Murder at the Mayan Temple (A Starling and Swift Cozy Mystery Book One)

by M. J. Mandrake

“If you insist on walking that path, you’d better walk it alone and leave my mother out of it,” Daniel Van Horn said, his voice low and menacing.

  “Dear, please,” June whispered. She nervously brushed back her blonde hair, and then patted Mrs. Van Horn’s hand, as if trying to keep her from worrying.

  “Stay out of my business, son,” Jace said with a smirk.

  Daniel Van Horn, adjusted his hat, pushed back his chair and started to stand. Chica, who had been watching the scene with rapt attention, growled low in her throat. Thor didn’t move a muscle.

  “What’s going on?” Mrs. Van Horn signed. She looked from her son to her new husband. Jace had a petulant look on his face, like a child who had finally been told he could not have what he wanted.

  “I just wanted an artifact. No need to get all upset,” Jace said. “I love history, you know.”

  Kitty translated, hoping that somehow she could keep tempers from flaring. Daniel settled back into his chair.

  “Oh, he really does,” Mrs. Van Horn signed. “He likes old things the best.” She picked up her spoon again, her hand trembling as she brought the soup to her lips.

  Elaine snorted into her hand, and Penny elbowed her in the ribs. Kitty almost laughed, and then felt terrible for it. Poor Mrs. Van Horn couldn’t see that Jace didn’t love her. He certainly didn’t provide her any companionship, or even friendship. It was a mystery what Mrs. Van Horn had seen in him at all. Perhaps Jace had shown a different side before the wedding. Kitty knew what it was like to be blinded by love. She also knew what it was like to be awakened to a cruel reality, and she hoped with all her heart that the poor, white-haired old lady wouldn’t live to see that day.

  “You should put them away,” Liliana signed to her husband.

  Ron seemed reluctant to wrap the artifacts up in the cloth again, but he obliged. Jace’s eyes followed him as he crossed the banquet area to the sleeping quarters.

  Señora Gomez and her daughter returned to take the bowls and set large plates before them. Whole fried snapper nestled between a small mountain of fragrant rice, shredded lettuce, and black beans. Kitty inhaled the scent of the spices, and tried to focus on enjoying her meal. It was just one night, and then they’d all be back on board the ship. Her biggest worry would be ducking Jorge’s invitations and remembering to put sunscreen on her nose.

  Ashley excused herself from the table for a moment, and the conversation subsided into a sign here and there as the meal took center stage.

  A nudge against her hand had Kitty looking up in time to see Jace pushing his chair back. “Just a second. I gotta my phone so I can Instagram this.”

  Eric watched him walk away, a bite of snapper forgotten on his fork.

  Several moments later there was the sound of murmured voices. And then Ashley said clearly, “No, Jace.”

  Billy barked once and nosed Eric’s hand. Kitty’s gaze flew to Eric and he met her eyes, already standing up before she could sign a word. He crossed the room at a run, Billy right behind him. Kitty felt her stomach drop into her shoes. Her concerns about Jace’s nose were becoming more justified as the hours went by, but perhaps it wasn’t a punch in the face, but a bite that she would worry about.

  The sound of shouting echoed into the dining room and Manuel left the table, face set in hard lines. Daniel followed suit. His boys had stood up, but June motioned them to sit down.

  “What’s happening?” Mrs. Van Horn signed, staring around at the empty chairs.

  “I’m― not sure,” Kitty signed. It was the truth. But if she had to make a guess, Jace was going to encounter the wrath of a man defending his wife.

  “Get off me!” Jace stumbled into the room, Eric’s hands clenched in the fabric of his shirt.

  Daniel stood to one side, an expression of satisfaction on his face. Kitty wondered if he’d intervene if it came to blows.

  “Cálmate, cálmate,” Manuel said, trying to get in between the two men. Eric didn’t look like he could have calmed down even if he’d been able to understand Manuel.

  Ron returned to the dining room, his expression one of total confusion. “What’s happening?”

  “I don’t know,” Mrs. Van Horn said. She looked close to tears.

