A Killer Margarita (Nikki Sands'/Wine Lover's Mystery Series)

by Michele Scott

  “And what is that?” Simon asked.

  “Honor.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Nikki sat across from Derek at a candlelit table at the otherwise empty Juanita’s. “Where are Simon and Marco?”

  “Probably walking the dogs.”

  “I know, but we told them to be here for this. I mean, like I told you guys back at the villa that I’m positive Guillermo killed Carrigan because of the way he had treated Susannah that night. Guillermo loves Susannah. She’s having his child and Carrigan dishonored her. You threw a few punches because me that night. Guillermo took it a step farther.”

  “Why do you think he brought the car back here though? Do you think he followed Carrigan?”

  “I’m only going on guesswork and gut instinct here.” Nikki lowered her voice as she noticed Guillermo eyeing them from the stage while strumming on his guitar. “Yes, I do think he followed Tim and Carrigan around that night. Remember when we asked Susannah what she did after everyone left? She said that she went home with her mother. I believed her and still do. I think that Guillermo waited for the right moment. He followed those guys, maybe offered the drunken Carrigan a ride home in the Caddy, and then took him out.”

  “Kind of makes sense,” Derek said.

  “It does, doesn’t it?”

  “But to let her mother take the fall?” Derek sipped his wine. “Do you think Susannah knows the truth?”

  “I don’t know. I hope not and I doubt it. She seems pretty loyal to her mother, although she admitted having questions as to whether or not her mom could have actually done the deed.”

  “We have to get Guillermo to confess.”

  “You do realize, Nik, that by doing it, you’re going to send the man Susannah loves to jail? The man who is the father of her unborn child?”

  “The man is a killer and he set up Juanita!”

  Derek shrugged.

  Susannah joined them. “Thank you both for coming tonight. Will the rest of your family be here?”

  “They were supposed to, but they must have had a change of plans,” Nikki said.

  “Can I take your orders?”

  They both ordered the stuffed chile rellenos and a glass of red wine.

  “I’ll bring out your drinks in a moment,” she said, and left.

  “She seems so sad,” Nikki said.

  “I know. It’s a terrible situation no matter how it turns out. But let me ask you this: do you have any idea how you might get Guillermo to confess?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe by just presenting him and Susannah with the evidence.”

  “You have no evidence. Only theories.”

  “I know, but sometimes a theory presented in the right way is all you need to get a confession.”

  “I don’t think it could be that easy, honey.”

  “It has happened before.”

  Susannah returned with their drinks and set them down.

  “Thank you,” Nikki said. “When are you and Guillermo getting married?”

  “In two weeks.” She smiled.

  Nikki’s stomach sank. She was about to shake up this girl’s whole world even more than it already had been.

  “I only wish my mother could be there,” she added.

  “Me too.” Nikki took a sip from her wine.

  Susannah headed back to the kitchen. “I think I should try and make some small talk with Guillermo,” Derek said. “He’s taking a break. Who knows, maybe he’ll talk if I mention that I’m not unhappy Carrigan is dead.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t mean that literally. I would never want to see someone dead, but my thinking is that if Guillermo murdered Carrigan because the guy had dishonored his fiancé, then I can mention that the reason I threw a punch at him was because of how he disrespected you. Maybe being on the same wavelength man to man will open a door for him to start talking.”

  “It’s not a bad idea, I guess.”

  “You don’t have any other ideas, do you?”

  She shook her head. “Not really.”

  She watched as Derek walked over to Guillermo, who became all smiles. As Nikki watched the two of them talk, she saw Guillermo’s uncle emerge from the kitchen. She was a bit surprised to see the detective. He walked over to her table and sat down. “Um, hello,” Nikki said.

  “Hola, Señora Malveaux.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  He scooted his chair closer to her and said softly, “If you want to live and if you want your husband and family to live, I suggest you all go back to the United States and forget all of your…detecting. It is leading you into some very hot water.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “My name is Detective Geraldo Castellano, and I have been watching you and listening to your conversation. You see, I have eyes and ears in this part of the world, and an American nun and priest going to our jail does not add up.” He pulled a small microdot from under the table.

  “A bug? You bugged the table? Oh my God. Guillermo didn’t kill Carrigan. You did! Why?”

  His gold-toothed smile had no mirth. “As I suggested, your family needs to go home. Juanita killed Señor Carrigan.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Nikki stood and called for Susannah, who came out of the kitchen.

  Derek turned when he heard her, and before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Castellano had Nikki in a choke hold with a gun to her head. The detective began to rant: “I don’t like Americans! I especially do not like Americans who don’t mind their own business! I am going to take you to jail, Señora Malveaux, for impersonating a nun.”

  Derek ran toward them. “Whoa, wait a minute. Put the gun down. My wife didn’t do anything.”

  “You too. You’re both going to jail.”

  “No they aren’t.” Detective Martinez walked up behind Castellano and put a gun in his back. “Drop it, my friend. It is over.”

