Murder For Neptune's Trident...A Citrus Beach Mystery (Citrus Beach Mysteries Book 1)

by Victoria LK Williams

  The women were dressed in beautiful summer dresses and gowns. As Megan had mentioned, most of them were in flip flops that had been decorated to match their dresses or in their bare feet. Many of the men were also in their bare feet, which for a few on the dance floor was very good thing for their dance partners. Flowers were everywhere: from the wrist corsages the students wore to the arrangements on the food tables to the traditional orchid leis that a second group of teenage girls were slipping over everyone’s head as they wandered by their station by the dance floor. As Megan and Aiden wandered by, the girls presented purple leis to them, giggling as Aiden bent over so they could reach to put the flowers around his neck.

  “So who do you think came with Leslie Black?” Megan asked Aiden as she looked around her and smiled at people she knew that called out to her.

  “I’m not sure. I actually didn’t expect her to come with anyone. I think most people would have expected to see her with JT. It seems a bit callous to have found a new date so quickly after his death. I guess we will find out soon enough.”

  “Watch our two male suspects work the party. I’ve seen at least two people slip Mr. Richmore a check since we’ve been here. They must have it all set up ahead of time that this function would be a collection point for anyone wanting to invest in their project. I don’t know who to be madder at … Richmore and Barneto or any person who would give up Neptune’s Point for a resort.”

  “Don’t judge them too harshly, Megan. According to Mrs. Potter, Leslie insisted that the preserve would be maintained within the resort project. It makes it sound like the best of both for the town.”

  “I know, but I was taught that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true.”

  “Look sharp; here comes Leslie Black off the path. Come on, let’s use the dance floor to get closer to her and find out what her next more will be.”

  Putting his hand around her waist, Aiden pulled Megan close for a slow dance across the floor. Because they were dancing instead of standing still, Megan was the first to see who had come with Leslie. She gasped as she realized who it was. Using the rhythm of the dance, Aiden spun her around so that he could also see the approaching couple. But it was not a couple in the traditional sense of the word that he saw. Instead, walking next to Leslie was the woman from the third picture in their suspect list.

  Aiden gave a low whistle and whispered in Megan’s ear that this was a development he had never foreseen. Sensing that things were going to start happening quickly, Aiden signaled to someone off to his right. Knowing that Leslie and the woman would be carefully watched, he looked around for Richmore and Barneto. While he searched the crowd for them, Megan watched Leslie lead her guest over to Dorothy and make the introductions. Leslie then turned towards the dance floor, as if feeling Megan’s eyes on her, and seeing Aiden made her way to them. Reaching their side, Leslie smiled sweetly at Megan and stopped their dance.

  “Megan, may I cut in and take your partner? I know it’s not the usual way things go, but I just can’t resist such a handsome man. I’m sure you understand. Why look, here is my associate who would just love to dance with you. Megan meet Mr. Richmore. I’m sure you will both get along splendidly.”

  Before she even knew what was happening, Megan found herself switching partners, getting separated from Aiden. As Mr. Richmore led her in the dance, she found herself moving farther from Aiden and closer to the darker side of the dance floor where the band was stationed and then there was nothing behind where they played. Looking around her for a way to break away from Mr. Richmore, Megan was astonished to see Mr. Barneto lead Mrs. Potter to the floor.

  What was going on? They were not supposed to be separated from each other like this. What was Paul thinking, letting Mrs. Potter dance with one of their prime suspects? Then as Mr. Richmore turned her in another direction on the dance floor, she was able to see her cousin helping his wife to a chair as she seemed to sway on her feet.

  Watching her eyes dart from one couple to the next, Mr. Richmore spoke to Megan with his smooth southern accent.

