by Tripp Ellis
18
"Out of curiosity," JD said, "Why are you backing Ed Carrero?"
Fernando thought about it for a moment. “When I first came to this country, Ed Carrero was the only person I knew. We had grown up together in Venezuela. And when he came to me and told me he was running for the Sheriff’s Office, I pledged my support. It's as simple as that, really."
"I can appreciate your loyalty to your friend," JD said. "But I want you to know that Wayne is doing an excellent job."
"No doubt," Fernando said. "I must admit, I am torn. I have my loyalty to my friend, but I also want what's best for the community. I think Ed would make a great sheriff. But I have no animosity toward Sheriff Daniels." He thought about it for a moment. "Perhaps you gentlemen would feel better if I made a campaign contribution to Wayne’s campaign as well?"
JD's eyes brightened. "I think he would appreciate that."
"Hedging my bets, so to speak," Fernando said with a smile. "It's always nice to be on good terms with the sheriff, whoever that may be."
Karina rubbed my shin under the table with her barefoot. I kept shooting dirty looks at her. I had a rule about fooling around with kept women. I didn’t do it. There were plenty of available women, no need to dabble in the taken pool. I didn't need that kind of drama in my life. I had enough already.
The waitress served the meal, and the food was, indeed, delicious. My steak was tender and juicy, and my tastebuds exploded with delight after each bite. I devoured it quickly.
Fernando seemed like a decent guy, which made me feel doubly bad about pile-driving his girlfriend.
He had sponsored a wing at the local Children's Hospital and donated funds to purchase the latest imaging technology. He told me he had lost his own son to cancer at age 9.
The story was heartbreaking.
He grabbed Karina’s hand and smiled. "But, who knows? Maybe this one will bless me with another son?"
The shoplifter flashed a courteous smile.
"I don't think she's ready just yet, but it sure is fun to practice," Fernando said with a grin.
There were a few awkward chuckles.
JD was thoroughly enjoying this. His eyes kept darting about the table, trying to read minds. As far as he was concerned, this was better than a daytime soap opera.
We finished our meal and thanked Fernando for his generosity.
"It was very nice to meet you," I said.
"Likewise," Fernando said, shaking my hand.
Karina's eyes sparkled at me as we said our goodbyes. "Now I can say I've met a real hero."
I laughed it off.
"If you gentlemen need anything, please, don't hesitate to ask," Fernando said.
"Yes, anything at all," Karina added. "Fernando loves supporting the community."
As we strolled away from the table, JD muttered in my ear, "They are a really nice couple, aren't they?"
A devilish grin tugged at his lips as he teased me.
I shot him a look.
We stopped in the clubhouse and found the manager. According to the records, Grayson and Vivian were on the club’s premises at the time of Olivia’s murder. We thanked the manager, then made our way through the parking lot and climbed into Jack's lizard-green Porsche. He twisted the key, and the engine rumbled to life.
"I can't believe you would stoop so low as to diddle that kind man's girlfriend," JD said, ribbing me.
"She didn't tell me she was taken!"
"Did you ask?"
I frowned at him.
"Are you going to see her again?"
"Absolutely not!"
"Do you think he knows?"
I shrugged. "If he does, he played it pretty cool."
"Well, I guarantee you this… You're not the first one she’s had a little fling with. And you won't be the last." He grinned, then eased out the clutch. We cruised out of the parking lot and turned onto the highway. Jack mashed the pedal to the floor and the acceleration pinned me against the leather. The wind whipped around the cabin, and JD cranked the music.
"Let's go see what kind of trouble we can get into?" JD shouted over the noise.
"I think I'm in enough already."
My phone buzzed with a text message.
My fingers grasped the device from my pocket, and I glanced at the screen. It was a message from Sarah Carson that read: [I found something rather disturbing. Do you have time to meet?]
19
We met Sarah at the Waisted Pelican again. It was early afternoon, and the happy hour crowd was starting to trickle in. She sat in a booth in the back, near where we had met the first time. We slid across the vinyl bench, sitting opposite from her.
"Take a look at this," she said, sliding a document across the table.
I surveyed the piece of paper—a life insurance policy taken out by Chuck Carson that named the surviving spouse as beneficiary. The policy was dated last month. It looked like Chuck stood to inherit $5 million.
"I'd say that qualifies as motive," JD said.
Sarah frowned. "I burst into tears when I found it."
"It doesn't mean that your father killed your mother," I said.
Her eyes welled, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "I know. But the timing is suspicious."
There was no denying it.
"I feel awful," Sarah said. She broke down in sobs. "I'm helping you convict my father of murder. I'm going to lose two parents."
I spoke in a soothing voice. "Don't rush to judgment. JD and I will investigate this further. You did the right thing by bringing this to our attention."
She nodded and wiped her eyes. Her nose was red and running. "What are you going to do now?"
"I think we ought to bring him in for further questioning," I said. "But it would be best if you didn't mention anything to him."
"Why? So you can ambush him?"