  Castellano lowered the gun but then pushed Nikki, who fell to the floor. He whirled around to fire, but Martinez shot first and Castellano dropped. He grabbed his side and wailed in pain.

  “You’re not going to die,” Martinez said, kicking the gun away from him. “You’re going to jail because you are corrupt. You don’t work for the people to do good. You work for those who do very bad things.”

  “Don’t be stupid. Do you not know the power I have behind me?”

  “I do know, and I will take each one of you down,” Martinez said.

  Derek bent down to see if Nikki was okay.

  “I’m fine,” she said. He helped her stand up. She looked at Martinez, wondering what the heck just happened.

  Guillermo rushed out of the kitchen with Susannah, both wide eyed. Guillermo shook his head. “He did it for me. He shot that man for me and Susannah.”

  “What do you mean?” Martinez asked.

  “Silencio!” Castellano growled.

  Guillermo shook his head. “No, Tio. I followed that man who insulted Susannah. I gave him a ride here and then I beat him up. I thought maybe I killed him, so I called my uncle, who came here and told me to leave, that he would take care of things.”

  Castellano cried out, “You are a fool, Guillermo! That man I killed is a truly evil man, Martinez.”

  “I’m sure that he is. And, I am also sure that he angered your bosses, and there was a hit on him. Your nephew only made it easier for you.

  “But why send Juanita to prison? I know exactly why he did this,” Martinez went on. “He was told to either secure this property where the restaurant stands for a developer wanting to build another hotel, or kill Juanita to get her out of the way. She would never sell this place, especially to build a hotel. As rotten as Castellano is, he couldn’t kill Juanita himself. When the opportunity came along, he was able to frame the poor woman. He knew that by her being in jail and Susannah married to his nephew, he would have control of the property and be able to do as he wished. He would make money off the deal, and wouldn’t have any real blood on his hands. Whatev
er might have happened to Juanita in jail, I am sure that Castellano could have lived with that.”

  All eyes turned to Susannah. “Did you know?” Nikki asked. “Did you know what they did and that they set your mother up?”

  “No.”

  “She did not,” Guillermo added. “And I did not want Juanita to go to jail. I told my tio that but he said it was best and that he would get her out of there in a few months.”

  “I would have,” Castellano said. “I would have made them let her go once all of the media and you stupid Americans were gone. And once Susannah and Guillermo were married.”

  An emergency team soon arrived and put Castellano on a stretcher. “You will be sorry for this,” he told Detective Martinez.

  “I don’t think so.”

  They watched as the ambulance left. “Are you going to arrest Guillermo?” Nikki asked.

  “No. I can prove that Paul Carrigan was murdered with Castellano’s gun. He is a much larger criminal in this than his nephew.” He glanced at Guillermo, who pleaded for forgiveness from Susannah. “I do have to agree with Castellano on something though.”

  “What is that?” Derek asked.

  “I think you and your family should go home. It could get dangerous down here, and Castellano does work for some very bad people. I have been following him for a while, an internal investigation. It’s how I tracked him here. I had a feeling that something was about to happen. He is not the only one who uses listening devices.” He smiled.

  “But what about Dream—Kendall Young? The American woman who had been with Paul Carrigan. Have you solved her murder? Did Castellano kill her, too?”

  “No. We don’t believe so, but I do think we will find who did it. As I said, I believe that you should all head back home quickly.”

  “Will Juanita be released from jail?” Nikki asked.

  “Yes. She will. She’ll also get to keep her restaurant. It is a happy ending. Right? Now, as I said, you should all go home.”

  Nikki looked at Derek. They nodded in agreement, but Nikki was not feeling too agreeable. Sure, Castellano had killed Paul Carrigan and Juanita would get to come home now, but what about Dream? There had to be justice for her.

  Nikki still had too many unanswered questions and she hoped her husband had them as well, because she wasn’t all that sure she was ready to give this up yet.

  Stuffed Chile Rellenos

  One down so far. Nikki knows this couldn’t be the end of the road for this investigation. There is still another killer on the loose. However, Martinez did have a point: things could get ugly down south, and having the Malveaux family caught in the crossfire would definitely be a bad thing. Nikki keeps going back and forth with the idea that they are likely in over their head with this one. It may take more than an amateur sleuth and her family to put it all together. Fingers crossed they get the job done!

  One thing that does seem to stay constant for the Malveaux family is that they eat really, really well. Granted they never even got a bite of this scrumptious Mexican dish, but trust me, if you make it, you’ll eat it and love it! This chile rellenos recipe is perfect for the holidays. It’s hearty and savory!

  Ingredients:

  4 poblano chiles

  1 cup manchego cheese, grated, plus extra for topping

  1 cup roasted butternut squash, cut in 1/2-inch dice

  1½ cups wild rice, cooked in turkey broth

  1 cup sautéed shiitake mushrooms, chopped

  1 cup sautéed spinach or kale

  2 cups cooked chorizo, crumbled

  1½ cups mashed black beans

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350°. Grill and char the chiles on both sides. Place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to sweat out any moisture. Slip off the skins, then slit peppers down the middle and remove the seeds.