  “¡Basta ya!" Señora Gomez clapped her hands and perhaps it was because she had raised seven children, or because she was afraid for her breakables, but Jace and Eric took notice. They backed away from each other, glaring fiercely.

  “Let’s sit down,” Kitty said. She couldn’t imagine how these two would sit across from each other and eat dinner, but she wasn’t sure what else to do.

  “I’m not hungry,” Jace said, smoothing the wrinkles out of his shirt. With one last glare at Eric, he stalked from the room.

  Ashley slipped an arm around Eric and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. He kissed her on the forehead. Slowly, they made their way back to the table. The group was subdued as every took their seats once more.

  Kitty picked apart the snapper and tried to muster an appetite. Chica sat, ears erect, watching the gusting curtains. Maybe she knew there was a hurricane passing to the South, or maybe it was something more.

  “Lie down,” she whispered, but Chica didn’t respond. She didn’t even turn her head. A chill went through Kitty as she glanced at the dark sky visible past the open door.

  No, there was no reason to let fear take over. She’d been through storms before, and this little scuffle would be forgotten by the morning. They would be heading back to the ship in less than twenty-four hours. If she could keep her group from imploding until then, she was sure they would be all right for the trip back to Miami. A little more space, some margaritas, and a little distraction in the form of girls in bikinis for Jace, and everything would be okay.

  Chapter Four

  “He'd been wrong, there was a light at the end of the tunnel,

  and it was a flamethrower.”

  ― Terry Pratchett

  Kitty woke the next morning to the sound of shouting. For a moment, she considered pulling the brightly colored blankets over her head and pretending she was still asleep. Her dreams had been a series of anxiety-producing images, including a familiar nightmare where she had shown up to school naked to take exams on impossibly difficult subjects she’d never studied.

  A soft whoooffff sounded close by, accompanied by a rush of warm air. She cracked an eye and saw Chica’s nose just inches from her own. The dog had put her paws on either side of Kitty’s shoulders and was giving her best impression of a statue, unblinking stare and all.

  Kitty scratched her behind the ears and watched the sheer curtains blow in the wind. She hadn’t closed the windows, preferring to enjoy the sound of the light rain in the night. Creepy crawly bugs were always an issue in the Yucatan, but Chica had slept at the end of the bed, safe under the mosquito netting. Of course, now she was standing over Kitty, exhaling hot dog breath on her face.

  “I’m up,” Kitty sighed, nudging Chica to one side, throwing off the blankets, crawling out from under the netting, and standing up. She could still hear muffled shouting and she hoped that Eric and Jace weren’t at each other’s throats again. Poor Ashley. The woman hadn’t done a thing to encourage him and Jace was simply not going to leave her alone.

  Checking her phone, Kitty grimaced at the time. It was at least an hour before breakfast. Hurrying to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and tied back her curly hair. She shucked off her pajamas and slipped into khakis and a button up shirt. Peeking out the window, she could see the palm tree leaves moving and the rain was coming down steadily. She added a cable knit cardigan to her outfit.

  The hallway was empty but the doors of all the rooms were open. Kitty followed the sound of raised voices. Stepping into the main living area, she shivered at the drop in temperature. The courtyard was mostly open to the elements and the flagstone floor was wet with rain. Realizing the voices were coming from the dining area, she hurried across the courtyard and into the dining area.

&
nbsp; Liliana stood at the table, the black cloth unfolded in front of her. “―it’s been taken by someone here! And we all know who!”

  Ron was pacing back and forth, hands clutching his head.

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions,” June said. She looked as if she hadn’t slept at all. There were dark circles under her eyes and her normally smooth bob was frizzing around the ends.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, since nobody seemed eager to share the specifics.

  “Jace stole the Mayan knife,” Eric said.

  “We don’t know that,” June interjected quickly.

  “Why are you defending him?” Her husband rounded on her, face dark as thunder, blue eyes glittering like ice chips. “All you’ve done is make excuses for him since we met that grifter. I don’t know what you’re hoping for.”

  June sucked in a sharp breath and her eyes welled with tears.

  “Dad, that was rude,” one of the teens said. He pushed the glasses up his nose. There was a smear of dirt on his knuckles and his hair looked windblown. “She’s just trying to help people get along.”

