Garden Gazebo Gallivant

by Abby L. Vandiver

  “What hive?” I asked.

  “Over at the crime scene. Tree not too far from where Kimmie was found. None of us could remember seeing it there before, but you know . . .” he smiled. “Could be a clue.

  I looked at Bay. “A clue, huh?”

  “Gotta go,” Mac said.

  We watched as Mac grabbed his hat, and his walking cane. He picked up a black bag – maybe a medical bag – I wasn’t sure and left. Going to offer his medical expertise? I didn’t know. I wasn’t even sure if he was even still licensed to practice.

  “Don’t worry about locking up if you leave,” Mac said opening the door. “I won’t be gone too long.”

  After the whirlwind of Mac leaving died down, I looked at Bay and Micah. They were staring hungrily at the tray of cake. I took the glasses of milk and handed one to each of them, then picked up the tray.

  “I brought these for Mac,” I said. “And he’s going to get them. Drink your milk, then bring me your glasses so I can rinse them out. I’m going into the kitchen, rewrap this cake, and put it up for him. Then we’re leaving.”

  “Man, I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into,” Micah said to Bay. “She is so bossy.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Bay said shaking his head in mock exasperation. “Pray for me, Brother. Just please, pray for me.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

  On our walk home from Mac’s, we crossed the greens and went past the town-square-slash-wedding-slash-crime-scene gazebo. I looked at Bay and sighed.

  “Don’t worry, Babe,” he said. “It’ll be okay.”

  “I don’t know,” Micah said. “The wedding is supposed to be day after tomorrow. You think the Sheriff’ll pull that yellow crime tape down by then?”

  “Now that they’ve found the hive-” Bay said.

  “A hive that might be a clue,” I interrupted.

  “Now that they’ve found the hive,” Bay repeated. “That tape might not come down as fast because Lloyd may think there’s something more to find.”

  “They haven’t dragged you into the investigation yet, huh?” Micah asked.

  “They’re trying,” Bay said. “And if it was really an ancient artifact Kimmie brought back, then that’s FBI territory.”

  Micah chuckled. “Arts and Culture Division.”

  “Yep. But we don’t have different divisions in our small office. So our office is every division. And with me being from Yasamee, there’s no doubt I’ll be assigned to the case.”

  “You should have taken vacation days,” I said.

  “I was saving them in case we did Fiji,” Bay said.

  “I know,” I said feeling bad for saying it in the first place. “And hopefully the Sheriff won’t find anything amiss that could potentially bring you in,” I said.

  I didn’t want to say that we hadn’t found anything the night before.

  “You told Mom there was a dig in Fiji,” Micah said.

  “There is, but Mom used to take Dad with her on digs. And us. I could take Bay.”

  We crossed over to Piedmont and headed to the B & B.

  “I’m just hoping all the work that falls on me won’t be too much for my new bride,” Bay said. “And make it so I can’t travel with her sometimes. I don’t want her missing me too much.”

  “I don’t think you have to worry,” Micah said. “She was trying to pick up guys at the mall yesterday. I think she’s got a plan on how to keep busy.”

  “I was not trying to pick up anyone,” I said.

  “I’d be careful, Bay,” Micah continued, “Your grandmother might just be right. She said Logan’s a little fickle.”

  I punched him.

  Bay laugh. “Seems kind of cliché picking up guys at the mall, don’t you think?” He put his arm around me.

  “I was not trying to pick up anyone.” I pulled away from Bay. “And I don’t think he was trying to pick me up. He said I had something that belonged to him. Well, to ‘us,’ he said but he was all by himself.” I remembered the confrontation. “He was acting pretty crazy you ask me.”

  “Wait. What?” Micah said. “You didn’t tell me that. You just asked me had I seen him. Was he harassing you?”

  I opened my mouth to talk then shut it. I didn’t want to worry them by giving the wrong impression of what happened. “I really don’t know how to describe it,” I said. “He did kind of startle me. At first. Staring at me with those narrow, beady eyes.” I thought about the encounter. “But I didn’t feel like he was going to hurt me.”

