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

by Deborah Malone

  I grabbed Dee Dee’s arm and pulled her toward the door. “Come on, girlfriend. Let’s go see what Nana’s wearing.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  This was the first time in several years I’d seen Nana decked out in a dress on a day other than Sunday. “Nana! You look gorgeous.”

  “Don’t I though?” She twirled in her new outfit. “Do you think George will like it?”

  “He’ll love it.” Dee Dee modeled for Nana. “What do you think of this?”

  “Well, it won’t be hard to find you when it’s time for Cinderella to leave the ball.” Dee Dee laughed and gave Nana a hug. It warmed my heart to see how patient Dee Dee was with Nana. I knew from experience that patience became a rare commodity after spending much time with her.

  The front door opened and George stuck his head in. “Anybody home?”

  Nana ran to the door and threw it open. George studied Nana and rewarded her with a whistle. She turned around for him and grinned ear to ear.

  “You ladies ready?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s go.”

  “I’m ready.”

  A chorus of voices answered. We followed George to his car. Nana sat in front while the rest of us squeezed in the back. We had directions to the Crab Shack, but we made several wrong turns before we discovered the hidden restaurant. The parking lot was full; we hoped it was an indication of a good place to eat. I grabbed my camera and brought it along to snap pictures for the family album.

  George put our name in for a table. We sat on comfortable seats, surrounded by other tourists, and waited. I looked around at the motif. Sea creatures covered the walls, along with anything connected to the ocean. I watched a family of four laughing and joking with each other. It appeared that every table accommodated people having a good time. I was glad George had invited us to tag along with him and Nana. Which reminded me, I needed to covertly get the information Beau needed.

  In about fifteen minutes the waiter seated us and handed out menus. They were adorned with colorful sea critters drawn as cartoonish characters.

  Nana commented. “Aren’t these the cutest menus you’ve ever seen?” Then everyone started talking at the same time.

  “Look at all the selections.”

  “I can’t decide what I want.”

  “Look at this. They have Snow Crab, Alaskan King Crab, Blue Crabs, Dungeness Crabs, and Stone Crabs. A crab for every palate,” Dee Dee said.

  We talked back and forth several minutes before we decided on our fare. The waiter took our orders. We sat back, relaxed and ready for a good time. After orders were taken, I popped the question.

  “George, where did you say you lived? I know Nana would love to exchange addresses so she could keep in touch with you.”

  “Oh, that’s a great idea.” Dee Dee threw in her two cents.

  He took a long sip of his tea. Was he avoiding the question or weighing what he wanted to say? “Uh, I travel a lot. My home is in Ohio, but I don’t stay put much. How about I write down my post office box and give it to you later?” He revealed he worked in insurance, but when I tried to get detailed information he deftly changed the subject. Dee Dee wasn’t any more successful.

  Quicker than I expected, our waiter appeared with the food. He spread a feast before us: crab, shrimp, oysters, and mussels, with sides of smashed potatoes, corn, and slaw. Laughter and relaxed talk flowed easily around the table.

  Nana’s blue eyes widened. “I felt something on my foot!”

  “Oh! I think I feel it!” Dee Dee reached under the table. Within the next minute pandemonium broke loose. Dee Dee emitted a blood-curdling scream. She lifted her hand up with a lobster attached.

  “Help, help!” Her face turned bright red to match the color of the crustacean. She spun around in circles and slung her hand back and forth. Proving too much for the critter it turned loose and flew through the air.

  What happened next will live in infamy. What are the odds out of all the people in the Crab Shack, a lady easily described as fluffy, decided to choose that moment to bend over to retrieve something from the floor. With her south side pointing north the lobster grabbed on to her plush derriere. A scream to rival Dee Dee’s filled the room.

  A man, dressed in chef’s attire, ran into the room. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. A giant lobster escaped the kitchen and we couldn’t find it.” He ran over to the lady with the lobster hanging from her backside. He reached out to grab the lobster when the lady turned around and hit him with her pocketbook.

  “Don’t you dare touch me.”

