A seagull swooped overhead and landed next to Mum. Mum screamed.
Kate said, “He won’t hurt you. He’s just begging for food.”
“Then I should give him some,” Mum said, throwing out a piece of steak.
Kate suggested, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
It was too late. A flock of seagulls descended and circled Mum.
“Get out of here!” Mum yelled, flapping her arms.
Katherine and Colleen burst out laughing.
“Serves you right,” Katherine said.
***
At ten o’clock, the foursome walked back to their cabins. Kate headed for hers; Katherine and Colleen followed behind her with the dishes and utensils. Kate carried the cooler.
Colleen asked, “What about the beach blankets?”
“My uncle will pick them up.”
Mum walked back to Cabin Three.
Katherine was the first to thank Kate.
Colleen invited Kate over for a night cap. “Join us for a drink on the screened-in porch. It’s the last night we’ll be able to do this. Our significant others arrive tomorrow.”
“Sure, but let me bring the wine. I got it as a gift from the warden. It’s a nice cabernet.”
“You read my mind. My favorite wine is cabernet. Thanks,” Katherine said.
Kate smiled. “Give me a minute, and I’ll be there.”
Katherine and Colleen walked back to their cabin. Mum shut the refrigerator door and sat down at the table. Her tumbler was filled to the top.
Colleen didn’t notice, and walked to the bathroom.
Katherine knew mum had been helping herself to the boxed wine. She walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. Inside were two more boxes of the wine. They hadn’t been there earlier. She started to ask Mum about it, but she knew it would only cause an argument between mother and daughter, so she didn’t. She thought, Mum must have paid the limo service driver to go to a liquor store, as well. She wondered when Mum had gone off the wagon, and hoped she’d seek help again once she was back in Manhattan.
Katherine went to her bedroom to check on the cats. Scout and Abra were lying on her bunk, spooned together. Scout was snoring; Abra had her lip pulled back with one fang showing.
Katherine said to the cats in a soft voice, “I guess you had too much excitement today. Sleep, my darlings. You’re staying in this room tonight whether Colleen likes it or not.” Then she remembered the door being open that morning when she had specifically closed it to keep the cats out the night before. She walked into the kitchen to ask Mum.
“Did you open our bedroom door this morning?”
Mum looked up from her tumbler, “No, I didn’t, but—”
“Who did? I know I didn’t.”
“That Houdini cat of yours opened it with her brown little paws.” Mum laughed.
Colleen came in the room and heard some of the conversation. “It was strange our door was open. Mum, if you didn’t open it, who did?”
“‘Twas the ghost — the one we heard last night. She did it. . . .” Mum couldn’t finish, she was laughing too hard.
“Very funny,” Colleen retorted, then said excitedly, “I completely forgot about this. Abra found a wallet on the beach. That’s what she was digging for when I found her.”
Katherine said, “Go get it, so we can look inside to see who it belongs to.”
Colleen rushed to her bedroom, opened the first drawer of the dresser, and pulled out the wallet. She returned to the kitchen and handed it to Katherine.
Katherine took out the driver’s license. “Arlo Komensky.” She looked up at Colleen and Mum. “That’s that guy who owns the cabins. The manager-maintenance man. I better walk over and return it to him.”
“At this hour?” Mum asked in a worried tone.
“He might need it,” Katherine said.
“Didn’t Kate say no one was home. Why don’t we both walk it over tomorrow?” Colleen suggested.
Mum offered, “When I checked in, I saw a drop box. It’s right outside the door. Why don’t the two of you return it in the morning. If no one is there, just drop it in the box.”
Colleen nodded; Katherine didn’t answer.
There was a knock at the door. Katherine moved to open it. “Come in,” she greeted Kate.
Kate clutched a bottle of wine. She also held up a corkscrew. “In case you don’t have one over here.”
“Come sit in the living room,” Katherine guided.
“Where are the cats?” Kate asked.
