“Did you pay them?”
Kelly looked down into his empty glass. “I contacted Susanna and she refused, so Sophia agreed to take them the money late one evening. When we heard about the condition of … the body, I knew they were involved. They had to make a statement. That’s why they not only cut her throat but they painted her face. Some kind of pagan BS, but we got the message, loud and clear. Finkleberg and I tried to reason with them, but they weren’t having it. This time they demanded all of the money.
“We believed they thought they’d killed Susanna so we tried telling them we had no idea where Susanna had hidden the cash. They gave us a week to find out. When that didn’t happen, they went after ….” His eyes watered.
Kelly slumped forward and leaned his head on his arms. His body shook as he sobbed.
While Jonelle waited for the man to compose himself, she looked around the salon for a box of tissues. Finding none, she dug in her purse and pulled out a small packet. She placed it on the table next to him.
A few moments later, he lifted his head, wiped his eyes and nose with a tissue.
In spite of everything, she felt a heavy sadness for the man. He’d dabbled into something he didn’t have the stomach for and got himself into a mess he saw no way out of. All the same, two people were dead because of what they’d done. Jonelle remembered the code found on the body.
“Why didn’t she give up the money?”
“She assumed they thought she was dead and the stolen money was gone with her.”
“Do you know where the money is?”
He shook his head.
“Do you think they killed the twin they thought was Sophia because she knew where it was and refused to tell them?”
Kelly looked at the almost empty whiskey bottle and grimaced. He slid the glass away from him with distaste. “When I refused to help Susanna that first time, she contacted Sophia. Once again, she added another person to this mess. What I know for certain is that neither Norm nor myself have any idea where the money is.”
CHAPTER 42
The tattoo mix-up now made sense.
Kelly focused on a spot behind Jonelle’s shoulder. “I tried getting her to reveal the hiding place. Even thought she’d crack when we, uh, got intimate one evening.”
Jonelle was surprised at the amount of disgust she felt. “Go on. Tell me everything you know about them switching roles.”
Kelly gulped more liquor. A loud burp, followed by a sigh escaped his lips. “When Sophia came here to help, Susanna’s idea was to go to a local bank and open an account for the three hundred thousand. By this time she knew the area ’cause she’d been going back and forth between the hotel and that bum she was staying with sometimes. She dressed up in Sophia’s expensive clothes for obvious reasons and planned on using my address.
“Sophia agreed to pretend she was Susanna so her little … friend wouldn’t worry and go looking for her. Susanna thought she’d go to different banks. Spread the money around. The code to where the money was hidden was pinned to Sophia’s clothes for safe keeping so that Susanna could start applying for bank access and Sophia could retrieve the cash the next day. She never got the chance.”
“Is the money hidden somewhere close to the warehouse?”
“Yes.”
“And she didn’t tell you where? Not even after what happened to her sister?” Jonelle sat staring open-mouthed at Kelly.
“She said she’d get it herself when she felt it was safe.”
“And you’re telling me that the first person killed was actually Sophia? Damn. And the woman who hired me was Susanna? Why?” Jonelle’s head was spinning.
“Because everyone thought she was dead. Susanna figured she would use you to go and retrieve the money.”
Jonelle didn’t like being played. “So, why didn’t she just tell me where the damn money was? Why go through this … this sick game?”
“How could she explain what she knew at this point? She was the bereaved sister, not someone who was a part of an elaborate scheme. Besides, Sophia’s death freaked her out since she knew it was supposed to be her. Seems the bum spoke highly of you and your, uh, skills. She said she’d wait a while and if you couldn’t figure it out, she’d throw a few hints.”
Several supposedly smart people decided to play games with the devil and two ended up dead. “Why didn’t Sophia … I mean Susanna … tell the brothers where the money was and end this dangerous, and deadly, game?”
“I don’t know. I paid all their bills down here, you’d think they’d be happy and leave.”
Jonelle gasped at the utter stupidity of that statement.