  In a large bowl, mix together cheese, cooked wild rice, squash, mushrooms, spinach and chorizo.

  Stuff the peppers with a layer of black beans, followed by the wild rice stuffing. Top with additional manchego cheese, then place in a casserole dish.

  Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, until the peppers are warm through and the cheese has melted.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  “Why don’t we try and get something else to eat?” Derek said. “We never got our chile rellenos.”

  “I don’t know how hungry I feel after all of that. Maybe we should go back to the villa and make something there. I’m curious as to why Marco and Simon didn’t show up. I also want to get the other nun and priest costume back to the playhouse.”

  “Other costumes?” He looked at her and shook his head. ‘I don’t want to know, do I?”

  “Probably not.”

  “Right. As far as the guys, they got busy with their new-found family members. I’m sure they were distracted with making mini canine ponchos.”

  Nikki shook her head. “I don’t know about that. We all planned to do this together, and it’s not like them to completely flake out.”

  Derek frowned. “Are you kidding me? This is my brother we are talking about. It doesn’t matter. I’m sure they’re fine and we’ll track them down—most likely in the swimming pool with margaritas on the side.”

  Nikki was quiet on the way back to the villa. Derek took her hand as he maneuvered the Mini Cooper through town. “You okay? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

  “No, but I can’t stop thinking about Dream. I mean, Kendall Young. Sure, the guy who killed Carrigan is going to jail, but what about what happened to her? You know, I saw on the news that the waitress we met at El Corazon was found dead. I think it’s all connected.”

  He sighed. “I think you’re probably right, honey, but I also think that Detective Martinez seemed like a pretty competent guy. He just arrested one of his own, and he suggested that things could get nasty down here. I’m not taking that lightly, and neither should you. I have a feeling that whoever is responsible for killing Kendall Young, and now this other girl, might have done the same to Erin Faldo. But I believe these people will be brought to justice.”

  “I don’t know. There appears to be quite a bit of corruption.”

  “You’re right; Martinez indicated there is, and that is why I think for the first time ever—and I don’t say this lightly, considering some of the shenanigans you’ve participated in, and the crimes you’ve solved—that you and I are finally in over our heads. I think our days as detectives in Mexico need to come to an end. It’s one thing for you to be a crime fighter in Napa Valley, sweetheart. It’s another thing south of the border. We’ve done a lot down here. We helped get Juanita released from jail and have the right man put in jail. Granted, I also think Guillermo should have been arrested, but since he didn’t pull the trigger…well, what can I say?”

  Nikki didn’t respond right away. Her husband’s logic made a lot of sense, but at the same time she felt like she was letting the murdered girl down. She finally acquiesced and said, “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time to go home.”

  “Excuse me? What did you say? That I’m right?”

  “I said, maybe.” As she bantered with Derek, she suddenly had a strange reaction. Tears stung her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

  He glanced at her. “Hey, Nik, what is it? What’s going on?”

  “It’s me!” she sobbed. “Everywhere we go, dead people do seem to follow me, and this time I didn’t get it right. This time I didn’t save the day. Maybe I’m the bad karma queen.”

  “Oh honey, that’s a crock. God knows you’re one of the most generous, loving people on the planet.”

  “Must have been a Nazi in another life.”

  “Stop that nonsense. Look, let’s get Simon and Marco, the dogs and our stuff together. I’ll call and arrange for us to get out of here this evening. Maybe we’ll go to Hawaii for New Year’s. We can make that happen. It’s only a couple of nights away and I want to do something special.”

  “No. I just want to go home. We can make our New Year special
there. Promise.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

  “Thank you.”

  They pulled into the drive of the villa and parked the car. Nikki walked through the front door first and immediately felt like something was off. Something was just not quite right.

  “Where are the rat dogs?” Derek said.

  “I don’t know.” She heard barking coming from one of the upstairs bedrooms. “The guys must’ve locked them in and gone somewhere.”

  “They’ll be back soon, I’m sure,” Derek said.

  “Hope so. I think I’m ready to get out of here. I’ve got to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll make us a couple of sandwiches and take my turn at a margarita. Then we can start packing.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” she said.

  Nikki washed her face and thought about the fiasco the week had turned into. New Year’s Eve was approaching and the week was supposed to be one of fun and leisure. She really felt down. So much for fun in the sun and all of that. She dried her hands and face, and walked out to share her last drink in “paradise” with her husband.

  She didn’t find him in the kitchen or at the bar, so she figured he must have gone outside to the pool.

  As she opened the large sliding door to go outside, she felt something like a sharp sting on her neck. She reached behind her and felt some kind of dart in it. She tried to turn, but everything became a blur as she crumpled to the floor.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Blindfolded, hands tied behind her back—that much Nikki was sure of. Her neck and head hurt a lot. This was so not good. She had no idea how long she’d been out.