Terror on Tybee Island (A Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Deborah Malone

  “I’m from Vans Valley, a small town in north Georgia. My name’s Trixie Montgomery.” I picked up an outdoor mobile crafted from discarded kitchen utensils. Mama’s yard would make a great home for the decoration. Or maybe my yard?

  “Hi, I’m Ruth. Are you staying in one of the hotels on the beach or in Savannah?” She studied the price tag on the throw and quickly replaced it. She bestowed a couple of pats on the beautiful covering as if to say good-bye.

  “Neither one. We’re staying at Seaside Cottage.”

  Her eyes grew large and her jaw dropped. “Oh. I heard about Grace Watkins’ death. Isn’t it a shame they’ve arrested poor Laura for the murder?” I started to correct her, but she chattered without taking a breath. “I’m not surprised something like that happened to Grace. I’m a member of the Save the Turtles Association and she consistently rubbed someone the wrong way. Now that she’s gone, I wonder if Jasmine will come back to the meetings. She’d never attend while Grace was alive.”

  My investigative antennas shot straight up. I wanted to ask more questions, but this wasn’t the place. Too many people milled around.

  Dee Dee walked up and eyed the mobile I held, tinkling above my head. “Hey, Trix. Did you find something to buy?”

  “Yeah. Don’t you think this is interesting?” She nodded. I turned toward my new acquaintance. “This is Ruth and we were discussing Grace Watkins.”

  Dee Dee’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh?”

  “Ruth, I’d love to hear more about the Grace and Jasmine situation. Could we meet later and talk?” I grabbed Dee Dee’s arm and pulled her beside me. “We’re trying to help Laura.”

  “Sure. I haven’t eaten yet. Would you like to meet for lunch? There’s a great little place right down the road. The Tybee Sandwich and Ice Cream Shop.”

  “Okay, as soon as we finish here we’ll meet you. How about forty-five minutes?” We said our good-byes and I made it my mission to find the painted glass. I discovered several delightfully framed stained glass windows covered with brightly colored fish. I easily pictured one of these in my apartment.

  “Look, Dee. Wouldn’t this be great in my bathroom?” I held it up so Dee Dee could see the sun shining through the brightly painted windowpanes.

  “Your apartment, or your new home with Beau?” Dee Dee stepped back a little like I might hit her. “Never mind. It’ll look great in either one.” Her beautiful smile was infectious. I smiled back.

  We browsed the treasure trove a few more minutes and then paid for our purchases. My mind wandered while Dee Dee stored her packages in the back. I imagined being Beau’s wife. He’d been nothing but good to me and I knew he loved the Lord. He’d endured similar circumstances in his first marriage as I had in mine. We’d both felt the brain-numbing effects of betrayal. Could we get past those feelings and build a trusting and loving marriage? God, please help me make the right decision.

  “Hey, Trixie! Are you going to start the car?” She twisted around to straighten the items we’d bought.

  Dee Dee’s inquiry and her body leaning on my shoulder brought me back to earth. “Hold on to your pantaloons, girl.” I said a silent prayer of thanks when my new car started on the first try.

  As I drove through town, I noticed the shops on each side of the street. It was tourist heaven. Antique shops, gift shops, bakeries, and enough restaurants to please any palate lined both sides. And if you decided on a tattoo to commemorate your visit, The Pirate’s Cove Tattoo Parlor would be glad to ink you up. I tried to imagine a pirate’s skull or perhaps a turtle drawn on my old-lady ankle, but giggled to myself. What would Beau think?

  “Stop!” Dee Dee yelled at the top of her lungs.

  I slammed on the brakes and shot a glance in the rear view to see if the car behind us stopped. I stuck my finger in my ear, sure I’d be deaf the rest of my life.

  “What? Are you trying to get us killed?” Another look in my review mirror alerted me a long line of cars followed us. Thank God the person behind us had quick reflexes.

  “Over there. See it? A pirate.” Dee Dee pointed out her side window.

  Sure enough, a buccaneer stood on the sidewalk. Or rather, someone dressed like a water bandit. He wore an eye patch and a live parrot sat on his shoulder. I must admit he made a striking figure. A car horn blared a warning.