Kelly continued as though he hadn’t noticed. “She probably got greedy and thought she could talk her way out of this mess.” He reached for the bottle. Jonelle slid it from his grasp.
“Oh no. You’ve had enough. You’re coming with me to the police station. This has to stop now.” Kelly believed that the money was somewhere in or around the warehouse. Jonelle felt certain that if Luther had found it, he’d tell her. Or would he?
“I gotta get out of here,” Kelly said. “They won’t hesitate to kill me if they find out where I’m staying.”
“If you’re so damn worried about that, why the hell didn’t you sail on out of here?” His woe is me attitude grated on her nerves.
“Because I don’t have enough money for gas, that’s why.” His hoarse laughter turned into hiccups.
A noise from outside prevented her from shouting at the man. She walked up on deck to check out the commotion. At the opposite end of the dock two men were struggling with the security guard she’d met earlier.
CHAPTER 43
Jonelle rushed to the salon. “Is there another way out of this place?”
Kelly seemed not to have noticed all the noise going on outside. “Told you I don’t have money for gas.”
An angry Jonelle grabbed his shoulder. “I’m not suggesting we sail to the Bahamas, I want to know if you have enough to at least get us to the middle of the basin.” After that, she had no clue as to what she’d do next.
He looked up. “Why?”
“Because all hell is about to break loose if you don’t. The Yazzie’s are outside and I don’t think they came for coffee.”
The mention of the name “Yazzie” sobered Kelly as if he’d consumed a dozen cups of coffee and the effects had kicked in. “Where? Where?”
Jonelle grabbed the front of his shirt. “We don’t have time to chat. You need to move this thing now. That’s the only chance we have to come out of this alive until the cops get here.” She didn’t mention her weapon. While she was an expert marksman, the only time she had to shoot someone the experience made her physically ill. And she wasn’t looking forward to reliving the feeling all over again.
At the same time Kelly’s hand touched the door to the salon, they heard a loud crack! Instead of running to the back bedroom to hide, the noise propelled him to the front. He tripped up the two stairs before he settled behind the wheel. Jonelle saw his hand shake as he turned the ignition. Nothing happened.
“Hurry up.” She yanked the pistol from her bag. One of the brothers ran down the pier and bumped into one of Kelly’s neighbors who had left his berth. Both struggled for a while until Yazzie threw the person to the ground.
Another turn of the key and this time the engine caught.
“Untie the bow and stern lines from the cleats,” Kelly shouted. However impaired he was from his alcohol consumption earlier, he appeared in control. His eyes focused and both hands gripped the wheel.
Jonelle instinctively unwound the ropes.
“Hurry so I can get this damn thing outta here.”
Jonelle moved as fast as she could. Once the last rope was removed from the cleat she hopped back on board and breathed a sigh of relief as Kelly expertly steered the craft away from the dock.
Another loud crack! Followed by the sound of splintered wood as the bullet hit the cabin.
“Is
he shooting at us?” Kelly asked, panic rising in his voice.
“Just drive—”
“You don’t drive, you—”
“I don’t give a damn what it’s called.” Was he arguing with her? “Drive, steer, aim, who gives a damn. Move this thing as far as you can, as fast as you can.” Jonelle lifted her weapon, aimed at a spot over the shooting man’s head and fired. She smiled as he ducked and ran back, two slips farther away. Emboldened, she fired again, this time aiming for a spot to the outside of his left foot. Bits of concrete dust rose as she hit the pier. “Bulls-eye.” The Yazzie boy ran back down to where the other one was rushing to meet him. He stared and pointed. Apparently they didn’t count on the black lady being armed and such a good shot.
Once again Jonelle hadn’t noticed she’d been followed. I should’ve paid more attention, she thought, as she realized the brothers had tailed her without her noticing. That was the only way she could think of as to how they found Kelly.
The loud report of gunfire brought more attention to the pier. Several heads popped up and almost as quickly ducked down again. She fired several shots above her head in rapid sucession.
