Cedar Bay Cozy Mysteries #3

by Dianne Harman

  She followed Cayo into the room and looked in the bathroom and in the main room. No one was there. Maybe there’s a problem with the locks not fully engaging. I’ve noticed a few other doors that seemed to be slightly ajar. That would explain it. I think I’m getting spooked with everything that's happened. Calm down, Kelly, she told herself. I’ve done this before. I can help Mike find out who murdered Dudley even though he probably wouldn't approve of what I've been doing this afternoon. Oh well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him.

  She’d just closed and locked the door when the phone in the room rang. “Hi, Carola. What did you find out?” She listened for a few minutes and then said, “Well, that probably explains why I couldn't find out anything about Stewart's personal life. He's been waiting for Patricia all these years, and from what you just told me, it sounds like she's been waiting for him as well. That really makes my crime solving antenna start to wiggle.”

  “You’re right, Kelly, and while I'm new to this detective game which you’re so good at, it sure seems to me like either one of them or even both of them could be considered suspects. Killing someone because of a romantic interest is the stuff that books, movies, and television are made of. You know a lot more about this than I do. What do you think?”

  “I have no idea. I'll google Patricia tomorrow and see if I can find out anything about her. What's on your schedule now?”

  “I’ve got to go, Kelly. Jack just walked in with a big smile on his face. Must have been good fishing this afternoon. Why don't we meet you in the restaurant at 7:00 for dinner? Maybe Mike will be back by then, and he can join us, but if not, we'll see you then.”

  Kelly hung up the phone and went into the bathroom, intending to take a cool shower. It didn't take long in this heat and humidity to become wringing wet. She’d just turned the shower on when the phone rang. She turned the shower off and walked back into the bedroom.

  “Hello.” She listened to the voice on the other end. “Hi, Mike, how was your afternoon?”

  “Long. The constable is a very nice man, but he doesn't know a thing about investigating a case like this. I've been on the computer most of the afternoon as well as on the phone with my deputies back home and some other law enforcement personnel I know trying to get information about the people I consider to be suspects. It's been rough slogging because this computer is very slow, but I guess that's the trade-off for being in a beautiful, remote area. The only thing I learned with any certainty is that Philip was once accused of murder, but the case was dropped. He's recently separated from his wife, and no one is quite sure where he's getting the money to live the lifestyle he leads.

  “I had his new home in the Florida Keys checked out, and it looks like the guy is made of money. The thing is beautiful. It's right on the water, and according to the county records, he paid three and a half million for it. Not bad for a guy who's unemployed and hoping to make a name for himself as a fishing guide. Doesn't quite add up in my book. We're trying to find the source of where he's getting his money. Anyway, I'm going to spend a couple more hours here, so go ahead and eat dinner without me.”

  “Carola just called and asked me to dinner. I’ll join them. Anything pro or con about Jack?”

  “No. I let the constable search Jack’s background, because I'm too close to him to be non-judgmental. Fortunately, in the preliminary check the constable thought he had one of the cleanest records he'd ever seen. The only black mark against him is he went for a swim in the ocean at or about the same time that Dudley did, and Dudley later turned up dead. That's a coincidence, and you know what I think about coincidences, but in this case I think it’s a legitimate coincidence.”

  “I do know what you think about coincidences, but sometimes they are simply that, coincidences, and this may be one of those times. I'm off to take a shower. I hope it's air-conditioned where you are, because this heat and humidity is brutal. I'm thoroughly enjoying this island and being here, but I wouldn’t want to live in the Caribbean because of the weather.”

  “Don't think that's anything you need to worry about. The only way we'll be leaving our home in Cedar Bay is feet first. See you later.”

  Showered and cooled, Kelly locked the door, double-checked it to make sure it had closed securely and walked down the curving path to the restaurant, Cayo walking beside her. She paused for a moment on her way, looking at the aqua blue color of the Caribbean and the flames of pink and blue in the sky as day turned to night. Although it seemed to be the epitome of a place for romance, like so many things, scratch the surface and the ugly appears. In this case the ugly came in the form of murder.

