
“I must have overlooked it the first time,” Ramona said aloud as she walked back into the bedroom. Methodically, she pulled each drawer open and went through their clothing. Her hand hit on something hard under one of Tessie’s nightgowns. She pulled out a denim-covered scrapbook.
Curiosity getting the better of her, Ramona sat down on the bed and opened the book. She stifled a scream when a picture of a nude body floated out of the book.
Chapter Twelve
Once she got her breath under control, Ramona flipped through the book slowly, taking in all the news articles and photographs on each page.
Mysterious Death of Honeymoon Couple in Atlantic City
Couple Found Electrocuted in Hamptons Beach House
Atlantic City Honeymoon Deaths – Suicide or Murder?
Myrtle Beach Honeymooners Found Dead
Hampton Honeymoon Deaths May Be Connected To Others
Ramona was confused. She knew Tessie was a freelance journalist, but she thought she worked with the financial and political sector. Maybe the Honeymoon Killer was an obsession of Tessie’s as well. If so, Tessie had no right chastising her for being preoccupied with the case as well.
How in the world did Tessie get photos of the crime scene, though? She felt sick to her stomach as she perused the photos of nude young couples in various positions.
She recognized the Atlantic City honeymooners from the news photos. Except the newspaper ran pictures of the couples when they were alive.
This picture showed a nude male body sprawled out on the floor. A young woman lying in a tub with her eyes closed, just like she was sleeping.
Another picture of a couple in a hot tub. Their grotesque bodies under water, the woman’s hair fanned out covering most of her face.
The last photo was of a young couple still dressed in their wedding finery, hanging from a rafter, looking bizarre with their shoes off. Their faces were beet red.
There was something Ramona was missing. Her traumatized mind couldn’t think straight. She was thinking more about why Tessie would have these disturbing photos more than she was really looking at the details of the photos.
Then it hit her.
She thought back to the news stories she’d heard. And for a second time, she stifled a scream.
These photos were taken right after each couple had died. Before their bodies were allegedly found. Tessie was there when the murders took place? Not after? That only meant one thing. Tessie and Jake were the Honeymoon Killers.
Ramona picked up the phone to call the authorities. She knew Tessie and Jake were probably waiting for them at the marina. Tim and Marlo would be there as well. She thought of Clay back in the room getting ready. Ramona started to dial for help. While she waited to be connected, she thought of her husband who thought she was crazy for thinkin
g Tim had something to do with the murders. She thought about his endless teasing of her being a neurotic nosy-body. She thought about all the physical and verbal abuse he’d put her through that nobody knew about. She thought about all the times she wanted to call 9-1-1 on her own abusive husband.
“911. What’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
Ramona started to formulate a plan of her own. “Sorry, there is no emergency.” She hung up the phone.
Chapter Thirteen
“Welcome aboard!” Tessie greeted as Ramona and Clay stepped on the glittering white catamaran.
Ramona gave Tessie a quick hug, stepping back and seeing her friend in a new light.
They followed their hosts down below to the main saloon where Tim and Marlo were already waiting. Platters of appetizers were laid out on the dining room table along with two bottles of wine and a bottle of Christophe Champagne.
“Nice spread,” Ramona said as she plucked a stuffed mushroom from a plate.
Tessie handed her a glass of wine. Ramona swirled the Chardonnay around before taking a tentative sip. Tessie winked at Ramona. “I think Tim will be on his best behavior tonight.”
“Everyone set to go?” Jake asked. “We’ll be heading out in five minutes. Sunset is supposed to be beautiful tonight, so grab your drinks and let’s head up to the deck.”
“I can take your purse,” Tessie offered Ramona as they prepared to go above board.
Ramona gripped it tight. “That’s okay. I’ve got my camera on me. I want to take some pictures.”
“Great idea. I’m afraid I forgot to pack my camera.” Tessie smiled at her.
“I’ll e-mail you some photos from this evening,” Ramona said.