“What’re you doing?” Kelly asked, his voice rising in alarm.
Adrienne’s words came to Jonelle in a flash. “I want your neighbors to know this isn’t a case of fireworks or backfiring of some sort, so I’m calling for the cavalry,” she said, a slight smile playing on her lips.
CHAPTER 44
Impressed the men had not turned and hightailed it out of there while gunshots rang in the air, Jonelle inhaled sharply as they jumped into a small yellow dinghy tied to the dock. She kept her gun at the ready. Come on, she thought. Where the hell were the cops when you needed them?
The strain of a motor that wouldn’t catch eased Jonelle’s concern somewhat. After several attempts the small engine finally caught.
“Damn.” Jonelle peered over at Kelly who had the determined look of a man whose life was about to dramatically change. While she had no doubt he could pilot his boat, she wasn’t sure about his shooting skills nor too thrilled about having to find out. Kelly aimed his launch across the channel toward a strip of land surrounded by trees. In front of the trees was a white fence of some kind.
“What’s that over there,” she asked, pointing across the water.
“East Potomac Park,” he said. “We can make it that far, but that’s about all.”
Kelly guided his launch as far away from the marina as he could and still keep what was going on at the pier in sight. A few seconds later, the sound of a small engine sputtered and died out.
Was it possible they caught a break? Several coughs of the dinghy filled Jonelle with hope.
“The Carmichaels kept meaning to get the motor fixed. Thank God they never got ‘round to it,” Kelly said.
Jonelle had no intention of getting stranded in the middle of a body of water that she knew she couldn’t swim. She placed another 911 call and was told help was on the way.
If the situation wasn’t so serious it would be comical as the Yazzie boys bobbed along in a bright yellow rubber dinghy. They gestured wildly as one of the two fought with the motor. As long as they kept their distance, Jonelle believed they could ride the danger out until help arrived.
About the same time those thoughts occurred to her, the roar of the motor revved and the dinghy moved.
“Can you get close enough to the shore so we can jump off and make a run for it?”
Kelly stared at Jonelle open-mouthed.
“Are you kidding? I could damage this thing. I can’t afford to fix it or buy another one,” he said. “Besides, I don’t know if I can jump that far and not end up in the water. And frankly,” he added, looking her up and down, “if I can’t make it, I’m pretty sure you can’t either.”
Jonelle ignored the comment. The dinghy wasn’t making good progress toward them. “Wonder what’s going on?”
Kelly grunted. “I’m surprised they got it started.”
“Surprised or not, they haven’t given up,” Jonelle said, as the image in the distance grew.
Next to her, Kelly grumbled something indistinguishable.
“What did you say?”
“I said, this thing’s almost on empty.”
The dinghy got closer.
So did the bank on the other side. Jonelle’s heart sank when she saw what Kelly meant about not being able to get near enough to shore so that they could safely leave the boat.
More shots rang out from the brothers. One shot whizzed to the left of the bow. Too close. What would happen if a shot pierced the engine?
Only one thing for her to do. “That dinghy’s made of rubber, right?” she asked.
“Yes. But if you’re thinking of doing what I think you are, I’m telling you now, I don’t want to pay for—”
Another shot rang out that zipped past Kelly’s head. “Shit! Never mind. Shoot that thing out of the water. Go on. Do it.”
Jonelle crouched next to Oh Susanna’s railing, took aim and fired three shots in rapid succession.
“Bulls-eye,” she said with satisfaction. The small craft’s forward movement abruptly ceased.
As soon as the word left her mouth, she heard the faint pulsating sound of sirens in the distance.
Kelly heard them too. “About damn time.”
“How many ways can the cops get in and out of this place?” she asked.
“From the road?”
She nodded.
“Just the one. The same way you got in.”
“Good.” She stole a glance at Kelly, his hands still glued on the steering wheel, piloting the boat toward the park. “Um, I think you can stop now and save gas. I don’t wanna get stranded out here. Unless it takes more gas to restart the engine.”