  Both Micah and Bay stopped walking, but by the time I noticed I was a few steps ahead of them. I turned to face them. “C’mon. What are you two doing?”

  “What exactly did that guy say to you?” Bay asked.

  “I don’t know. I think he said, ‘You have something that belongs to us.’”

  “What?” Micah said. “Who was he?”

  “What do you have of his?” Bay asked.

  “I don’t know who he is,” I said and then looked at Bay. “And I know I don’t have anything of his.”

  “Are you sure that’s what he said?” Bay asked.

  “I said I don’t know. I think that’s what he said.” I cocked my head to one side. “He could have said ‘Would you like a buttercup?’”

  “A buttercup?” Micah said and busted out laughing.

  “Or, ‘For some it’s better not to fuss,” I said and started laughing, too.

  Bay didn’t crack a smile. “This is not funny,” he said. “You and my grandmother have been out here trying to solve murders, questioning folks, accusing folks,” he emphasized the word. “Like you’re the police. Someone could be upset about it.” He walked up to me and grabbed both my arms. “You have to take this seriously.”

  “Okay,” I said and looked over at Micah. “I will.” I lowered my eyes and tried to recall the incident. “He was an Asian guy. Never seen him before,” I said. “I was getting my phone, putting away my ID and he walked up behind me and said something.” I lifted my head to meet Bay’s eyes. “When he saw Micah coming back, he left. That’s all.”

  “He knew Micah?” Bay said and looked at my brother.

  We both hunched our shoulders. “I don’t think so,” I said. “And Micah didn’t see him, I know because I asked him if he had.” I thought about it for a moment. “But you know, it was like he knew who Micah was because he left when he spotted him.”

  “Just like she said, I didn’t see him,” Micah said. I turned around and we started walking again. Me still ahead of them. “But, as far as I know.” Micah continued after a moment’s pause. “I don’t know him, and I haven’t seen anyone I know since I’ve been here.”

  “Have you seen anything strange lately?” Bay asked the both of us.

  “You mean besides people getting murdered all the time?” Micah asked.

  “You haven’t even been here to see that,” I said.

  “I know what you’ve told me, Sis, and it’s all very strange.”

  “Have you?” Bay asked us again.

  “No. I haven’t,” Micah said.

  “I saw a black car with tinted windows,” I said and turned back to face them, walking backwards again. “Matter-of-fact, I saw the same car twice within a few minutes circling the town square around the time I found Kimmie’s body.”

  “You can’t circle a square,” Micah said. “And a black car with tinted windows isn’t strange.”

  “In Yasamee it is,” Bay said. “Have you seen it since?”

  “Nope,” I said and shook my head. I turned around to face forward and stopped. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I twisted my neck back around to Bay and Micah. “Until now.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  The car was parked in the driveway of the Maypop. And according to the boys, it was a 2016 BMW 750i with a V-8 engine, TwinPower Turbo technology, 20” wheels, and had Illinois plates.

  I’d seen the car now a few times, and I couldn’t have told them any of that. All I could add to the co
nversation was what I had already said – it was black with tinted windows.

  Bay and I walked up the front steps with anticipation. We were going to find out who’d been trolling the streets of Yasamee hidden behind darkened windows. Micah, other than thinking it was a cool car, still didn’t see anything to make a fuss about. That’s what living in a big city like Cleveland would get you.

  Bay stepped through the door first, holding it open for me and Micah. I walked into the Maypop and stopped dead in my tracks. Standing at the reservation desk was the Asian guy from the mall that had spoken to me. He turned, just as we walked through the door, and when he saw me, a sly smile spread across his face.

  Dressed in an Eisenhower cut black leather jacket, with straps and buckle accents on either side, he had on a pair of blue jeans and a black, mock turtleneck sweater. He stood next to another guy who, even from behind, was dressed like he worked on Wall Street.

  I hit Micah, who was standing next to me. “That’s him,” I said pointing toward him with a nod of my head.

  “Who?” he whispered back.