  “So, where is he? Let’s ask him,” Kitty said, moving toward the rooms.

  “He’s gone, obviously.” Eric shook his head. “And if he hadn’t taken the knife, I’d say good riddance.”

  “We have to get it back!” Liliana was slightly hysterical.

  Leading her to a chair, Kitty tried to get her to sit down. “Let’s have some coffee and take a minute, here. We don’t have all the facts yet.”

  Elaine and Penny appeared in the doorway, their black lab leading them. “Toto said we had to get up,” Elaine signed, yawning. She seemed to realize there was drama happening and she snapped awake. “What did we miss?”

  “Jace is missing and so is the knife,” Eric signed tersely.

  Penny’s eyes went wide. “I bet he took my brooch, too.”

  “Which brooch?” Kitty asked.

  “I was wearing it at dinner the other night. After we got back to the cabin, I couldn’t find it anywhere.”

  “I’m calling the cops,” Daniel said.

  “Now, wait a second, please.” Kitty put a hand on his arm. “I’ve visited this country quite a few times and one thing I do know is that we don’t want to involve the police until we have to. And if we do, we’re going to call the embassy.”

  “Then we’ll call the embassy,” Liliana said.

  Kitty took a deep breath. “Can I ask you all to sit down for just a moment? Let’s have some coffee, try to relax a little, clear our heads, and then we’ll call for help. Who knows? Maybe Jace will show up. Maybe the knife has simply been misplaced―”

  Ron’s angry signing interrupted her. “Not a chance. Do you think I’m stupid? I don’t just misplace something worth ten million dollars.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. That was a thoughtless thing to say.” Kitty rubbed her forehead. She needed to call Tavish, and the tour operator, too. She supposed it was bound to happen eventually. At least nobody had gotten hurt. Her worst fear was an injury in the group. True, it was a priceless artifact, but it would probably be recovered. As for the Van Horn marriage, it had seemed doomed from the start.

  Mrs. Van Horn walked into the dining room, her walker making small squeaks as she moved across the stone floor. Her white hair was going every which way, but she looked rested and happy.

  Everyone froze. Kitty looked to Daniel and sadness flashed in his eyes. One of the teens moved forward to help her into her seat, and June adjusted the heavy shawl she wore around her shoulders.

  When she was seated, Daniel readjusted his hat, as if readying himself for battle. Then he signed, “Mama, the knife is missing.”

  “Oh? How strange.” She looked at Ron and Liliana. “Rather careless to lose it, you two. Wasn’t it worth a lot of money?”

  Ron groaned and gripped his hair again. The man looked like he was losing his mind.

  “Jace is gone, too.” Daniel’s face was tight.

  “Probably out exploring. He hates being trapped inside.” She looked around the table. “Is there coffee? I thought breakfast was provided. I fed Thor already but he’ll need to go out for a walk in a bit.”

  “Mama, I think Jace took the knife.”

  She frowned at him and for the first time, Kitty saw the mother emerge. “Nonsense,” she signed forcefully.

  “He’s gone. The knife is gone.”

  “And when he returns, and the knife is found, you’d better apologize.” She turned her face away. “I need coffee.”

  “I’ll get some,” Kitty said. She went to the kitchen, Chica following closely, and saw Señora Gomez setting mugs on a tray.

  “More fighting? What a troublesome bunch you have this time,” the woman asked in a whisper. Even though she was speaking in Spanish, she didn’t want the guests to hear her gossiping.

  “Trouble is right. A valuable artifact is missing, and one of our group is unaccounted for. But I’ve convinced everyone to have breakfast before calling the embassy.”

  Her eyes widened with shock. “I knew they should have locked it in a safe. It was not a good idea to keep it in my house.” She wrung her hands in dismay. “So much money. Was it insured? They will suspect me. Or my daughter. They will think we stole it to sell for the money. We are very poor compared to them. They must think we want a nicer house. And Juanita, she needs tuition money! We’re going to be arrested!”

  Kitty put a hand on her arm. “Nobody suspects you or Juanita. They all think it’s Jace.”