“Right.” He looked at the gauge. “I think we’ve got enough to get back.”
The indecision in his voice unnerved her. She glanced around and noticed two orange life vests. Never comfortable with her rudimentary swimming skills, she contemplated putting one on, just in case.
“What’re those guys doing to that dinghy?” Kelly asked.
The sound of sirens grew louder.
Jonelle frowned. “They’ve turned around. Looks like they’re trying to make it back to the dock. Guess the fact that they’ve got a leak is making them nervous. Yep. That’s what they’re doing.”
Several cops had arrived and were running down the pier.
“They’ve made it back to the pier and are heading right into the cop’s hands. Oh wait, now I see them jumping on a boat. Uh-oh. Oh damn.” She turned toward Kelly. “Do you happen to know if the occupants of the boat next to yours are on board?”
He nodded. “That’s the Two Old Fogies. They were aboard earlier when I fixed a cup of coffee. Not sure if they’re still on board though. I’ve been too preoccupied trying to figure out how I made such a mess out of my life.”
She hoped no one was there watching in alarm as the brothers disappeared inside.
Jonelle’s phone rang. A quick glance at the screen announced that Burt was on the other line.
His deep voice sounded before she said hello. “Where the hell’re you?”
Jonelle explained the situation as fast as she could and was relieved the detective didn’t interrupt. She advised Burt she’d seen the men go on board the Two Old Fogies and had no idea whether or not it was occupied. His worry that they might have a hostage situation on their hands mirrored hers.
“It’s possible the boat’s vacant since there was a lot of, um, noise earlier and I didn’t see anyone come out to investigate.”
The Oh Susanna floated with the current toward the opposite end of the marina. To Jonelle’s great relief no other launch followed. At least not for now.
Kelly piped up. “Could be they were too scared to come out. People don’t shoot off guns around here.” He glanced sideways at Jonelle, who resisted the impulse to point out a pot calling the kettle black moment.
> Jonelle managed to convince Burt that she and Kelly were fine and swore she heard him smile though the phone when she explained they were sitting in the middle of the Washington Channel and were in danger of running out of fuel.
Not wanting to surprise Burt any more than she had already, Jonelle advised him she was armed and had fired several warning shots at the brothers. “Please tell me you returned fire and didn’t initiate the gunplay.”
Jonelle held her anger in check. “Listen, Burt,” she said, her voice tight. “I know better than to shoot unless I have to, knowing there are innocent citizens about. So, yes, I was trying to keep myself and Kelly out of harm’s way until the cops showed up. Why else,” she added, her voice rising, “would I be sitting on a boat with very little fuel floating who knows where. And stop telling me to calm down.” She clicked off.
“Do you think that was wise?” Kelly asked. He crossed his arms tight around his chest.
“Keep your hands on the wheel,” Jonelle said, pointing.
“It’ll drift without me steering.”
Rapid movement on the dock announced the arrival of more law enforcement. Yet, no one moved toward the craft the Yazzie’s boarded. Puzzled, Jonelle asked Kelly if he had any binoculars.
“No,” he said. “What’s going on?”
Jonelle fingered her necklace. Something was off.
Kelly studied Jonelle’s face. He turned toward the marina and followed her gaze.
“I don’t like that it’s quiet. Why aren’t the Yazzie boys doing anything? They lived surrounded by water, so I assume they know about boats. How come they’re just sitting there? I don’t like it.”
CHAPTER 45
Several minutes went by with no movement on the dock, nor on or around the Two Old Fogies. Jonelle was getting antsy at the lack of action, and Kelly’s constant, “What’s going on?” every couple minutes didn’t help either. There wasn’t enough room to pace without bumping into Kelly so she worked the necklace back and forth through her fingers. Although she hadn’t checked with Burt since she hung up on him, she believed the police were in contact with the brothers.
The Trickster (A Jonelle Sweet Mystery Book 3) Page 26