  Wide-eyed he looked around for anyone to help him. Someone, I assume from her party, grabbed the lobster and pulled as hard as he could. Finally the lobster let go and the man went flying to the floor holding the prized lobster in his hand. The chef retrieved the delinquent lobster and hurriedly retreated to the kitchen.

  The customers’ first reaction was shock, but shortly everyone doubled over in laughter. Dee Dee didn’t laugh. “Hey, that hurt. I’ll never look at lobster the same.”

  “Better you than me,” Nana said.

  Everyone was too full for dessert, so we went outside and walked around. I clicked picture after picture of Nana feeding the ‘gators. By the time we arrived back at Seaside Cottage we were exhausted. George bade us good-night and left.

  “Girls, I’m ready to hit the hay. This has been too much excitement for me in one day. Let’s hope tomorrow is more peaceful.” Mama had no idea what was in store for us over the coming days.

  Laura walked into the room. “How was your evening out?”

  Mama gave her the short version and promised to fill her in tomorrow as we climbed the stairs, exhausted and ready for sleep.

  Dee Dee exited the bathroom dressed in orange pajamas covered with black cats. She reminded me of a pumpkin. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “And what’s so funny?” She pulled on the sides of her pajama top. “Surely you’re not laughing at my kitties?”

  “No, no.” I crossed my fingers and silently asked for forgiveness. “Do you think George avoided my question about his address?”

  “Yeah. He hesitated too long. You seem to have struck a nerve.” We talked for a while about the names on our suspect list and the best way to interview them. It was around midnight when we finally went to sleep. Way too early the next morning, Mama burst into our room and shook me awake.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Trixie. Wake up.” I rolled over and wiped the sleep from my eyes. Dee Dee rose up and propped herself up on her elbow.

  “What is it, Mama? Is Nana alright?”

  “Nana’s fine, but Detective Baker took Laura down to the police department again. I’m worried sick about her.” Mama’s hair stuck out in all directions and her housecoat was turned inside out. “What are we going to do?”

  I yawned. “Don’t worry, Mama. He’s probably just asking her some questions and then he’ll bring her back home. I don’t think they’ll keep her.”

  “I feel terrible sitting here not able to do a thing to help her.” She pulled at some loose strings on her robe. “I know she’d do what she could to support me.”

  Dee Dee spoke through the haze of sleep. “Trixie, tell her about the names we’ve come up with so far.” Mama offered me a quizzical look.

  “We’ve questioned some of the locals and came up with a list of people who might have it in for Grace. It seems she didn’t mind meddling in other’s lives when it was to her advantage. According to those who knew her well, she didn’t give a hoot about hurting others.” I shuddered thinking someone cared so little for the feelings of another human being.

  “Can I see the list?” Mama smoothed her hair. Color returned to her cheeks. If it gave her hope to look over the names I didn’t see any reason why she shouldn’t.

  Dee Dee threw back the covers, pushed her feet into her kitty slippers and padded over to her pocketbook. “I’ll get it. I think I stashed it in here.” She dug in her bag and came
up with the notebook. She raised it in the air. “Ta-da.” Dee Dee handed me the tablet and then settled on her bed, cross-legged.

  I glanced at the names when the door flew open and Nana burst in. “What are you girls up to? How could y’all leave me out of the party?” If her lip drooped any lower she’d have to carry it in a wheelbarrow.

  “Good morning to you too, Nana.”

  She gazed downward under hooded eyes. “Oh, good morning.”

  “We’re not having a party. Detective Baker took Laura downtown again. Trixie was fixin’ to go over the names of some suspects she and Dee Dee have compiled,” Mama said.

  “Well, what are you waiting on? I’m here now, so you can start.” I started to roll my eyes but thank goodness I caught myself just in time. I didn’t feel like an early morning lecture from Nana.

  Nana looked me directly in the eyes. “Don’t even think about it, Missy.” Good grief! How does she do that?

  Mama scooted close to me so she could see and Nana plopped down on my other side. “Let’s see. There’s Mary Sue Bartlett.”

  “She used to work for Grace as a cook and housekeeper.” Dee Dee chimed in.

