As I poured some coffee, I glanced over at her. She’d told me as I led her to the couch a few moments earlier that her name was Joey Hedges and she was originally from Wisconsin. She was a pretty woman—it was a prerequisite for being on these shows. She had flawless olive skin and lovely, dark hair that had just the right amount of gloss. A certain Midwest, girl-next-door charm emanated from her.
I walked toward her, noting how she gripped the soft, blue blanket around her shoulders. Her back was hunched; she clenched a rumpled tissue in her hands; and red rimmed her dark eyes. She was here with me, yet she wasn’t. Her mind looked a million miles away.
I quickly glanced out the windows before I reached her side. When would Riley be back? Had he found anything outside? Was he okay?
Please, Lord.
Just then, the door flew open, bringing with it the briny smell from outside. Riley stepped inside, stomping the sand from his feet. His shirt was already damp with humidity and salty air.
But he was okay. Thank goodness, he was okay.
“Anything?” I paused mid-step, my curiosity skyrocketing.
He shook his head, gently closing—and locking—the door behind him. “Nothing. Whoever was out there is now long gone. It’s hard to see anything else because of the dark, but I have a feeling the tide will wash away any evidence like footprints that may have been left.”
I tried to ignore it, but something started to sizzle in my blood at his words. A missing woman. An exotic locale. An intriguing mystery.
But I was on my honeymoon, I reminded myself. This was the perfect time to just focus on my relationship with Riley. To stay out of trouble. To mind my own business in the midst of the chaos around me.
But it was as if trouble called to me like a seagull crying out for the seashore. However, I was determined to learn the fine art of ignoring my crime-solving instincts, especially when other priorities beckoned. Like my marriage.
“The police are on their way,” I told Joey, who still looked forlorn on the couch as I handed her some coffee.
She dragged her gaze toward me. “Thank you.”
“Do you want us to call the guys from the show?” Riley walked toward her, his voice low and compassionate.
She shook her head. “No. I want the police to handle this. I’m tired of the way Alastair handles things.”
“Alastair?” Riley questioned as he lowered himself into the white leather recliner across from her.
She frowned. Or was she pouting? “He’s the executive producer. He’ll do anything for ratings. He’ll probably even try to use this to make a few bucks. That’s the kind of person he is.”
“What happened out there exactly?” I crossed my legs and gripped my own cup of coffee. I tried to keep my voice light, knowing that my curiosity would only seem morbid and insensitive.
“Vivian wanted to talk to me,” she started, sniffling and gingerly wiping under her eyes with a French-tipped finger. “We’d had a lot of disagreements since the show started.”
“You didn’t know her before the show, right?” I tried to keep her talking and calm. Okay, okay—I also wanted more information and background. But not because I was investigating
She nodded, bouncing her head up and down at just the right cadence to be Emmy worthy. “That’s right. I didn’t know anyone. But, right from the start, neither of us liked each other.”
“Why was that?” Riley leaned forward, his elbows perched on his knees, as he listened carefully to her story.
Joey sniffled again. “We were both front runners, so there was a bit of competition between the two of us.”
I wondered just how far this competition went. Enough to make Joey a suspect? Though she was obviously upset, her archenemy had essentially just been eliminated. With no witnesses around, it was Joey’s word against . . . no one’s.
Not that I was speculating or forming theories.
“Are you allowed to leave the house while filming is going on?” Riley asked. “That’s not against any of the rules?”
His question seemed strange to me, especially since there were so many other things he could be asking. Why wouldn’t she be able to leave? It wasn’t like she was a prisoner there. Besides, I hadn’t realized he knew so much about reality TV.
“After all, it creates more drama if everyone is confined to a small space for an extended period of time,” Riley continued.
Her eyes lit. “Yes! You’re exactly right. Alastair is all about drama. But Vivian said she needed to talk to me without any cameras. I thought she might have something important to tell me.”
“Did she have anything to tell you?” I asked.
“She looked worried—beyond the normal does-Ricky-like-me-the-most-or-not worried. But we didn’t even have time to start talking, really, before things went south.”
“Do you have any ideas about why she wanted to talk?” Riley asked.
“No, not really. Maybe to apologize?”
“For what?” I questioned.
“She’d been hurling insults at me and trying to turn the other girls against me. Then she told Ricky how horrible she thought I was. She had the nerve to call me two-faced and said the person Ricky saw wasn’t the same one the girls in the house lived with.” Joey’s frown deepened.
“That had to hurt,” I said. Catty women weren’t my favorite people to be around. I’d never survive on a show like that.
She nodded. “Vivian was really the one who was two-faced. She acted all high-and-mighty in the house, like she was better than us. But with Ricky she tried to seem like she was a sweetheart without any enemies in the world. I wanted so desperately to tell Ricky that she still talked about her ex-boyfriend back at home.”
These women were seriously messed up. But I didn’t have the mental energy to go there right now. I had to stay focused.
“Weren’t you two worried about getting in trouble?” Riley asked. “Sneaking out could get you kicked off the show.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re only a week into the show, and at times I want to leave the show and get away from all the drama. I don’t really think that’s a possibility. I signed a contract . . . and then there’s Ricky. I think he likes me.”