  “Oh, good grief.” Dee Dee turned around. I assumed she made a face at the offending culprit. “We’re moving already.”

  “Well, are you happy now? You just about got us killed.” I drove on down the street looking for the road Ruth told us to turn on.

  “Pooh. We weren’t in danger. You just over-reacted. Hey, do you think the peg leg was real?”

  I gave Dee Dee a quick look. “You’re kidding, right?” I worried about that girl sometimes. “I have to admit though, I was impressed. For a fake pirate, he looked authentic.” I was wondering why he was dressed like a run-a-way from Treasure Island when Dee Dee supplied me with the answer.

  “He was standing by a sign advertising a Pirate Festival. That sounds like fun.”

  “It does. Let’s find out more about the festival. Keep a look out for Ocean View. Ruth said the restaurant is on the left.”

  While we looked for the turn, I speculated whether Ruth would feed us enough information about the mysterious Jasmine to add her to our growing list of suspects.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  There’s Ocean View!”

  I swung a sharp right and spotted The Tybee Sandwich and Ice Cream Shop. “Where should I park?”

  “There’s a lot behind the building.”

  We parked, and walked around front. It was wonderful to walk without my cane and minimal pain. Now that I’d had my knee replacement I often wondered why I’d waited so long.

  Like most establishments in Tybee, the sandwich shop boasted an ocean motif. Large fishing nets adorned the walls. A shelf covered in a variety of conch shells ran the perimeter of the room just below the ceiling. Numerous sea items decorated the walls: oars, antique ship wheels, compasses, and several mounted fish, including a huge blue and green sailfish. Some wise-guy had placed a fake bloody hand in the shark’s mouth.

  I spotted Ruth sitting in a corner booth. She waved us over and we scooted onto the bench opposite her.

  “Hi. Did you have any trouble finding the restaurant?” She took our pocketbooks and placed them next to her giving us more room.

  “Not at all. We did see a pirate, though.” Dee Dee scanned a menu.

  “The Pirate Festival is an annual event Tybee hosts to attract tourists during the off season. It’s great fun. There’s a parade where everyone dresses up in a pirate-themed costume and walks downtown. A king and queen are crowned. It’s fun if you like that kind of arr-ful entertainment.”

  “Won’t Nana like that?”

  I gave Dee Dee a stern look. “Don’t even think about getting her involved in a pirate festival.”

  “Ha! You know she’ll find out one way or the other. She might as well join in the fun.” Dee Dee could afford to laugh. Nana wasn’t her responsibility. Last year in Marietta, we attended a Civil War Ball and Nana dressed like Scarlett. She got into the character so much she insisted she was really Scarlett. Just about drove me crazy.

  “You’re right, but don’t encourage her.”

  A waitress, outfitted in a pirate themed white dress and black apron, approached our table. “Hi. May I take your order?” I hadn’t even looked at the menu.

  “Ruth, do you have any suggestions?”

  “Try the fish filet sandwich with fries and salad. I think you’ll like it.”

  I handed the waitress my menu. “I’ll take that, please.”

  “I’ll have the same thing,” Dee Dee said. The cute waitress wrote down our order and sashayed toward the kitchen.

  Ruth looked around, placed her elbows on the table, and leaned in toward us. “Can you tell me what you had in mind when you suggested we meet?”

  “Could you tell us about Jasmine? Wha
t happened to cause so much dissension between Grace and Jasmine?”

  Dee Dee elbowed a warning. After the waitress set down our drinks and left, Ruth continued.

  “It’s a long story, but I’ll try to give the short version. As you know, Grace is an icon in the community. I mean was, bless her heart. I think she must have been one of the founding fathers.” Ruth gave a nervous little laugh at her own joke. “Anyway, Jasmine was a newcomer to Tybee and a pretty young thing at that.

  “Grace had been the president of Save the Sea Turtles for as long as I can remember. When it came time to vote for new officers, Jasmine had the audacity to run against her. Nobody, and I mean nobody, dared to run against Grace. She’s been unopposed for years.” She stopped to take a breath and glanced around again, as if she thought Grace might walk through the door any minute.