“In the bedroom, sleeping off their adventure.”
Kate laughed. She sat down on the sofa; Mum joined her. Colleen took the chair closest to the fireplace. Katherine still held Arlo’s wallet in her hand.
“Kate, one of my cats found the manager’s wallet on the beach. I was going to return it.”
“Misty’s?”
“No, Arlo’s.”
“When I leave, I can walk it over. Maybe they’ll be home by then,” then Kate changed the subject. “Earlier, you said your significant others are coming tomorrow. Not that I’m nosy or anything, but where are they going to stay? Pretty cramped quarters in the cabin.”
Katherine answered, “The guys are bringing their sleeping bags. They’re going to camp out in the living room.”
“Fun, just like summer camp. Who wants wine?” Kate asked, getting up and taking the bottle to the kitchen.
Mum said, “Not I.”
Katherine said, “I’ll take a glass.”
“I’ll pass. I’m going to drink water instead,” Colleen said, holding up a bottle of spring water.
Kate returned and handed Katherine a goblet. She resumed her seat on the sofa and took a sip. “Tomorrow I have a second date with a man I reconnected with online. He’s driving up, and taking me to lunch.”
“That’s nice,” Katherine said.
“Several years ago, I helped him find an attorney. His wife back home had filed for divorce. They had a daughter and he wanted to make sure she was cared for. He said his wife was into drugs, and once he got out of prison, he wanted to get custody of his daughter.”
Colleen asked, “What was he doing time for?”
“Armed robbery, but I think he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Armed robbery,” Colleen said aghast.
“Actually, I don’t think he had anything to do with it.”
“I don’t mean to sound sarcastic, but don’t all criminals say that,” Colleen noted.
Katherine asked, “So, how did you reconnect with him?”
“On Facebook. I was bored one night and keyed in some names of people I’d like to see if they were on Facebook, just curious about what happened to them. Sure enough, up popped his name. We started emailing each other, then we met last night.”
Mum asked curiously, “He’s no longer married?”
“No, they’re divorced. In fact, she died. He has custody of his daughter.”
“Is he bringing his daughter tomorrow?”
“No, it’s just the two of us.” Kate finished her glass, then got up. “Ladies, I must call it a day. I had so much fun.”
“We did too,” Mum said. “Thank you for everything,” then, “I’m calling it a day, also.” Mum headed to her bedroom.
Colleen said to Kate, “Have fun on your lunch date tomorrow.”
“Yes, definitely.”
Katherine walked Kate to the door. “Don’t you want to take the rest of the bottle home?”
“No, you keep it. Oh, where’s Arlo’s wallet? I’ll take it to him.”
“Here,” Katherine said, extracting the wallet from her pocket. She handed it to Kate.
Kate took the wallet, opened the door and walked out into the night.
Katherine watched her until she was out of sight, then went back inside. Suddenly, she felt uneasy. A strong sense that something wasn’t right came over her.
Colleen came into the room. “What gives? You look like you�
��ve seen the ghost.”
“Maybe we should make sure Kate gets home okay.”
“Why?”
“Because all of the sudden, I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen to her.”
“The manager’s cabin is right next to Kate’s. If the couple aren’t home, she’ll put it in the drop box, then go home.”
Katherine closed the door and locked it. “I suppose you’re right.”
Colleen said, “I’m not really tired. I’ll take that glass of wine now. I want to sit on the porch so I can listen to the waves. Maybe the sound will lull me to sleep.”
“Sure. I’ll pour you a glass. Be there in a minute.”
Colleen moved to the porch, opened the connecting door from the living room, and said, “I still don’t know what time the boys are showing up tomorrow. Daryl didn’t text me.”
“Jake was supposed to call me.” Katherine’s cell rang. She read his name on the screen of her phone. “Oh, there he is. It’s about time!” She moved off to the kitchen to answer it. “Hi, Jake. Miss me?”