  “The guy from the mall,” I said. “The one that said I had something of his. Well his and someone else’s.” I looked at the other guy. “Maybe that’s the ‘someone else.’”

  “Which one said something to you?”

  “The one in the black leather jacket.”

  That answer made Micah step forward. “Yo,” he said and tilting his head back, he jutted his chin out.

  I shook my head. He’s been watching too many gangster movies, I thought.

  Both men turned around, and for the first time I saw Wall Street Guy’s face. He was handsome, dimple in his chin, jet black hair neatly combed away from his face – nothing like his bad boy counterpart.

  “May I help you?” Wall Street Guy asked.

  “I’m talking to your friend,” Micah said. “He had a problem with my sister at the mall the other day.”

  That statement made Bay step forward.

  “Is this the guy from the mall, Logan?” he asked. “The one you just told us about?”

  Didn’t he just hear Micah say it was?

  It was too much “tough guy-ish” stuff going on for me. I stepped forward.

  “What did you say to me yesterday?” I asked thinking I could defend myself.

  Wall Street Guy turned and looked at his friend and back at me. With a warm (probably fake) smile that showed a mouthful full of evenly aligned, brilliantly white teeth, he stuck out his hand. “Hello, I’m Nick Stavish, and this is my associate, Ho Yung.”

  No one stepped forward to shake his hand. Renmar, who’d apparently been checking them in, stood behind the counter with her mouth opened.

  Nick Stavish pulled his hand back and chuckled. He looked at me, wiping the palms of his hands together. “I think perhaps you’re mistaken.” He looked at Ho, then back to me. “He didn’t say anything to you.”

  “Yes, he did,” I said. “He said that I had something that belongs to him.”

  “Do you know her, Ho,” he asked his friend.

  “No,” Ho Yung said in that same acerbic tone. “Never seen her before.”

  “You’ve been driving around town,” Bay said. “Evidently following her as well. What is your business in Yasamee?”

  “We’ve just been chillin’,” Nick said, the half-smile, half-smirk never leaving his face. “Minding our own business. Who wants to know?”

  “I’m her fiancé, and part owner of this bed and breakfast. And if she says that your ‘associate’ spoke to her, I believe her.” Bay looked at Renmar. “Were they checking in, Ma?” he asked.

  She looked down at the register and back up at Bay. “They were,” she said.

  “Well, not anymore,” Bay said. He looked at the two of them. “You’ll have to find somewhere else to stay.”

  Nick Stavish swung from his waist and looked back at Renmar, then turned back locking eyes with Bay. “Ma’am, can you suggest another place in town for us.” Speaking to Renmar, he never took his eyes off of Bay.

  “No she can’t,” Bay said, narrowing his eyes at Nick. “And I suggest you leave. You and your friend. Now.”

  Nick Stavish looked around at all of us, blew out a breath, made a loud clap with his hands, and rubbed them together again. “Looks like we won’t get a room here, Ho,” he said. “We’ll find another place to stay, and after that we can finish our business.”

  “As long as your ‘business’ doesn’t have anything to do with her,” Bay pointed his thumb my way. “You’re free to do whatever you like. As long as it’s legal.”

  “Oh are you threatening to sic your Sheriff on us? Doesn’t he have his hands full right now?”

  “What do you know about that?” I asked. “What the Sheriff is doing?”

  Before he could answer, Bay placed his hand on my arm. “They’re leaving. They don’t have time for questions.”

  Bay opened the front door and stood waiting for them to go.

  The two left without saying a word, but their faces spoke volumes. Bay and his “goon” Micah had seemingly started a turf war about something we knew nothing about.

  “So what was that, Bay?” Renmar asked. “You running customers away?”

  “I didn’t like that guy.”

  “I didn’t either,” Micah said. “Neither one of them. Acting like the Green Hornet and Kato.”

  Bay started laughing. “Yeah, Man. They did, didn’t they? That’s so funny. Green Hornet. But his Kato didn’t seem too tough to me.”