  “Now don’t you worry, my dear. You’ve simply been out-foxed by the best. Your friend will be fine; just a little tranquilizer hit to her leg to take her and her hubby out of action while the rest of us sort out a few items. Now don’t try and cause a scene, there are more factors in play than you realize, and I really don’t want to see a beautiful woman like yourself get hurt tonight. We’re going to slip through here and take a little walk. We will be meeting up with a few of your friends, so let’s just behave and get this over with.”

  With a tight grip on her arm, Richmore led Megan away from the dance floor, past the band who was now playing a slow romantic song, and towards one of the smaller paths that would lead to the tip of Neptune’s Trident. Megan looked around for the person who was supposed to be stationed at the path’s entry, but saw no one. Richmore gave a little laugh as he explained.

  “Looking for a strong security man who should be here? Well, I’m sorry to say that he has been removed from his post and is out of action right now. I think it might have been a coconut falling out of the palm that took him out … or maybe not. Either way, we have a clear path to reach the ocean. Once there, we will take care of some unfinished business and leave this lovely party on the boat we have anchored right offshore.”

  Once again, Megan found herself called unfinished business and decided she really hated that term. She did not struggle with her abductor, she wanted to see what was going to happen. After all, Megan knew the ins and outs of this island better than anyone. When the time was right, she would make her escape if she needed to and have the advantage over her captors.

  It took them about twenty minutes of walking before Megan could clearly hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline. It had been slow going due to the darkness, and although Richmore had thought ahead to bring the guy he had shown her, he failed to bring a flashlight. As they came through the trees, the full moon gave her plenty of light to see where they were. A small row boat was pulled up on the beach, and anchored out past the reef was a beautiful yacht. Pointing with his gun, Richmore indicated Megan to sit.

  “On the sand? In this dress? Absolutely not.”

  “Oh, the vanity of a woman. Fine then. Park your behind against the row boat, but sit and stay still. We just need to wait for a few moments for the rest of our party. Then we can finish this and get away from this rotten little town.”

  “Indulge me while we wait and answer a few questions. Why Neptune’s Trident? We’ve followed your trail and have seen the other projects you have taken on. This one is completely out of character. There is no easy payout or retreat, aren’t you taking a huge risk with this scheme?”

  “Scheme? No, my dear. Our other projects as you call them, have been schemes planned out to the minutest detail. This one is all about revenge….”

  Richmore was cut off by the sounds of heavy footfalls coming from the pathway. As they watched, Aiden was pushed into the clearing by Leslie, with a gun drawn and following his every move. Seeing Megan as he came forward, Aiden gingerly moved to her side, rubbing the back of his head as he moved.

  “You okay, Megan?” he asked as he joined her by the boat. His glance quickly took in the situation, and he looked back at Leslie and Richmore.

  “Really, Aiden, just do what you’re told and everything will be fine. I’m awfully sorry about that smack to the head, but I had to show you who was in control. Everything all right here, Richmore?” Leslie was the first to speak.

  “Just fine, Miss Black. My guest has shown me only her best party manners. What about yours? Did you have reason to assault him, or was it just your normal nastiness coming out?”

  Leslie turned to Richmore, anger distorting her pretty face, ready to answer him with a retort that was obviously not going to be pleasant. But before she could, another person came through the pathway out onto the beach. The older woman walked up to Leslie and fondly tucked a str
and of her hair that fallen from her bun, behind her ear. Patting Leslie’s cheek, she turned to Aiden and spoke.

  “My apologies for my granddaughter’s behavior, Mr. Tory. She lets her temper take over her common sense too often. It was this impulsive behavior that forced us to remove John from our plans. Now, I’m sure you both have questions, but I do hate to repeat myself, so we will wait for our final guest before all will be answered.”

  As the woman moved away from Leslie, Megan realized why her picture had seemed so familiar to her. Standing next to her granddaughter, Megan could easily see what the woman looked like, in her youth … and what, Leslie would look like in her golden years. The woman looked proper and classy, but to Megan it seemed fake. It was not the class that she saw in Mrs. Potter or Dorothy who were born and bred with the aristocratic genes of the south. No, what she saw seemed more acquired a learned skill … not a showing of good breeding. When she had looked away from Leslie, towards Aiden, the woman’s soft expression turned hard and cold.

