Danger in the Depths (Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Book 9)

by Cindy Bell

  “One more dead end.” She frowned.

  “Hey, try not to worry.” He looked into her eyes. “This will all get settled soon enough. It’s going to be hard going through it, but Curtis’ death will be solved.”

  “How can you be so confident? Jason isn’t here, and there is no real evidence.”

  “Kirk is very capable and Jason trained Kirk, and as far as evidence, give it time. Things have a strange way of coming to the surface if you’re patient.”

  “I’m just worried about Mary.”

  “And you?” He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “You’re always thinking of others, but I’m sure this has been a struggle for you, too.”

  “Yes, it has been.” She glanced away from him. “I keep thinking, maybe if I’d noticed something, maybe Curtis would still be alive.”

  “But you know that isn’t true. There was nothing that you could have done.”

  “Maybe not, but it’s eerie to think that the murderer might be under my own roof.” She sighed, then filled him in on the suspects. “I was certain that it had to be Hal, he has the criminal background, he had motive, and I’ve seen a bit of his temper. But no matter how I spin it, I can’t find enough motive. Sure, he was jealous over Trish, but jealous enough to kill? It took forethought to kill Curtis, not just a boiled over temper.”

  “Not to worry, that’s Kirk’s job.”

  “No, it’s mine, and Mary’s, because as long as the kids are caught up in this, they are in danger. Honestly, I’m starting to suspect that this has to do with treasure. Do you think it could? Doesn’t that sound crazy?”

  “Yes, it absolutely could, and no it doesn’t sound crazy. Treasure hunters take their adventures very seriously, and they are highly secretive about what they find, and where they find it.”

  “So if Curtis found something of value, and he was trying to hide it from others, maybe someone came after him for it?”

  “It’s very possible. Everyone thinks of treasure hunting as just some pipe dream, but if you find a good sunken ship, or some ancient coins, it can make you rich.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realize that was even still a thing.”

  “It is, and those who are dedicated to finding it, are very passionate about what they do.”

  “Maybe that’s why he asked Cathy about finding more information about some artifacts. Maybe he found something!”

  “Even if he did, unless you have an idea of where it might be it won’t make any difference.”

  His words reminded her of the slip of paper in her pocket. She fished it out and held it out to him.

  “Do you have any idea what this might mean? It’s the only scrap of evidence that I’ve found so far.”

  “Let me take a look.” Paul studied it for a moment, then nodded. “It’s coordinates.”

  “I know that, but when I looked them up, it just showed open ocean.”

  “Well, that makes sense. If he was a treasure hunter, then it’s probably a dive site.”

  “Yes, that does make sense. So he used these coordinates to find the site?”

  “Yes. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact location of a shipwreck, but if you can get close, then you can usually find it.”

  “I found a picture of Jim and Curtis celebrating the find of a shipwreck. I wonder if it might be the same one.”

  “If it is, then Jim should know all about it.”

  “But he hasn’t mentioned it. At least, I don’t think he has. He said something to Curtis at dinner about dangerous dives and I did see a photo on the internet of them celebrating the find of a shipwreck together.”

  “Let me check something.” He entered the coordinates into a device, then nodded. “Yes, this would be a very dangerous area to dive in. The currents are strong, and pretty frequent sightings of sharks. Only experts would risk diving in this area, and even they would be hesitant.”

  “So Curtis took a huge risk if he went diving here, with Jim, and found the shipwreck.”

  “Yes.”

  “Then he must have had some strong motivation.”

  “I’d say so.” Paul shook his head. “I don’t know exactly what he was up to, but I’d say that there might be a lot more to this murder than you realize.”

  “Jim might be the only one who knows the truth. Maybe he knew enough that he wanted to kill Curtis.”

  “Maybe. But you said they’re good friends, didn’t you?”

  “They are, but friendship doesn’t always last. Curtis was doing searches on Jim before he died. Maybe they lost contact, and Curtis was trying to reach him for some reason. But, Curtis was surprised, or at least seemed that way, when Jim showed up at Dune House. He wasn’t expecting him.”

  “Interesting. So, if Curtis wasn’t looking for Jim to contact him, maybe he was looking for him to figure out where he was.”

  “Maybe. Also how did Jim leave Dune House without me or Mary noticing, the lock on the side door was jammed so we couldn’t open it and I was on the porch and Mary was out back. We would have seen him.”

  “You might have missed him,” Paul said.

  “Maybe, but I don’t see how.” Suzie ran her hand across her forehead. “All of this is exhausting.”

  “Then let’s take a break from it. Just for tonight, let’s focus on you and me. We can take a fresh look at things in the morning, okay?”

  “Yes. That sounds perfect.” She kissed his cheek and closed her eyes. As much as she wanted all of her focus to be on him, she knew it wouldn’t be, not until she was certain that Ben and Cathy were safe, and Curtis’ killer had been found.

  Chapter 11

  Mary finished the dishes from dinner and began to dry them. She could hear Ben, Cathy, and Rick outside on the deck. She tried not to listen in to their conversation, but snippets of it drew her attention.

  “I can’t believe any of this is happening.”