Jake answered, “I meant to call you earlier. Of course, I miss you and so do the cats. Iris has been yowling at the front door.”
“Aw, poor Miss Siam. What time are Daryl and you arriving?”
“That’s just it,” Jake began. “We have a vehicle problem.”
“What kind of vehicle problem?”
“My Jeep’s in the shop.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Not sure. Maybe a bad alternator. It’s being worked on tomorrow.”
“Jake, precious, love of my life,” Katherine began carefully because Jake loved his Jeep. “It may be time for you to part with the Jeep. Why don’t you let me buy you another one?”
“Thanks, Katz, but I’ll drive my Jeep until it falls apart.”
“So how are you getting here?”
“Daryl said if it doesn’t rain, we’ll come in the Impala.” Daryl drove a classic 1967 black Impala that he rarely drove unless he was taking it to an in-state car show.
“If it doesn’t rain? What?”
“He doesn’t like for the Impala to get wet.”
“Oh, brother. Check the forecast.”
“I did, and guess what, Sweet Pea. It’s not going to rain. Expect to see us around noon.”
“What time is Elsa coming to take care of the cats?”
“She’ll be here at ten, so I can give her the key.”
“Okay, can’t wait for you to see how beautiful it is up here.”
“Can’t wait to see you,” Jake said in a loving voice, then became serious. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“You sound mysterious.”
“Just a question I have for you.”
“What?”
“I’d much rather ask you in person.”
“Jake, spit it out?”
“It’s nothing, oh, and before I hang up, you received a surprise gift.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“What is it?”
“A new Huffy bike, just like your old one except this one is a light blue.”
“Dang that Stevie. I told him not too.”
“Stevie bought it?” Jake asked with a jealous tone. “Why would he give you a new bike?”
Katherine heard the jealousy in Jake’s voice and proceeded with caution. “The other day, when that psycho ran over my bike, Stevie felt responsible.”
“Why?”
“Because Stevie knew the man. After the guy ran over my bike, Stevie said he was going to replace it, and I said no.”
“Did he say who the guy was?”
“Not by name, but when I threatened to call Chief London, Stevie got upset and said the guy just got out of prison. He said my involving the police might jeopardize the guy’s parole, so I dropped it.”
“Well, Katz, I think you should ask Stevie if he gave you the bike. If Stevie didn’t give it to you, maybe the psycho-parolee did.”
“Whoever gave it to me, I’m not comfortable receiving gifts.”
“Oh, you’re not, are you?” Jake teased.
“I mean getting gifts from people I don’t know.”
“I’m not comfortable with a psycho-parolee coming up on our front porch,” Jake said.
“My sentiments exactly.”
“Listen, Sweet Pea. I have to hang up now. Love you. See you tomorrow.”
“Love you too. Be careful.” Katherine hung up.
***
Kate held Arlo’s wallet and walked to the cabins’ service road to go to the manager’s office. The road was well-lit with security lights.
Something in the back of her mind warned her about danger. Her urban sense was on full alert. Maybe I should turn back and return the wallet tomorrow, she thought, then said out loud, “Chicken. Just get it over with. Do it now.” She moved past her cabin and smiled at how security-conscious she was by leaving her cabin’s outside lights on, so she wouldn’t be afraid coming home from Katherine’s. A little farther, she noticed the manager’s Cherokee still wasn’t in its parking space. The cabin lights were out, so she assumed the couple hadn’t gotten home yet. Easy-peasy, she thought. I’ll drop the wallet in the box, then go home.
Stepping up to the cabin’s porch landing, she was surprised to see the manager’s door partially open. She pushed it open, went inside and looked around. The bright moonlight illuminated the room.
Misty was sitting at the front desk. Kate startled. Her inner voice said run, but instead she approached the desk. She could see that Misty had a bruise under her eye and that her lip was bleeding.
“Hey, are you okay?” Kate asked. “Who did this to you?”
“What do you want?” Misty asked, irritated. “Can’t you see we’re closed?”