  The night turned silent as they waited for the final couple to join them. Aiden reached over and held Megan’s hand in reassurance as she smiled at him. With his other hand, he once again rubbed the back of his head and was not surprised to find a large goose egg forming where Leslie’s gun had connected with his head. Seeing his action, Megan narrowed her eyes at Leslie, sure that she would confront the little twit at some point before the night was over and then she would show her how to hit without the backup of a gun.

  “Easy, Tiger,” Aiden whispered to her as he read her thoughts.

  Before she had a chance to respond, Barneto escorted Mrs. Potter out onto the sand. Shrugging off his hand from her arm, Mrs. Potter boldly walked across to stand in front of Leslie’s grandmother.

  “Hello, Marlene. It’s been a long time.”

  “Yes it has, Charlotte. But it’s time to put the past to right, don’t you think?”

  “Why don’t you explain yourself, Marlene? My recollections of the past are perfectly clear, but I have the feeling that your memories are a bit distorted. What wrong do you have in your head that is so grievous that you would need to kill a young man over? Or kidnap the three of us?”

  “Really, Charlotte? Do you remember how you and Edith betrayed my friendship? How Edith stole the only man I ever loved? For God’s sake, he was the father of my only child. And you protected her and let her hole up in this godforsaken town to live with her memories. You were my friend too, but you chose Edith over me and walked away from me, leaving me alone to raise my child.”

  “Oh, Marlene. Time had distorted your memories. Funny how you have forgotten your wrongdoing in all that happened.” Shaking her head, Mrs. Potter stepped back from her former friend.

  Turning to the others, Marlene Black included them into the conversation.

  “Let me tell all of you what type of a person Charlotte Potter really is. There was a time in our youth that Charlotte and I were best friends along with a third girl, Edith Beard. We did everything together, from grade school to finishing school. And then along came a young man that would tear everything apart.”

  “Really, Grandmother, we don’t have time for this. Just find out what evidence they have against us so we can correct it and let’s get out of here. We’ve been away from the dance too long already, and people will start looking for these three. We need to eliminate them and get on the yacht, so we are gone when their bodies are found.”

  “Silence, Leslie. I have waited too many years to confront Charlotte, and I will finish what I started tonight. Have I not taught you any restraint? You may have heard this story before, but Miss Cassidy, who so respects Charlotte, needs to hear about what she is really like. How little she values her friends.”

  “Fine, Marlene, tell us how you remember the past. Let’s hear it from your perspective. Maybe I was wrong....”

  “Oh, you were wrong. The three of us were so content with our life. Each of us planned on spending our lives here in Citrus Beach. We would marry the men our parents approved of, raise our children and continue our families’ heritage into the next generation. Of course, my heritage was not as blueblood as the others, but my daddy had made enough money for me to be included into their circle as we grew up. It wouldn’t be until years later that everyone would find out how daddy had cheated to win his fortune, but by then we were firm friends.”

  “I can see his dishonest tendencies have passed down through the generations, Marlene”

  “Yes, well we aren’t all born with more money than God, and I had to take care of myself and my child. Don’t judge me, you’ve never knew what it was like to be poor, to wonder how you are going to feed your child and keep your home.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that. You could have returned home--”

  “And be in the same town as Edith? No. She had already taken so much away from me. But to continue my story … It was the summer after we had completed our last year of finishing school. Our last year of freedom, really. You were already planning your wedding for the fall, and Edith had decided she was going to continue on in school to study and pursue her environmental causes. We knew we only had a few months before our lives would change forever. We were carefree and a bit wild too. Then Anthony Black showed up in town. He was working his way down the coast, painting landscapes and portraits to earn money. Edith’s father commissioned him to do a painting, and that is how we all met him. He became part of our circle that summer. You were so wrapped up in your wedding plans and future husband that I don’t think you really saw Edith and I both falling in love with Anthony.