  “Don’t worry about it too much, Ben. I’m sure that the police will find his killer.” Cathy’s voice drifted through the kitchen window.

  “Unless they’re the type that just likes to wrap up a case without actually finding the killer. You know, a cop that picks someone who looks guilty enough to pass, and just throws the cuffs on.” Rick’s voice had a nervous tremble in it.

  “Rick, stop. You’re going to scare Ben,” Cathy said.

  “I’m not a child, you know. I’m aware of how the world works. But I don’t think Kirk is like that. Mom and Suzie are friends with him. I’m sure that he’s a stand-up guy,” Ben said.

  “I bet you’re right. Mom is usually a good judge of character. if she trusts Kirk then I think we can trust him, too.”

  Mary’s heart sank. She wanted her children to be able to trust her judgment. But could they? Could she trust Kirk? An image of both of them being led away in handcuffs flashed through her mind. It was almost impossible not to be overwhelmed by the thought of it. Tears stung her eyes as panic grew within her. Hopefully Suzie would find out something about the underwater cave. She finished the dishes, then walked into the living room. A sound from the couch startled her.

  “Trish, I didn’t even know you were there.”

  “I’m sorry.” She sniffled. “I needed some space from Hal.”

  “Are you okay?” Mary sat down on the couch beside her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “I don’t know what to say. I feel like I caused this whole problem. If it wasn’t for me being silly with Curtis, the police wouldn’t even be looking at Hal as a suspect.”

  “The police are looking at all of us as suspects. They have to, until they find the killer. None of this is your fault.”

  “I keep trying to tell myself that, but I’m not sure if I believe it.”

  “This is a hard time for all of us. But I can assure you that Kirk will do a fantastic job of investigating the case.”

  “Thank you. That does make me feel a little better.” Trish smiled slightly. “Hal’s gone down to the beach with the key to our room, do you have a
second key for me?”

  “Sure, I’ll get it for you.” Mary walked back over to the desk and noticed that Jim’s paperwork was still not filled out. She retrieved a key for Trish and gave it to her. As she turned back, Jim walked through the hall.

  “Jim!”

  “Yes?” He stopped and looked at her.

  “I missed you at dinner.”

  “Sorry, I’m having a hard time being social right now.”

  “I understand. Did you have something to eat?”

  “Yes, I grabbed something in town.”

  “Listen, I hate to bother you, but I really do need to fill in your information for our records.”

  “I understand. What do you need?”

  “Just an address and driver’s license number.”

  “This should do then.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out his driver’s license. As he handed it over to Mary, a piece of paper fell to the floor that must have been tucked behind it. She reached for it to hand it back to him, but he was already up the stairs. When she picked up the piece of paper and started to fold it back up, her eyes widened. It was the same set of numbers that Suzie found at the library. The paper seemed too worn to be new. She reached for her phone to call Suzie, but the front door swung open before she could.

  “Hi Mary.”

  “Home so early?”

  “Paul was tired, and I didn’t want you to be alone here too long.”

  “Look what I found.” Mary held out the slip of paper. “It fell out of Jim’s wallet.”

  “Oh wow, that’s the same coordinates. It looks like both Jim and Curtis were at that location at some point, most likely together.”

  “I’m going to make a copy of his driver’s license.” Mary carried it behind the desk. “He’s upstairs in his room.”

  “I’m going to go talk to him. I’ll take his license back to him,” Suzie said.

  “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

  “I want to get a better grasp on him, and who he is. He’s our only real connection to Curtis.”

  “All right, do you want me to come with you?”

  “No, I don’t want him to feel ambushed. I’ll let you know what I find out.”

  “Okay. Here.” Mary handed her the driver’s license. “I’m done with this.”

  “Thanks.” Suzie grabbed the license and headed up the stairs. After having some time with Paul she felt more centered. No matter what, the murder had to be solved. When she reached the third floor she knocked on the door.

  “Can I help you?” Jim asked as he opened the door.

  “Your driver’s license.” Suzie smiled as she offered it to him.

  “Thanks.” He took it and started to close the door. She wedged her foot in before he could close it.

  “Could I talk to you for a moment, please?”

  “I guess.” He swung the door back open. She glanced past him at the room. Everything was just as she’d left it.

  “You mentioned something at dinner, about a dangerous dive that you and Curtis went on. I was just curious, and this might sound very silly, but did you and Curtis ever go on other dives more recently and find some kind of treasure?”

  “Excuse me?” He narrowed his eyes. “Why are you asking me this?”

  “Honestly, I’m just curious. I didn’t think there were any real treasure hunters left in the world. I guess it’s a part of Curtis that I didn’t have the chance to know.”

  “Yes, Curtis was a hunter, so was I. We were partners for a long time.”

  “Did you ever find anything recently?”

  “Uh, just some old shipwreck.”

  “Well, that must have been exciting.”

  “Not really. It was already picked bare when we found it. Nothing much to it.”

  “Still, finding it must have been…”

  “Finding an old shipwreck that someone else has already found is not exciting. It’s disappointing. Curtis and I invested all of our money in that dive, and we lost it all.”

  “I’m sorry about that.”

  “Me too. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to turn in.”