  CHAPTER 16

  When Kelly walked into the restaurant, she immediately saw Carola waving at her. She and Jack were sitting at one of the tables that had a direct line of view from the open front reception area to the ocean. She sat down and said, “So, Jack, how was your second day on the water? What zone were you in today?”

  “Zone three, and it was amazing. It's going to be hard to fish anywhere else after fishing here at Cayo Largo. I lost track of the number of fish I caught. Here are a couple of pictures my guide took of me and the fish.” He showed her several picture of him holding various different fish.

  “Good for you. I'm sure Mike's going to be envious when he sees these. Too bad he can't do what he thought he’d be doing when he came here, but solving a murder usually takes precedence in his world.”

  “Speaking of Mike,” Jack said, “have you heard from him today?”

  “Yes, he called a few minutes ago and told me he would be spending a couple more hours with the constable. He said for me to go ahead and join you for dinner, and he’d get something later.”

  “Have they discovered anything yet? I had no idea what was going on when Guido came out in the boat and got him. Carola told me that the coroner determined that Dudley's death was not accidental.”

  “She knows as much as I do. I imagine Mike might be able to tell us a bit more when he gets here, but I have no idea when that might be. He did tell me that Philip, the guy from the Florida Keys, just bought a home for three and a half million, and since he's between careers or jobs, no one can figure out where he’s getting that kind of money. He also recently separated from his wife who now lives in Connecticut. Prior to moving to Florida he worked for his parents’ family business as the manager of several boutique hotels in Australia that his parents own. Mike’s having his people try and find out some additional financial information about him.”

  “Did Mike say anything about me? Am I still considered a suspect?" Jack asked with a tone of concern in his voice.

  “I don't know. I think everyone who might have had any type of connection to Dudley will be considered a suspect, so I assume that would include you. Mike did say he told the constable he wanted him to do the background search on you, because he didn't want there to be any hint of a conflict of interest when it came to you because of your relationship with Mike.”

  “I can appreciate that, but I guarantee you that they won't find anything. I've probably led about as clean a life as anyone can. I've never even gotten a traffic ticket.”

  “Wish I could say that," Carola said, laughing, I’ve gotten three or four traffic tickets, and the only thing that's kept me from getting a couple more is smiling at the policeman and batting my eyelashes. For some reason they're suckers for big brown eyes, dark skin, and women who bat their eyelashes at them.”

  “Don't test your luck, honey. Try that too many times, and you're bound to find the cop who wants it known that he was able to resist the attractions that did in so many of his cohorts. Here's to you and no more speeding tickets.” Jack said as he smiled at her and raised his glass. “Don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's eat.”

  Cayo seemed to understand every word that was being said and made the rounds of all the tables of the other guests while the three of them were filling their plates. Kelly watched the little cat go from table to table, pausing for a moment, and if it
was apparent that the people either hadn't noticed the cat or chose not to give him a scrap of food, he simply went on to the next table until he’d worked the entire room. When he was finished, he returned to the table where Kelly was seated and stretched out under the table next to her legs. In a moment he was sound asleep.

  “Jack, I've been thinking,” Carola said. “Since it looks like Mike won't be able to go fishing with you tomorrow, and the boat can accommodate one more person, I'd like to go out in the morning with you. I think it would help me when I deal with clients if I could describe the fishing experience with firsthand knowledge. I'll come in at noon, and you can go back out.”

  “I'd love it Carola, but I'll go you one better. The guide told me he would be taking me to lunch tomorrow at a little restaurant at Sirena Beach. He said they have dolphins there that are trained and some of the best lobster in the world. It's a thatched roof place with nothing around it but the Caribbean and white sand.” He turned to Kelly. “Why don't you take a taxi and join us, and then you and Carola could ride back together to the hotel.”