  I knew that I would have to outsmart Edith if I was going to be the one that Anthony chose. So I did what so many other women have done and I seduced him. After that night on the beach, I knew he would be mine. He was an honorable man and without Edith’s interference he would have done the right thing. But I had to be sure, so I made Daddy get him a job down in Lauderdale. He couldn’t turn it down, and he left us and started down there. Edith was sad, but seemed to take it well. I used the excuse of a shopping trip with my father to go to Lauderdale to be with him. I didn’t plan on coming back, you know. I was going to start my life with Anthony away from Citrus Beach.”

  As Marlene told her story, there were tears running down her checks. Charlotte was silently crying too as she also remembered that summer.

  “But your plans didn’t work out, did they, Marlene?”

  “No. When I arrived in Lauderdale I found that Anthony was doing fine in his new job. He had rented a small apartment and was saving for the future. But it wasn’t the future I had planned. He was saving so that he could go back to Citrus Beach and marry Edith. All that time he was in love with her. Even after our night on the beach, he still loved her. He had used me and now didn’t want any more to do with me. I was furious. How dare he? We argued, and he told me that he was sorry, but our one night had been a mistake, a lapse in good judgment. He told me he didn’t want this to hurt my friendship with Edith.

  You know, when he said that, I think that is when I snapped. He turned away from me to open the door so I would leave, and I picked up the knife he always used to sharpen his charcoal pencils. I was just so mad. I swung wildly at his back, and before I knew it the knife was sticking out of his neck. I must have hit an artery, because there was so much blood. Before I knew it, he was gone. In his last breath, he called out for Edith. He never did love me.

  I panicked and called Daddy. He sent me to my mother up in Philly and said he would take care of everything. And Daddy did. It was while I was up with my mother that I found out I was pregnant. At first I was terrified. But then I realized that I had succeeded where Edith never would … I was going to have Anthony’s child. My father was thrilled and took me into the business with him. My daughter was lovely but so much like her father … no head for business. She would rather be out in nature taking pictures. She got pregnant on one of her photo expositions and would never tell me about the father. It
was just like history repeating itself. She was killed in a freak accident when Leslie was five. Thank goodness she hadn’t taken my granddaughter with her. From that point on, I raised Leslie. I taught her every scam and trick my father had ever taught me, and when he retired from the business, we took it over.

  I have always wanted to come back here. I always hoped that I would be able to confront Edith with Anthony’s child, show her how I had come out the winner. But the silly woman died and what a useless life she led, pining away for a man who wasn’t even faithful to her.” Marlene finished her tale with an angry swipe at the tears on her cheeks and stood defiantly in front of Charlotte, daring her to remember things differently.

  Charlotte was silent for a few moments, thinking over what she had heard, carefully thinking through her reply.

  “Marlene, you said your father cleaned up after you. Did you know that he did it so well that none of us ever knew what had become of Anthony? It was like he had disappeared off the face of the earth. And you suddenly were up in Philly with your mother; you never knew what was going on back here in Citrus Beach.

  When Anthony disappeared, Edith was devastated. She wandered around what is now Neptune’s Trident for days, not wanting to see or talk to anyone. She had no idea what had happened to him. She knew he had planned on returning; she counted on it. You see, Marlene, Edith was also pregnant with Anthony’s child. They planned on telling her parents and getting married when he had his first weekend off and could return to Citrus Beach. She kept the baby a secret for a few weeks before she finally broke down and told me.

  Then one night she was out here walking the beach when she fell. She lost her baby that night. She was never quite right after that. She got so wrapped up in environmental causes and became determined that Neptune’s Trident would be a preserve in honor of Anthony and their baby. There were only a few of us that knew about these events. Everyone else just thought she was a woman deeply concerned with preserving our town’s beautiful little treasure.”