  “All right. Do you need any fresh linens?”

  “No, thanks I’m fine.”

  “What about a clean? I can do a quick tidy.”

  “No, thank you. I prefer my privacy.”

  “Okay, I understand. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

  “Thanks, I will.” He closed the door and she heard the lock engage. For a moment she lingered in the hallway. She really wanted to have a look around his room, but while he was in it, she knew that wouldn’t be possible. At least he had confirmed that he’d found a shipwreck with Curtis. But if they’d both lost everything on the dive, and there was no treasure to recover, what motive would Jim have to kill him?

  When Suzie met Mary downstairs again, she shared with her the information she’d found, and also what Paul told her about the cave and the island.

  “So why was Curtis looking for the cave?”

  “I would guess to hide something there. Or maybe he thought something was already hidden there.”

  “The treasure from the shipwreck?” Mary raised an eyebrow.

  “I don’t know. Jim said there wasn’t anything at the shipwreck. Why would he lie about it?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe Curtis found something on a different dive.”

  “Maybe.” Suzie sighed. “I’m going to bed. I’m exhausted.”

  “Me too. Hal and Trish are in their rooms, I saw Ben go up a little while ago. I have no idea where Cathy and Rick are, but I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

  “I’ll see you in the morning, Mary.”

  “Yes. Try to get some sleep, Suzie.”

  Chapter 12

  Mary didn’t close her eyes until she heard the front door open and Cathy’s voice. Once she knew she was home, she was able to close her eyes and begin to fall asleep. It had been the same way since they were born. She needed to know that her kids were safe in bed before she could go to sleep herself. Once she was asleep, her dreams tormented her. Curtis on the beach, Curtis at the breakfast table, Curtis with his wide smile and eagerness to help with whatever task she couldn’t manage. When she woke the next morning she could barely comprehend the idea that he was dead. It took her a few minutes before all of the events filtered back through her mind. With a heavy heart she made her way into the kitchen to start the coffee. She’d barely gotten a pot brewed when there was a knock on the front door. It was just after seven, quite early for anyone to pay a visit. Before she could get the door, Suzie opened it. Only then did Mary realize that Suzie was already up.

  “I guess she didn’t sleep well either,” Mary said to herself and frowned. She headed back to her room to change into something other than pajamas. From the front door she heard Suzie’s voice.

  “Kirk, good morning. Did you find something?”

  “No unfortunately, not yet. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to start my morning off with the only lead I have. That’s right here, at Dune House.”

  “Well, you’re welcome to come in, I’m not sure what else we have to share with you, but of course we are happy to help. There’s some fresh coffee.”

  “Great, I could use some.”

  Suzie smiled as she led him to the kitchen. She guessed he might have come to Dune House just to get a cup of coffee. She set out three mugs, then poured one for Kirk. “Anything in it?”

  “Information?” He smiled.

  “I’ve told you everything I know, Kirk.”

  “Well, I need to know more. Maybe there’s something that you didn’t notice. Something that you saw, but you didn’t understand was important.”

  “I’m a pretty observant person.”

  “All the more reason to pick your brain.”

  “Lovely.” She quirked a brow and poured her own mug of coffee, then poured one for Mary as well.

  “Cathy, Ben, and Rick are here from out of town. We can’t ig
nore that they might have some kind of involvement in this crime.”

  “There’s no way that Cathy or Ben had anything to do with it.”

  “Rick?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know much about him, but I doubt it. Cathy is a good judge of character, like her mother.”

  “What about Ben?”

  “What about him?”

  “He seemed very nervous when I spoke with him.”

  “He’s barely an adult.”

  Kirk set his mug back down on the counter and turned to face her.

  “Why do I get the feeling that you’re not telling me everything, Suzie?”

  “I don’t know.” She picked up the mug and turned on the tap to wash it.

  “The only way for me to do my job is if I can rely on my witnesses to be honest with me.”

  “I am not a witness.” She turned off the water and set the glass in the drainer. “I didn’t see Curtis die.”

  “No, you didn’t. But you saw him day in and day out. You saw most of my suspect pool, far more than I did. You’re a great source of information to me. I just don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to help me. Unless you’re protecting someone?”

  “Kirk, you’re imagining things.”

  “Am I?” He frowned. “I have a feeling if Jason was here you’d be much more cooperative.” He tried to meet her eyes. “Maybe you haven’t known me long enough to trust me, but my only goal is to find the murderer. If you have information that can help with that, you should tell me.”

  “If I had information that would help with that, I would tell you. Maybe you haven’t known me long enough to know that you can trust me, Kirk. I would never hinder an investigation.”

  “But you are.” He crossed his arms. “I can tell that you’re hiding something from me. Anytime I bring up Ben, you avoid the subject. You skirt around any personal information about him as if you’ve never even met him before. I know that you’re very close to him, have been part of his life since he was a child. So I’m not buying the amnesia.”

  “It’s not amnesia.”

  “Then tell me the truth.” He shook his head. “Whatever you are trying to hide, I’m going to find out about it. It may take me a few more days, but I’m going to get to the truth. It would be better if it came from you, wouldn’t it? So that you can explain whatever it is that you’re hiding?”