I took a deep breath. "If he has time to think about it, he may be more reluctant to answer questions. If he's innocent, he's got nothing to worry about."
She gave me a skeptical glance. "I watch those TV shows. Innocent people get screwed over all the time."
"We're not going to screw anybody over," I assured. “We won’t try to railroad him.”
"I think I made a big mistake," she muttered to herself.
"You have my word."
She looked at me with sad eyes, then nodded.
"You want my advice?" JD asked. "Go home. Forget about all this. We'll take it from here."
That seemed to take the burden off her shoulders, slightly.
"Do you know where we can find your father?" I asked.
"He's either at home, at Ivy’s, or on his boat."
"Where does he keep his boat?"
"Pirates Cove. Bling Bling is the name. "
"Thanks."
Sarah wiped her eyes again and slid out of the booth.
We left the bar and strolled down the sidewalk towards JD's Porsche. My phone buzzed with a text message. I pulled the device from my pocket and swiped the screen. There was a message from Dita: [I've been thinking about you. When are you coming by the club to collect what I owe you.]
[You don't owe me anything.]
[Yes I do. Come in tonight. Let me express my gratitude.]
[Maybe.]
[Have you got something better to do?]
I thought about it for a moment. [Better? No. But I do have some business to take care of.]
[Then take care of it and come see me.]
[I'll think about it.]
[You shouldn't refuse a woman's generosity. She may not offer twice.]
I didn't respond right away.
A moment later another text from Dita buzzed my phone: [Say yes. You're going to give a girl a complex.]
[I'd hate for you to get a complex.]
[Does that mean you're coming?]
[Yes.]
[Yay! I'll probably go into the club about 7 PM. You know where to find me.]
I slid the phone into my pocket, and JD’s curious eyes
begged for details.
"It looks like we're going to your favorite place tonight," I said.
He grinned. "You going to get a little of that vampire goth-girl action?”
"She feels like she owes me."
"Hell, I'd collect on that… with interest."
We headed over to Chuck's house, which was a three-story home in a well-to-do neighborhood. It was a gated community with newer homes constructed to resemble those built in the ’40s. There were white picket fences, and palm trees swayed overhead. Homes were painted in pastel colors of yellow, teal, and mauve. We strolled through the gate and made our way up the steps to the front porch. A few minutes after we knocked, Chuck pulled open the door. He seemed excited to see us. "Hey, how have you been? Are you making any progress?"
I shrugged. "Yes and no. I was wondering if you could answer a few additional questions?"
"Sure. Anything to help."
"I just want to go over the details of where you were at the time Olivia was murdered. You said you were at home watching TV. Are you sure about that?"
He hesitated a moment. "Of course, I'm sure."
"I have another person that claims you were with them."
His face crinkled. "Oh, really? Who?"
"I think you know," I said.
He frowned, then whispered, "Okay, look. I didn't really want to come out and say I was with my mistress on the night my wife was killed. It seemed in bad taste."
"So you're revising your story?" I asked.
"Yes, I was with Ivy at her apartment."
"The one your company pays for?"
Chuck sighed. "You boys do your homework."
JD smiled. "We're pretty good at what we do."
"Good. Because I'm counting on you to get to the bottom of this."
"What made you take a life insurance policy out on your wife?" I asked.
He looked at me, trying to hide his surprise. "Why does anybody purchase a life insurance policy on their spouse?"
I shrugged.
"It's no secret Olivia was the lifeblood of our business. Without her, I don't know how the business will keep going."
"With $5 million, the business won't have to," JD said.
Chuck shot JD a sour glance. "Are you insinuating that I took out a life insurance policy on my wife, then killed her?"
"Just stating facts,” JD said. “You can draw your own conclusions. So will the jury."
"This conversation is over," Chuck said.
He stepped inside and slammed the door shut.
"You know, I get the distinct impression he doesn't like us anymore," Jack said.
"Well, not since you outright accused him of murder," I muttered as we strolled back to Jack's Porsche.
"I just wanted to see the look on his face. You could see it in his shifty eyes. He's guilty."
“Now we just have to prove that. Which is going to be a lot harder now that he won't talk to us.” I let out a frustrated sigh. "Let's see if we can get a warrant and find anything that ties him to the crime."
20
"Absolutely not!" Sheriff Daniels said. "You guys want a warrant to search a man's home because he had a life insurance policy on his wife, and he lied about being with his mistress?"
JD shrugged. "Something like that."
"It will never fly," Daniels said. "You're going to need more than that."
We sat in Sheriff Daniels's office, pleading our case.
"What else do you have?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "And the only reason we have that is because his daughter gave it to us."
"Well, maybe she'll invite you into the home and you can search it?" Daniels said, snidely.
"She doesn't live with him,” I said. “She's got her own apartment."
"I guess you two are shit out of luck."
I frowned at him.
"You'd have to be a moron to hang onto a murder weapon," JD said. "We probably wouldn’t find anything in his home, anyway. Why would you keep any evidence that tied you to a crime?"
"Because some people are stupid," I said. "And they're too arrogant to think they'll ever get caught."