  “I guess Grace didn’t take too kindly to Jasmine?” Dee Dee took a long sip from her sweet tea, let out a big “ahhh,” and set her glass back down.

  “Ha! That’s an understatement. Grace was out for blood. I don’t know how she did it, but she dug up all the dirt she could on Jasmine, and then made sure everyone in the club knew about it.”

  “What did she discover that was so awful?” I was beginning to get a feel of just how mean and spiteful Grace had been.

  “She’d made some bad decisions when she was young. We’ve all done things in our youth we wish we could go back and change. Grace found out Jasmine served time in jail for possession of marijuana. Even though it had been over fifteen years, members didn’t want someone with a record for their president.”

  Another waitress returned with our orders. The food looked and smelled delicious.

  “Wow, get a gander at these sandwiches. They’re Papa Bear size.” Dee Dee was right. The portions were the largest I’d seen. Steak fries covered three-fourths of the plate. We took a few minutes to doctor with condiments waiting on the table.

  “Mmm, this is good.” A glob of tartar sauce oozed out on the corner of Dee Dee’s mouth. I pointed to my mouth to clue her in. She shot us an embarrassed look and wiped off the offending sauce. Quiet enveloped our table while we tamed our hunger. Once sated, we talked between bites.

  “Ruth, what did Jasmine do when she wasn’t allowed to run?” I dipped a crispy fry in a lake of ketchup and popped it in my mouth.

  “She was madder than a pirate who’d lost his booty. Jasmine stood up at the meeting and told Grace she was going to put a stop to her antics. Then she just walked out. I haven’t seen her at another meeting.” Ruth pushed her empty plate away.

  “Ladies, would you like dessert?” Our lady pirate offered dessert menus.

  “I don’t know. I’m full as a tick.” I patted my belly to prove it.

  Dee Dee elbowed me. “Hey, speak for yourself.” She pointed to a picture on the menu. “Look at this.” She jabbed her finger at a chocolate dessert. “Pirate’s Booty. I’ll have this please.”

  My mouth watered. “Wanna share?”

  “I don’t think so.” Dee Dee looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Ruth said she’d share with me so we ordered two Pirate’s Booty double chocolate desserts. Oh well, what’s a girl to do? After all, we were on vacation.

  We sat back to wait. “Ruth, can you tell us how we could get in touch with Jasmine?”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  She works at one of the local tourist shops, Pirate’s Treasure. She’s listed in the phone book as Jasmine Watters.”

  “Dee Dee, are you getting this down?” She nodded as she wrote in her notebook.

  The waitress returned with our desserts. I cut mine in half and handed Ruth a portion. Dee Dee stuck her finger in the icing and plopped the gooey sweetness into her mouth. “Mmm. Aren’t you glad you ordered your own?”

  The next few minutes were quiet except for a few mmms and aahs as we devoured the scrumptious treat. We thanked Ruth for her help and said our good-byes.

  “The list grows longer,” Dee Dee noted.

  “Who’s on the roll so far?”

  Dee Dee retrieved her notebook and shoved it toward me. “Take a gander.”

  1. Mary Sue Bartlett – Grace’s former cook.

  2. Bert Watkins – Grace’s ex-husband.

  3. Jasmine Watters – wanted to run for president of Save the Turtles.

  “Dee I know we don’t have George written down. I mean there’s no need for him to be on the list, but I still have qualms about him.”

  I drove back toward the Inn.

  Dee surveyed our list of suspects. “We can’t forget to find out his address and tag number tonight so Beau can run a background check on him.”

  I had an idea and slowed to make a turn. “Let’s take a detour and check out the lighthouse.”

  “Sounds good to me. Your camera’s in the backseat if you want pictures.”

  She reached back and grabbed it for me.

  “Savannah and Tybee Island are steeped in history and I’m excited about the chance to write about some of the sights.” I’d almost forgotten my writing assignment with the murder investigation.

  I parked in the sandy lot and we walked across the road to join the other curious tourists. A family with three children in tow walked around the lighthouse. The man took pictures as they posed by the giant structure. I ran my hand over the historic plaque and read it out loud.