  “Why didn’t you pull out your badge, Man?” Micah said still chuckling. “Show ‘em you’re the law.”

  “I don’t need a badge to take care of my woman.” Bay came and wrapped his arm around me tightly. “I’ma protect her ‘cause I’m her man.”

  I rolled my eyes. “This isn’t the Wild Wild West,” I said. “You ran them away, and now we’ll never know what they wanted.”

  “That Ho Yung wanted something from you,” Bay said. “Evidently to give to Nick. Something that you don’t have. I didn’t want either one of them bothering you with their nonsense. Right now we’ve got a killer on the loose, probably someone from somewhere else, if they’re importing hornets, and this guy’s a stranger. They could have something to do with all of this.”

  “Yeah, Logan,” Micah said. “Didn’t Daddy teach you about stranger-danger?”

  Stranger Danger. That just tickled the stew out of the two of them.

  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

  “Green Hornet and Kato?” my mother said to Micah. She chuckled. “How do you know about them? They came on TV when I was a little girl. Back in the 60s.”

  We were all sitting in the dining room, and I was telling my mother and Miss Vivee about our little run-in with our would-be guests.

  “Reruns on Me-TV, Ma,” Micah said. “And some of the episodes are on YouTube. Plus, they made a movie about it not too long ago.”

  “So what did those two want from you, Logan?” Miss Vivee asked. She scooted her chair up close to my mother’s. She had really taken a liking to her.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “And I’ll probably never find out now that Micah and Bay, the two Yasamee American Gangsters, have run them away.”

  Micah made a face like he didn’t know what I was talking about, and he would have been all alone in mounting any kind of a defense. Bay had left to go and speak to the Sheriff about the Beamer and its occupants.

  “So why would they think that you had something of theirs?” my mother asked.

  “At first, I didn’t know, and I hadn’t given anymore thought to it after I saw him in the mall. But then after I found he was associated with that car, I remembered something. The only thing I can think of is when I first found Kimme. I was standing over her and I dropped something out of my pocket, and then I stooped down to pick it up.”

  “Did you see the car then?” Micah asked.

  “I dunno. But he must have passed by then. I mean, I saw the car a c
ouple of times that morning.” I shrugged. “They must’ve seen me.”

  “So you think, that they think, that you took something off of that dead girl?” Micah asked.

  I hunched my shoulders. “I don’t know, but I’m thinking that had to be it.”

  “Why you think that?” Micah said.

  “Because that’s what he said. That Ho guy. He said, ‘I saw you pick it up. Right next to that girl, you know the dead girl.’ Or something like that.” I did a not-so-good imitation of his voice.

  “You didn’t tell me that part,” Micah said and frowned. “Did you tell Bay?”

  “You heard what I told Bay, Micah.”

  “He thinks that you got something off the dead girl, and then he saw you at the mall and asked you about it?” my mother asked.

  “Bay and I think he followed her to the mall,” Micah said. “Because he knew who I was and I hadn’t seen him. He must’ve seen us both get out the car.”

  “That’s not good,” my mother said.

  “No. Not good.” Miss Vivee nodded in agreement. “But maybe it was about the artifact that they found at Stallings Inn,” Miss Vivee said. “Maybe they came looking for it. I’ll have to add them to my suspect list.”

  “An artifact?” I looked at my mother. “They found an artifact?”

  “The Sheriff found one when they did the search this morning,” Miss Vivee said.

  “So there really might be Artifact Hunters?” I said. “They were in the house last night? The same time we were?”

  “The Sheriff couldn’t tell who had been in the house,” my mother said. “Or when. Thank goodness for that, or we might have to answer for it. And he said it wasn’t as much of a mess as Frankie claimed.”

  “Good,” I said because I didn’t want to take the rest of my day cleaning up that place.

  “They had your mother look at what they found.” Miss Vivee smiled at my mother. “You should have seen her. Turning it over. Putting on gloves examining it. I was so proud of her.”

  Proud? That’s like been her job for thirty years. Especially in her position as curator of the Museum of Antiquity.