  I continued. “She left Grace for a position at a downtown restaurant and before she knew it she had her own local cooking show. She thrived, until Grace accused her of stealing her recipes. Edna said Grace stalked Mary Sue and threatened to sic her lawyers on her. She freaked out and quit the restaurant. She waitresses in a fast food place now. She barely makes enough to support her daughter.”

  Dee Dee shook her head.

  “Low-down, good for nothing…”

  “Nana. Be careful.”

  “I was only going to say skunk. Actually that’s too nice for her. I’ll have to think of something else.” I had no doubt she would.

  “She certainly has reason to dislike Grace, but who else is on your list?” Mama leaned over and took a gander at the names.

  “Edna’s been Grace’s head cook and house-keeper for the past fifteen years. Laura told us she knew Edna was unhappy. I don’t think Laura had any idea how miserable Edna really is. When we mentioned her death she said, ‘That’s one lady I ain’t gonna miss.’

  “Why in the world would she stay?” Mama repositioned beside me.

  “That’s a good question. We wondered that, but she cleared it up when she said Grace threatened to blackball her. She told Edna if she left, she would never work on Tybee Island again. Since Edna makes her home with Grace, there wasn’t much she could do about it. She felt stuck.”

  “Shoot, if Grace wasn’t dead I think I could kill her myself.” I knew Nana was kidding, but what a sad commentary for someone’s life when no one would miss you.

  “You can understand why we put Edna on the list. She had plenty of reasons to want Grace dead. When we talked with her she certainly didn’t seem like a killer, but people have been known to kill for less,” Dee Dee said.

  Mama scrunched up her face. “Is that all the names you have?”

  “No. It seems Grace made a lot of enemies, including her ex-husband, Bert. Edna shared how they used to have these awful fights in front of the guests. She was even afraid one of them would kill the other one. She said he just up and left one day - moved to Savannah.

  “Grace got the better end of the deal, financially. If that’s not a recipe for murder, I don’t know what is.”

  Nana grabbed hold of the notebook and pulled it to herself. She pointed at a name scrawled near the bottom. “Who is this Jasmine?”

  Dee Dee filled her in. “We met this really nice lady, Ruth, at Seaside Sisters. She invited us to eat lunch with her. She was full of gossip – I mean information.”

  “That’s right. She couldn’t wait to spill the beans. Jasmine, a young lady with the Save the Turtles Association, tried to run for president against Grace. It was a decision that turned out to be a big mistake in the end.” I drew in a deep breath and continued.

  “According to Ruth, Grace dug deep until she found dirt on Jasmine. Her contacts found out that Jasmine had been arrested for marijuana possession. Even though it was a misdemeanor and she never had to serve time, the rules of the association state you can’t run if you have any kind of criminal record.”

  Nana shook her head.

  Dee Dee scooted to the edge of her bed. “Yeah, and Jasmine was so mad she vowed to get even with Grace. She threatened her in front of the entire group of turtle savers. She definitely earned her place on the list of suspects.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  When are we going to talk to them, Trixie?” Watery blue eyes from behind thick lenses stared straight at me. I knew Nana was serious as a hound following a scent.

  “Uh.” I cleared my throat and looked at Dee Dee to throw me a lifeline. She shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows. I was sinking fast. “Dee Dee and I have this covered, Nana. Maybe you can keep your ears open over at Ocean View Inn when you visit George.”

  “What can I do?” Mama tugged her housecoat a little tighter around her.

  “Mama, you can keep your ears open, too. I think all the guests at Grace’s could be considered suspects. We know they all had opportunity. What we need to find out is if they have a motive.”

  “Let’s add them each to the list,” Dee Dee suggested. She rummaged around in her pocketbook for a pen and handed it to me.

  “Throw out names and I’ll write them down.” I poised my hand ready to write.

  Everyone spoke at once. I threw up my hand, palm turned out. “Whoa. One at a time. Mama, who did you say?”

  “What about Bubba Maxwell? He seems nice enough, but he kinda’ gets on my nerves.”

  “Huh,” Dee Dee said. “He gets on everybody’s nerves. If he won the lottery like he says he did, then the motive wouldn’t be money.”