“And you like him?” I asked, trying to grasp what she was saying.
“Of course. But all of this was too much for me. I don’t like sharing my men. It feels unnatural. And, after a while, it seems like it becomes more about winning than it does actually finding love. I mean, when Ricky kissed me for the first time, I thought I was falling in love. But it turns out he’s kissed six of us. It makes me feel . . . cheap.”
I could only imagine. Harem echoed in my head again. That was not the way dating should play out.
The old Waylon Jennings’ song that served as the show’s namesake played like a mental soundtrack in my mind. Which was strange since the tune talked about looking for love in the wrong places and people. Maybe the contestants should take heed of the lyrics and get the hint.
“What happened next on your walk with Vivian?” I asked.
“We were walking down the beach, talking about this stupid competition where we had to eat bugs in order to win a date with Ricky. Mary Ellen won. She’s a farm girl from Alabama and not Ricky’s type at all, but she was able to stomach those little creepy crawlies.” Joey shivered. “Anyway, I saw a boat pull up on the shore as we were talking about the competition, but I didn’t really think anything about it. I figured they were probably just night fishing or something.”
“What happened next?” I asked.
“The next thing I knew, these men in black had surrounded us. I guess they came from the boat. It was so dark out there, and I hadn’t really thought anything about it. They grabbed Vivian. She was screaming and kicking, but she couldn’t get away.”
“How many of them were there?” I asked.
“I think four.”
“They left you alone during this?” Riley narrowed his eyes in thought.
Joey’s chin trembled. “One man tried to grab me, but I ran as fast as I could. After a few minutes, they seemed to forget about me, and they carried Vivian into the water. To their boat, I assume. I couldn’t look back. I feel so bad. I left her. How could I have done that? She was kicking and screaming and scared. She was a nasty woman, but I would have never wanted this.”
“There was probably nothing you could do to help,” I told her.
“They had guns. They seemed militant, you know? I can’t put my finger on why exactly. I just felt like these guys were professionals or something.”
Interesting observation.
“Was there anything they said to give any indication of who they were or why they took Vivian?” I asked, pondering everything she’d told me. “Accents, tattoos, strange scents even?”
She shook her head. “No, they were quiet. They pretty much just did their job and then left. That was it.”
Did their job. That was an odd way to phrase it.
Just then, someone knocked at the door. I looked out the window and saw the flashing police lights. It was time to hand this over to the professionals.
That’s exactly what I planned on doing.
No involvement-o from Gabby-o. That-o was my motto.
An hour later, Joey was in the capable hands of the Crystal Key Police Department. Three police officers had shown up. An older man, probably in his early sixties, with a slight build and wrinkle-lined eyes, had talked to us while the rest of his crew went to the beach to look for evidence. Apparently, the chief was out of town and due to arrive back early the next morning.
That meant Riley and I were free to go on with our day.
It was six-thirty now, and Riley and I were wide-awake. And we were on a beautiful island in Florida with nothing to do but relax. That was exactly what I planned on doing.
It always seemed strange to me to continue on with life as if nothing had happened while other people faced tragedies. That was partly why I never did just that. I could help people find answers, heal, and get closure. Why wouldn’t I want to do that?
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. How about we go and grab some breakfast?” Riley pulled me close as we stood in the living room, both still a little shocked from the surprising turn of events.
“Sure thing. But where?”
“There are a few restaurants and shops located within walking distance. I’m sure one of them serves breakfast. I’d offer to cook, but we have no food here yet. We never did make that grocery store run after we got here yesterday.”
I nodded, figuring anything I did with Riley would make me happy, especially solving a mystery—I meant, having breakfast together. “Let’s go explore.”
I donned some white linen pants and a blue T-shirt, along with my favorite flip-flops. I’d bought a new pair just for this trip, so it was a good thing we’d gone somewhere warm where I could wear them. Although, if we’d gone to Alaska, I would have probably worn them anyway. I had this thing for flip-flops. I loved them.
We stepped out into the warm, early morning sunshine. It was already humid outside, and, I couldn’t be positive, but I thought I spotted a mosquito swarming around me. In October?
Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Virginia anymore.
Riley’s fingers interlaced with mine as we headed toward the sandy, sidewalk-lined street. Palm trees bordered it, as well as other tropical-looking plants that I didn’t often see in Virginia. We weren’t in the Caribbean, but part of me felt like we were.
And I had to admit that I liked it.
“What a start to our stay, huh?” Riley said.
“I’d say.”
I threw one glance over my shoulder at the massive beach house in the distance. Police cars remained there, and a flurry of activity surrounded the place. Officers came and went. Women huddled together. Cameramen filmed it all.
I cleared my throat and ignored my surge of curiosity. “So, who owns this house where we’re staying?”
“One of the law partners in the DC office. Mel Murphy.”
“That’s nice of him to let us use it.”
Riley shrugged. “He said there’s no reason for it to sit empty. He plans to retire down here.”