  “You don't have to ask me twice,” Kelly said. “Any time the word lobster is mentioned I'm right there. Thanks. That's something I'll really look forward to. What time should I meet you?”

  “The guide told me we'll get off the water at 12:30. We'll meet you then.”

  “Jack, Mike told me there are very strict fishing regulations here in Cuba. Is that going to be a problem for Carola?”

  “Would be if I hadn't gotten a fishing license for her. I always get one for her whenever we go anywhere just in case there's a chance for her to do what she'll be doing tomorrow - experiencing the fishing firsthand. It really does help her sell fishing trips to my clients.”

  “Sounds great. I think Cayo and I will leave you, so you can have a somewhat romantic evening together. Even though it's humid, it really is beautiful here. I'd suggest a romantic walk on the beach, but given what happened last night, that might not be advisable. See you at 12:30 tomorrow at Sirena Beach. Let’s go, Cayo.”

  CHAPTER 17

  “Who is it?” Kelly asked as someone knocked on the door two hours after she and Cayo had returned to the room.

  “It's me, sweetheart,” Mike said. “Open up.” She opened the door and was immediately engulfed in a bear hug.

  “What’s this all about?”

  “Whenever I'm involved in something like this, I'm just so glad you're okay,” he said.

  “So,” she said, looking up at him, “do you know who did it?”

  “At the moment I don't have a clue. There are a number of people who might have had a reason to do it, but no one has jumped to the front of the line.”

  “Mike, you've got to be starving. Go down to the restaurant and get something to eat, and then we can talk.”

  “Actually, the constable’s wife brought dinner to us. It was fabulous. She called it pollo con arrozo. He told me it means chicken with rice. Moist, a little sweet, a little tang, and so tender the meat fell off the bone. I could eat that every day, but at the moment I'm stuffed. She also brought us dessert which was a dish she called tres leches. It's a cake made with three different kinds of milk, evaporated, condensed, and cream. After I tasted it I wished I’d asked her for the recipe before she left. I know you’d love it."

  “Actually, I had it yesterday at the restaurant, and it was delicious. In fact, it was so delicious I asked the chef for the recipe. Thanks for thinking of me. You know I'm always looking for new recipes for the coffee shop, although Cuban food in the sleepy little town of Cedar Bay does seem like a bit of a stretch, but then again, maybe the residents need a food stretch. After talking to the chef, I’m going to try a couple of the recipes and see what happens. ”

  “Kelly, I'd love to sit here and talk to you all night, but I'm whipped. What are your plans for tomorrow? You'd talked about getting a massage. Any luck with that?”

  “I was going to look into it, but Jack made me an offer I couldn't resist. Since you can't go out in the boat tomorrow, Carola's going to take your place, and I'm going to meet them for lunch at some little grass shack restaurant on Sirena Beach. He said the guide told him they have the best lobster in the world that barely cost anything.”

  “Okay, I'm sold. I'll tell the constable that this is my vacation, and while I don't mind not fishing, I do mind not being able to eat lobster. What time are you meeting them?”

  “We're going to meet at 12:30. I’d love it if you could join us.”

  “Consider it done. Don't get up with me in the morning. I'll go down and have some breakfast before the constable picks me up at 8:00. Enjoy yourself and sleep in. Nite.”

  “Nite, love.”

  “Wait a minute, Kelly, what did I just hear? It sounded like a cat purring.”

  “It was. Cayo's asleep under the bed.”

  "I would like to ask you how in the devil it is that you find an animal to adopt wherever we go. Remember Caesar, that huge Courser dog that befriended you when we went to that cooking school in Italy? And now we have a cat in Cuba? Never mind. Don't answer. You'd just come up with something that sounded perfectly reasonable to you but not to anyone else. Sleep well my love.”