  “There might be something in his past we don’t know about. We have to find a way to uncover any motives.” I wrote down his name.

  “There’s that sweet young couple KiKi and Nick Sanderson. You know, the cute kids that are tatted up.” Great. All we needed was Nana spouting ‘hood speak.’ An image appeared in my mind of Nana covered in tattoos from head to toe. Believe me, it was not pretty.

  “We need to write them on the list, too. At this point, no one is exempt. Even the guests here at Seaside.”

  Dee Dee returned from the bathroom and plopped down on her bed. “Where are we?”

  “We were talking about that sweet couple, KiKi and Nick.” Nana pushed her glasses up her nose.

  “Oh, don’t you just love their tattoos? What I’d give to be young again.” Dee Dee had this faraway look in her eyes.

  “Like you’d be covered in ink if you were?” Please. What was happening to everyone? Did the salt air addle their brains?

  Dee Dee turned a little pink. “Well, no. But it never hurts to dream about ‘what if.’”

  Dee Dee thought a moment. “That leaves John Porter and George.”

  “George? Why in the world would you mention him?” Nana nearly choked on her indignation. “He’s the nicest man you’d ever want to meet.”

  I shot Dee Dee a look that meant, ‘way to go.’ She just shrugged.

  “Nana we need to consider everybody. I’m sure we’ll find George is squeaky clean.” I felt guilty for the doubts that clouded my mind concerning George.

  “What about that man, John Porter?” Mama leaned over and tapped her finger on my notebook. “Write his name down.”

  “He seems like a decent enough guy, but he didn’t have much to say when he came to the inn to eat.” I pictured the fortyish, tall, dark and handsome man. I wondered what circumstances in his life landed him on Tybee Island at this particular time.

  Dee Dee sported a starry-eyed glaze. “I wonder if he’s married.” Absentmindedly she fanned herself with the covers.

  “Earth to Dee Dee!”

  She snapped out of her daydream.

  “Oh. Sorry. You have to admit he is one handsome hunk of humanity.” She looked a
round the room for affirmation.

  “You got that right,” Nana heartily agreed.

  “Okay, ladies.” I brought the meeting back to order. “We need to get our focus off John Porter’s hunky body and back on our suspects.

  “Can you read the names again? Maybe we’ve forgotten someone crucial.” Dee Dee stood up and stretched.

  “Let’s see.

  1. Mary Sue Bartlett

  2. Bert Watkins

  3. Jasmine Watters

  4. Edna Jackson

  5. George Knight

  6. Bubba Maxwell

  7. Kiki and Nick Sanderson

  8. John Porter

  “Wow, what a list. How are you ever going to check out everyone?” Mama’s face reminded me of a sunflower with no sun. “Trixie, I’m so afraid for Laura.”

  I gave Mama a big hug. “When Dee Dee and I released it to the One who does know all the answers before, He always came through, and I feel confident he’ll see us through this, too.”

  Dee Dee and Nana offered a hearty, “Amen!”

  “Don’t forget the Daniels, Cassie and Harold. Then there’s Ellie Sloan. Those are the only guests here besides us. Of course, there’s Louise, but I can’t see her harming a fly.”

  A knock on the door startled us, and we looked at each other like we’d done something illegal instead of collaborating on Laura’s defense.

  Dee Dee was closest so she grabbed the doorknob and eased the door open.

  Laura stood on the other side. Dee Dee clutched her arm and pulled her in, guiding her inside to sit on the bed.

  Mama sat beside Laura. When she gave her a hug tears began to pour from Laura’s red-rimmed eyes. “Oh, Betty Jo. What am I going to do?” She sniffed and wiped her nose with her hand.

  Nana pulled out a fairly fresh Kleenex from her bathrobe pocket. “Here dear.”

  We exchanged glances while she blew into the Kleenex sounding like a foghorn. A short time ago, Mama had been the one worried about Laura. It’s amazing to see what one will do for a friend. She put on her big girl panties along with a forced smile and told Laura about the list of suspects we’d acquired. We took turns giving Laura a hug and words of encouragement. By the time we finished, she’d wiped her tears and girded a cloak of courage.