Kate was taken aback. She was surprised by Misty’s unfriendly behavior. “I’m returning your husband’s wallet.”
“What are you doing with it?” Misty asked suspiciously.
Kate started to back out of the office. “I guess I caught you at a bad time. I’ll just put it in the drop box.”
“I asked you a question. How did you get it? Where was it?”
Kate didn’t appreciate Misty’s accusatory tone. “You know what, I’ll give it to Arlo myself.”
“Give it to me,” Misty ordered.
Kate huffed out of the office and stomped back to her cabin. “What is her problem? Why is she being such a jerk?” she asked out loud. Arriving at her back door, she paused on the wood-planked landing and fumbled in her purse to find her key. A porch floorboard creaked behind her. She quickly turned to see who it was. She assumed it was Misty, but instead it was a man. He was wearing an old army-issue jacket and blue jeans. A black ski mask covered his head.
“Give me your money,” he demanded.
Kate handed him her purse. The man dumped the contents on the porch, then picked up the wallet. He put it in his jacket’s pocket, then grabbed Kate by her long hair and pulled her off the porch. She lost her balance and fell face-forward in the sand. When she tried to get up, the man kicked her several times in the ribs. The pain was so severe, she passed out.
***
An hour later, Misty continued sitting at her desk. She was sorry she’d been such a witch to Kate, who had always been nice to her. She buried her face in her hands. She sobbed until her black eye was throbbing, so she forced herself to stop. She dabbed her eyes with the corner of her sleeve.
Misty wanted to call the sheriff’s department and report her abusive husband, but something inside advised her not to. Arlo was best friends with Sheriff Earle, who would naturally take Arlo’s side. He’d done so in the past. Why should this time be any different? It wasn’t the first time Arlo hit her. She’d given up calling 911. Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was call attention to herself, especially since Josh and she had cooked up a plan to get her out of her mess called a marriage.
On her desk, her cell phone buzzed. She
picked it up. It was Josh.
“Hey, darling, are you at the truck stop, getting some rest?” she asked sweetly.
“We’ve got a little problem, but I’ve taken care of it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I took that Kate woman somewhere, so she’ll be out of the way.”
“What have you done?” Misty asked, horrified.
“I overheard her talking to you. She’s hell-bent on returning Arlo’s wallet. I didn’t want her taking it to his cabin when I’ve got business to take care of.”
Misty said, baffled, “What are you saying? Kate doesn’t know Arlo moved out.”
“I covered it, babe,” Josh said.
“Did she see you?”
“No, I came up from behind.”
“For the love of god, please tell me you didn’t kill her?”
“No, dammit. I knocked her out . . . okay, listen, the battery on my phone is giving out. I’m in Arlo’s cabin right now, waiting for him to get home.”
Misty warned, “What? Arlo is there!”
“No, he’s not. He must have fixed the pickup because it ain’t parked out back either.”
“Get out of there before he comes back! He’s gone totally insane. He’s armed. Don’t go through with it.”
“Wait! He just came in,” Josh hung up.
“Oh, no . . . no . . . no, I have to stop this,” she said, punching in Arlo’s cell number. It rang several times, then went to voicemail.
Jumping out of her chair, she ran outside. She took the shortcut path in front of the cabins. She could see a man up ahead, taking the same path. She couldn’t make out if it was Arlo or not, but she called out to him anyway. “Come back. Come back to me,” she screamed.
The man glanced in her direction. “Any one there?”
Misty darted behind a boxwood shrub.
Two children ran out to greet him. “Daddy, where have you been?”
“I took a walk on the beach. What are you kids doing up so late?” he scolded. “Come on, I’ve got to put you to bed. Where’s your mom?”
The trio walked into Cabin Five.
When Misty heard their door close, she proceeded to Cabin Six.
Chapter Ten
Late Friday Night
The Witching Hour
The Cats that Walked the Haunted Beach (The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery Book 10) Page 8