  Within moments Mike was peacefully snoring as was Cayo in his lair under the bed. Kelly smiled to herself and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

  CHAPTER 18

  “Goodby, and good luck catching the bad guys,” Kelly said to Mike the next morning as he left for breakfast. “I’m going back to sleep just because I can.” It was a rare luxury for someone who had to open up Kelly's Koffee Shop five mornings a week at 6:00 a.m. to get ready for the crowd who was always there when it opened an hour later.

  At 9:30, feeling decadent after sleeping so late, she let Cayo out and kept the door slightly open so he could get back in. She was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to hear him with the air conditioner turned up to its maximum strength, a necessity in the Caribbean. A few minutes later he returned, and after making sure the lock on the door had engaged, the two of them walked to the restaurant. Halfway there Cayo stopped and began eating cat food someone had conveniently placed on the path. It seemed obvious that whoever had put it there had been to the resort before and knew there were cats who would appreciate their foresightedness.

  The same server who had brought her coffee the morning before said, “Hola,” with a wide smile on her face. Better go light on the food if I'm going to have lobster for lunch, and from what Jack’s guide said these are some of the biggest and the best lobsters in the world. Don't want to overdo on breakfast and miss that experience. After some mango juice and a bowl of fruit, she and Cayo walked out to the white sandy beach. Kelly had read about the island and the resort before coming to Cuba, and according to what she’d read, this was one of only two beaches in the world that had this type of fine white sand. Supposedly it didn't stick to you even if you were wet from the ocean or simply sticky from the humidity. After a long walk on the beach and feeling she'd be able to justify the lobster because of it, she turned back to the steps that led to the resort and her room.

  I didn't think cats liked water, but evidently no one bothered to tell Cayo. He never left my side during my walk on the beach, even if he did always keep to the side of me that was away from the water. Time to get back to the room, freshen up as best I can, and in this heat that isn't going to be easy, and then off to lunch. Think I'll leave Cayo outside while I’m gone, and he can beg for a little food from the other guests.

  A short time later she walked up to the large uniformed security guard standing beside the reception desk and asked him if he would order a cab for her.

  “Of course, Senora. Where are you going today?”

  “Sirena Beach Restaurant. I'm meeting some friends. Is the food good there?”

  “I hear it’s spectacular, but I’ve never been there.”

  “Why not?” Kelly asked.

  “There are certain places we Cubans are not allowed to go on the island
, and that is one of them. I have gone to the beach, but never the restaurant. The lobster there is supposed to be wonderful, and I hear there is a large enclosed pen which has two dolphins in it that are trained and do tricks for the tourists when they go there for lunch.”

  “I'm looking forward to it, but I don’t understand why Cubans can't go there.”

  “Those places are reserved for the tourists. You'll notice you never see any Cuban locals here at the resort in the restaurants or the bars. The Cuban guides who take the people fishing are not allowed to be in any of the hotels on the island.”

  “That doesn't sound fair. Why not?”

  “As I said, this island is designated for tourists only. There is nothing here for the Cuban people. Ah, here is your taxi. Enjoy your lunch.”

  Kelly stepped up into the taxi van along with several other people. There was one paved road on the island, and the road to Sirena Bach was not part of it. The van swerved to the left and the right trying to dodge the numerous potholes, finally coming to a stop at a large open-air restaurant next to a white sand beach. The sunny sky and the color of the Caribbean Sea as it changed from green to aqua, along with the white sand, made Sirena Beach a picture perfect postcard.

  The driver opened the door and Kelly, along with the other passengers, departed. She paid the driver, still clueless as to the difference between pesos and the Cuban pesos marked "pesos convertibles." The beach was on her left with palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze. On her right was water, with a fence surrounding it on three sides and a dock making up the fourth side. Beyond that were the saltwater flats.

  Wonder if that's where the dolphins are. I have no idea how much water they need to feel like they’re in the wild, and why would they be trained at a remote island like Cayo Largo where almost no one would ever see them? This is going to be interesting.