  “A lighthouse on Tybee was one of the first public structures in Georgia. It was completed in 1736 by William Bilthman, built of cedar piles and brickwork.” I continued to read aloud. My heart skipped a beat when I read Union soldiers burned it down. Years later, renovation would restore it to its original grandeur. I snapped picture after picture.

  “We need to bring Nana and Mama to see this.”

  “That’s a great idea.” I clicked a few more pictures before we left.

  We drove back to Seaside Cottage without incident, but if I’d known what awaited us I’d have driven the other way. I swanny, Nana was going to turn my locks gray one hair at a time.

  She met us at the door. “Hi, girls. What ‘cha been up to? Betty Jo and I have been on our own adventure.”

  I expected her to say na-na-na boo-boo any minute.

  “You should see what I bought to wear tonight. George is going to be in for a treat.”

  Mama walked into the room. Her hair was uncombed and her clothes askew. She looked like she’d been through the wringer. “I’m so glad you’re back. I need to rest for a while. Could you can keep Nana company?”

  I gave Mama a questioning look. It all became crystal clear when Nana dropped her surprise on us.

  “Look what I got.” She lifted the pant leg of her jogging outfit, flooring me.

  “Nana! A tattoo! Why in the world would you want to get a mermaid tattooed on your ankle?” I glanced over at Mama. I couldn’t believe she agreed to Nana’s indulgence.

  Mama held out her hands, palms up. “We were shopping for something new to wear when she slipped away from me.”

  “Now, Betty Jo, don’t you worry about this. I’m plenty old enough to make decisions for myself. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, and when I saw the Inked Tattoo Parlor, I thought why not? A mermaid is perfect to remember our trip by.”

  I loved Nana, but I knew her antics took a heavy toll on Mama. When Mama was a little girl she had lost both of her parents and Nana had stepped in to raise her. She loved her like a mother. Now the tables were turned, and Mama felt like she was the parent. I tried to imagine what it was like to be in Nana’s shoes. She was plenty old enough to make her own decisions, but she didn’t always make the best ones. I’ve tried to tell Mama, in Nana’s case “you need to pick your battles.” I guess Mama lost this one.

  “I’m going upstairs to take a nap. Nana, why don’t you come with me?” Mama looked like she would drop any minute.

  “I’m not tired. Come on, Trixie. Let’s go sightseeing.”

  “Nana, how about we all take a nap? You want to be fresh for George tonight, don’t you?�
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  “Fresh? Of course I’ll be fresh with George.” Nana laughed at her own wit. I rolled my eyes.

  “I saw that, Missy. Don’t think you can sneak an eye roll by me.” Nana has an uncanny sense of knowing when I do that, even if we’re talking on the phone. “Okay, I’ll retire for a nap if all of you are going to rest, too.”

  I no sooner put my head on the pillow when Dee Dee shook me. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty. It’s time to get up. You don’t want to be late for our big date tonight.” I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head. Dee Dee promptly pulled them off. I slowly made my way from the bed to the bathroom. I returned to find Dee Dee ready to go.

  I’d always heard if you have red hair there are certain colors you shouldn’t wear. Dee Dee has never followed this rule. Today was no exception. She wore a bright orange jumper covered in yellow starfish. She’d complimented the outfit with a yellow short-sleeved shirt under the jumper. A yellow and orange necklace laced with seashells hung around her neck. She completed her outfit with a comfortable pair of Hush Puppies. She looked stylish and cute as she twirled around.

  I settled on a pair of black slacks with a white button up blouse. I needed comfortable shoes for supporting my knee. I slipped on a pair of black Clarks. I stuck my left hand in front of me and peered at my empty ring finger. Would I have an engagement ring on the naked finger in a few days?

  “Hey, what are you doing?” Dee Dee startled me.

  “Uh, nothing.” I changed the subject. “Wow. You look great. I need to add some color to my wardrobe.”

  “I’ve been telling you that for some time now.”

  I took one last glance in the mirror and recalled a necklace Beau had given me. I dug in my makeup bag and found it. A black butterfly hand-painted on the surface of a sand dollar was the perfect touch. Not too bad. I wished Beau could see me. I missed him and my heart ached. God, please help me to make the right decision. Soon.