The sheriff was ready for us to get out of his office.
"I'm sure you two will figure it out,” Daniels said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
We left the station and headed back to the marina at Diver Down.
We stopped at the bar, had a few drinks, and ordered dinner. I was still pretty full from our late lunch, but I knew I had a long evening ahead of me.
Harlan sat in his usual spot, sipping a long neck.
"I've decided where I'm going on my vacation," Madison said.
I arched a curious eyebrow, waiting for a response.
"I think I want to take my Jeep up to the mountains. Rent a cabin. Build a fire. Read a few books. Frolic in the snow."
I looked at her like she was crazy. I hadn’t seen Madison wear anything but a bikini top and jean shorts in I can't remember how long. I knew she owned a pair of shoes, even though she never wore them. But I knew she didn’t own snow boots. "Let me get this straight… You’re going up to the mountains to hide away in a log cabin, surrounded by snow?"
"Yeah," she said with a bright smile.
"You hate the cold."
She shrugged. "I don't hate the cold. I just don't like it."
I scratched my head.
"The whole point of a vacation is to go somewhere different. Get a new perspective. Look at the world in a different way. Clear out the mental cobwebs. Going up to the mountains will do just that!"
"If you say so," I muttered.
She frowned at me. "I think it will be a nice change of pace."
"You'll have to wear shoes."
Her eyes narrowed, and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"I can't stand the cold," Harlan said. "Makes my joints ache. Hell, everything makes my joints ache."
We ate dinner. Afterward I took Buddy for a walk. Then we headed to Oyster Avenue. We killed some time at Wetsuit, where the waitresses all looked like Bond girls, wearing bikini bottoms and neoprene jackets unzipped to their navels. Bountiful breasts longed for escape. It was a nice primer before working up to the full package at Forbidden Fruit.
"Back again?" The waitress asked with a smile as she took our drink order. We’d been frequenting the bar on a semi regular basis.
"We just couldn't stay away from you," Jack said.
She giggled and took our order. The stunning brunette returned a few moments later with two ice cold long necks, dripping with condensation.
"How’s Scarlett doing?" I asked.
A slight groan escaped his lips. "I think she's a little homesick. This whole thing with Easton has gotten her pretty down. I don't think she's had any auditions. She was on the waitlist for another acting class with some renowned Guru, but then was told she wouldn't be able to attend. She's definitely on some kind of blacklist."
My face tensed. "That's bullshit. I can't believe that guy is going to get away with it."
"Hasn't Isabella been able to dig up anything on Easton?"
I shook my head. "She better find something fast. My court date is coming up. And he's got a witness willing to lie."
"What does your attorney think?"
"My attorney thinks we should try to negotiate some type of deal. Right now, with Easton lying about the gun, I’m facing aggravated assault which is a felony. My attorney thinks he might be able to get it pled down to simple assault."
"Daniels will have to let you go."
"I know." I sighed. "And nothing's going to happen to Easton. He'll keep on taking advantage of students."
"Surely Isabella can make this go away?"
"Cobra Company is a powerful organization," I said. "But that would be pulling in a lot of favors. I don't know if I want to get that far under Isabella’s thumb. I already have mixed feelings about this op I agreed to."
"It's just a protection detail, right?" JD asked. "How much trouble can that be?"
/>
I scoffed. "I think you know how much trouble those can be. There's a reason this guy needs protection, I'm sure."
"When is that happening?"
I shrugged. "Waiting on the call."
We finished our beer and headed to Forbidden Fruit.
I didn't want to think about it anymore. I kept pushing my legal troubles out of my mind. But they always lingered in the corner of my brain. Maybe a little fun at Forbidden Fruit was exactly what I needed?
Jaco greeted us as we entered the main area. "What happened? Did somebody else die?"
"No business today," JD assured. "Just pleasure."
Jaco smiled and escorted us to a table.
"Send Dita over," JD said.
"First round is on me," Jaco said before he left.
A waitress sauntered by and took our drink order. A moment later Dita pranced toward our table. A bright smile curled on her red lips. She was a gothic vision of beauty. "You came! I'm so excited," she said, plopping into my lap.
21
Music pumped, and lights swirled through the hazy air. Gorgeous beauties teased and flirted.
"You ready for a dance?" Dita asked.
She didn't have to twist my arm too hard.
She stood up and her hand moved behind her back and unclasped her bra. The lacy thing fell down her shoulders and her beautiful peaks bounced free. Her lithe body undulated in rhythm to the music, and she taunted me with her wares. With each beat of the bass drum, she inched closer. Her body slammed against mine and she straddled my hips.
JD had retained the services of another dancer and was determined to see how fast he could empty his wallet.
Dita's glorious orbs bounced in my face, and somehow, all of my troubles seemed to fade away—for the moment. She gave me a few dances, each of which progressively became more and more erotic. She leaned in, and her hot breath whispered in my ear. "I'm bored. It's a slow night. Let's go back to your place."
She had my full attention.
It was probably a bad idea, but not bad enough for me to turn the offer down.