  “Who is Jace? The big, angry one?”

  “No, that’s Daniel Van Horn. Jace is the blond man, young. Very attractive. Old Mrs. Van Horn’s new husband.”

  She could see Señora Gomez working through the last few words. “The― young woman with blond hair?”

  “No, the very old woman with the walker.”

  She frowned. “No, I mean, who is his wife? The one with the curly dark hair? Liliana?”

  “No,” Kitty said, shaking her head.

  Señora Gomez leaned back against the counter, absorbing this information. “Ay ay ay,” she breathed. “Yes, coffee is needed.” Rushing to find the sugar and cream, she set them on the tray. “We must pray to St. Anthony that it is found. The patron saint of lost things will help us.”

  Kitty nodded. If only St. Anthony would find Jace, too. She didn’t care what he’d done. She’d never lost a member of the group, and she didn’t want to start now.

  Half an hour later, everyone had managed a little sweetbread and coffee― except for Ron. He sat with his head in his hands, wiping his eyes every now and then. Kitty felt terrible for the man. He’d called the knife the culmination of his life’s work, and its disappearance was a nightmare. Liliana stared into her half-full coffee cup as if in shock.

  Kitty surveyed the subdued group. “We have the rest of the tour this morning. I suggest that after I call the Embassy, we head over to the temple while the Browns give their statements. Manuel should already be on his way here.” She didn’t think that Daniel Van Horn or his mother should be around when the Browns described the theft. It seemed obvious that Jace had stolen the knife and run away, but Mrs. Van Horn was adamant that her husband was simply out exploring the sights of Tulum. Kitty had never seen Jace get up early for anything, not even girls in bikinis.

  They all agreed, with varying states of resignation that the tour should go on.

  Ron stood up. His face was pale and drawn. “I would like to come along. We still must deliver the artifacts to the curator this morning.”

  Kitty frowned. “What about reporting the theft?”

  “Another few hours won’t make any difference. Besides, maybe if he shows up, we won’t have to report it as stolen after all.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying his best to comb it down after his emotional outburst. He hadn’t shaved yet, and his eyes seemed bleary with tiredness.

  She hesitated. Calling the embassy was an important step toward filing the police rep
ort, and delaying it didn’t seem to be the right course of action. But Ron was the victim and she decided that respecting his wishes at that point might bring him some comfort. Whether he reported the theft right then, or a few hours later probably wouldn’t make much difference.

  “Okay,” she agreed. “Let’s all head back to the ruins. If Jace doesn’t show up after the tour, I’ll have to call the captain, too.”

  “He will,” Mrs. Van Horn signed. She seemed irritated with everyone’s somber mood.

  Minutes later they filed into the minibus once more, jackets and umbrellas in tow. The rain was coming down hard and the wind buffeted the vehicle. Before boarding, Kitty had quickly filled Manuel in on the morning’s events. As they pulled out into the main road, Manuel didn’t speak, clearly shocked by the turn of events.

  The journey to the ruins seemed to take longer than ever before. Chica seemed more on edge than the night before, as if she hadn’t slept well, either. They finally arrived and disembarked, a somber crew of anxious travelers.

  “Doesn’t seem like it’s open yet,” Daniel said, peering through the glass in the front doors. The rain had soaked the back of his coat and dropped from his sleeves.

  “Strange.” Kitty checked her watch again. Despite how slow the drive had seemed, they were early, but only by a few minutes. There should have been someone there to open the doors. Then again, it was Mexico, a country famous for its relaxed sense of time.

  Just as she leaned in to look through the glass, a young woman rushed up to the other side. Her face was white, her mouth open in an expression of terror. Kitty jerked back and Chica was instantly in front of her, ears up and fur standing on end. The young woman rattled the door, desperate to get to the outside. She glanced behind her several times as she grew increasingly agitated. Finally, as if remembering the keys on a lanyard around her neck, she snatched them up, and hands shaking, forced one into the lock.

  She tumbled out of the door, sobbing in great gasps. “Dead. He’s dead,” she cried in Spanish.

  “Who?” Manuel said, grabbing her by the arms as she sank to her knees.