As soon as we reached the end of the residential street, a row of shops appeared. Most of them were located along the water, and a quaint little boardwalk/pier lined the businesses. Boats were docked along the edges, and waves gently lapped the bulkhead.
The familiar scent of salt water air, mixed with fish and seaweed, carried toward us with the breeze. Early risers walked or jogged on the neat waterfront boardwalk, and several people were already out in boats, kayaks, and paddleboats, enjoying the cooler early morning hours. A few men fished from a pier.
We walked past a bait and tackle shop, a gift store, and a general market. Next we came to Erma’s, and, based on the scent of bacon that floated from its open windows, this place served breakfast.
“How’s this look?” Riley asked.
“Perfect.”
We stepped into the restaurant. Most of the seven other patrons already seated inside had white hair. Fishnets and stuffed marlins and miniature boat replicas lined the walls. It seemed like the kind of place where everyone knew each other. One man even had his bulldog lying on the floor beside him.
“Just two of you?” A woman appeared out of nowhere, menus already in hand. She wore a pink dress with a white apron, and her white hair was coiffed into a beehive. She was adorable. The name “Erma” was embroidered on her lapel.
“Just two,” Riley said.
“Right this way.” She led us to a table by the window. As I suspected, it was open, allowing the sea breeze to float inside.
As I’d said earlier—this place was perfect.
“Apparently this area is the retirement mecca of the Gulf Coast,” Riley whispered after the waitress left us to look over the menu.
Based on the number of senior citizens I’d already seen in our short stay, I’d agree.
We glanced at the menu and, a moment later, Riley ordered an omelet and I ordered eggs, bacon, and fruit. The waitress brought us coffee and water, asked us where we were from, and then moved on to talk to another table.
Riley leaned back, looking more relaxed than I’d seen him in a long time. “So, there are any number of things we can do while we’re in the area. There are airboat rides and kayaking. There’s swimming in natural springs. Picking oranges. We could even wrestle an alligator.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I smiled. “Or we could just hang out on the beach. I did notice there was a hot tub on one of the decks.”
His smile mirrored mine. “Or we could do that.”
But I will not—absolutely will not—look into the disappearance of Vivian the Reality Show Star.
I stared out at the water and let my thoughts drift along with the tide.
How had someone known the girls were going to be out on the beach last night? If this was a planned abduction, someone would have had to have known about their impromptu walk. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? No one could have known about it if it was spontaneous.
According to Joey, the whole walk and conversation had been Vivian’s idea. Did she have something to do with her own abduction?
Joey had said she looked terrified, though. Was the woman a great actress? Or had something gone terribly wrong?
“You’re fascinated with what happened last night, aren’t you?”
I snapped back to the present and stared at my handsome husband as he sat across the table from me. He’d caught me. I’d promised to stay out of things, and I needed to honor that.
“You’re the only thing that fascinates me,” I murmured.
He flashed a smile, but I could tell he wasn’t totally convinced of my words as he raised his eyebrows. “That was sweet, but I know you better than that.”
I lifted my hands in mock offense. “No, I am perfectly capable of keeping my nose out of other people’s business
and concentrating solely on my relationships for a week.”
“Of course, you are. It’s not your fault these situations always pop up wherever you go.”
“Exactly! It’s not like I seek them out.” Finally—Riley understood. A strange burst of contentment filled my chest.
He raised his coffee mug. “It’s like God himself puts you in the right place at the right time.”
“Yes—exactly!” My thoughts ground to a halt. “Wait—what?”
Riley paused with the cup raised near his chin. “You heard me. Your God-given calling is to be nosy.”
I leaned closer and lowered my voice, trying to sound mockingly sultry. “Wow. You’ve never sounded so attractive.”
He let out an all-out laugh and threw his head back. “I don’t know what to say to that. You always surprise me.”
I reached across the table and grabbed his hand, turning from playful to serious. “I really am thankful for you, Riley. That is sincere.”
He squeezed my hand. “I’m thankful for you too. Life will never be boring with you at my side. I’ve now got sunshine on a cloudy day.” He burst into the song that used those lyrics.
“I’m rubbing off on you! You have no idea how that totally makes me feel like I won a Tony.”
“I’m so proud of you that you’re not getting involved in this mystery, though. I know that takes a lot of fortitude.”
I swallowed back a touch of guilt. If he only knew how much I was struggling inside.
Just then, two older men walked into the restaurant. Both wore Hawaiian shirts and plaid shorts. One was tall and thin, and the other short and rather pudgy. The way they walked and talked together made me think they were old fishing or golfing pals.
“You hear about all the excitement down on the beach last night?” the tall one said to the other as they slid into the booth behind Riley.
I had a bird’s-eye view of their conversation, which secretly thrilled me. It all went back to that God-given calling to be nosy.
“An abduction. Sounds like just the perfect storyline for those Hollywood types who are in town,” the other said. “I knew there was going to be trouble when I heard they were filming here. Do you remember what I said? I said, ‘Mark my words, this will be trouble.’ And it is.”
Swept Away Page 2
