A Watery Death (A Missing Pieces Mystery Book 7)

by Joyce Lavene

  She hit me with one of her pillows. “You’re doing this on purpose. This is one of your anti-everything speeches that you always used in high school. You really want me to marry Tim, don’t you?”

  “Only if you really love him. I want what’s best for you.” I smiled and hugged her.

  “I do think Tim and I are good for each other,” she whispered. “He’s not all dark and mysterious like Kevin. I wouldn’t know what to do with someone like him.”

  As we clung together, I whispered back, “He says I don’t know what I want. He says I’m going to get cold feet before we get married.”

  Trudy took a step away from me but still held my hands. “If you do, I’ll come and talk to you, just like you came to talk to me. But, Dae, are you really sure Kevin is right for you?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  I thought a lot about that question as I walked through Duck on my way home. Trudy’s father offered to take me, but I wanted time to think about everything. The best way I knew to think was walking by myself. I stared up at the crescent moon.

  Trudy was right about Kevin being darker and deeper than Tim. That was another thing that I loved about him. Tim could never understand or hope to deal with the gifts life had given me. I needed that strength and stability behind me. I needed someone who could handle the things that happened to me—possibly excluding mermaids.

  Tim and Trudy had been my friends forever, but there were many things I couldn’t share with them. Kevin was different. He was like Gramps. I could tell either of them anything, and most of the time, they were there for me.

  I knew I wouldn’t be the one backing out of the wedding, whenever it took place. But I worried a little about Kevin.

  Living in Duck was a much different life for him. Would he get tired of being an innkeeper and want to go back to his exciting career with the FBI? Would he look around at our small town ways at some point and wonder why he ever thought he should stay here?

  Only time would answer these questions. I couldn’t be afraid to love him in case the answers weren’t in my favor. And I wouldn’t rush the wedding to try to hold on to him. I was a great believer in letting things unfold. This was one of those things.

  Changing my mind, I started toward the Blue Whale, intending to see Kevin again that night. I quietly cut through Agnes Caudle’s yard to shave some time off the trip.

  I was surprised to see my old friend, Cathi Connor, again. She was walking quickly down the deserted street, head bent as though she was on a mission. I might not have recognized her if she wouldn’t have been wearing the same jacket I’d seen her wearing at the firehouse after the parade.

  She was headed past the Blue Whale, turning enough that I knew she was going to the Andalusia. The only thing I could imagine going on there was workers cleaning the captain’s stateroom.

  Quietly, I followed her. She stopped at the end of the long pier that led to the ship and stared into the water for several minutes. I waited behind the ticket office in the shadows so I could watch her.

  A woman—it had to be Lilly—walked slowly out of the water. She approached Cathi from behind. I almost let out a warning cry. But then she looked up and ran to her. They hugged each other close for several moments before they sat on a bench and started talking.

  While I could clearly see them, I had no idea what they were saying to one another. I wished I had some kind of surveillance gear that could let me in on their conversation.

  They’d obviously known each other for a while. Their heads bent close together, they looked like sisters plotting something.

  Was this somehow related to Captain Lucky’s death?

  It was possible this was their usual meeting place. Maybe Captain Lucky had seen them together and said he’d tell the world about mermaids. Maybe Lilly had used the water and the seaweed to threaten him.

  But maybe she’d killed him to keep him quiet too.

  Why hit him on the head to toss him into the water, though? She could have easily just pushed him in and held him down.

  I watched the women until they got up and walked toward one of the houses close to the ship. It was a rental property—Cathi owned it. They disappeared inside and didn’t come out again.

  I started back the way I had come. I didn’t notice that I wasn’t alone until Lilly was walking beside me. For someone who normally didn’t have legs, she was very quiet.

  “Spying on me?” she accused. “Good things don’t happen to humans who spy on seafolk.”

  “From what I’ve read, humans and seafolk have mingled for generations, probably since men went out in boats for the first time. Tovi said your people have laws against being with humans, but that doesn’t make us enemies, does it?”

  “Most of my people agree that we shouldn’t mate with humans. Tovi won’t listen. He’s asking for terrible retribution. His girlfriend too.”

  “His girlfriend? Is that Cathi? Did you kill Captain Lucky to protect yourself?”

  The moon shone down on her pale hair. She turned quickly to face me, one strong arm out to bar me from moving forward.

  “How dare you? I should drag you out to sea by the hair and drown you.”

  “Is that how you drowned Captain Lucky?” I pressed, despite the threat. “Who is his girlfriend?”

  She shook me by the shoulders, as Tovi had.

  “You don’t know anything. You’d better hope it stays that way if you want to remain alive.”

  My last look at her was her half-shadowed face before she ran back toward the water. I heard a large splash, probably as she returned to her home.

  I didn’t waste any time waiting to see if she’d return. I ran the rest of the way to the Blue Whale and used the secret key Kevin kept hidden for his late arrivals and party-goers who stayed out longer than he wanted to wait up.

  He was asleep when I went into his bedroom. He had early mornings, most of the time getting up at four a.m. to get ready for the day. I didn’t want to wake him. Standing there, staring at him on the bed, I wished he’d wake up on his own.

  The moonlight graced the edges of the heavy furniture he’d come into when he bought the inn. Some other pieces he’d purchased to match the early 1900s style.

  “Dae?” he whispered softly in the half-light. “Is something wrong?”

  “Not now.” I climbed into bed beside him and pulled up the blanket before I ended up on his shoulder. “Kevin, I wish you believed in seafolk. I’m afraid one of them may have killed Captain Lucky.”

  He sighed and pulled me close. “Let’s pretend I do believe in seafolk. Tell me about it.”

  I snuggled closer and told him about my new encounter with Lilly.

  “But there’s also a human—Tovi’s girlfriend—who could be involved in this,” he said. “That could make more sense.”

  “Get up,” I urged. “It’s not sunrise yet. We could wait down by the pier for Tovi to leave. When he does, maybe you can see him as a merman.”

  He glanced at the clock. “It’s already one-thirty, Dae. I have to be up at four.”

  “But don’t you want to see Tovi so all of this makes sense to you?”

  “Sure. I want to see a merman.” He took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

  We took Kevin’s good camera and two mugs of coffee. There was always coffee in a big urn on the sideboard near the kitchen. I also grabbed some fresh chocolate chip cookies for the vigil. It was good to have something to eat while waiting.

  There was no one at the pier when we got there. I was kind of hoping Lilly might harass me again, but no such luck. The moon was hazy overhead, probably a sign of storms on their way. We sat on the bench where Lilly and Cathi had been and waited.

  “Wouldn’t it be better if they don’t see us?” Kevin asked.

  “I don’t think it really matters. If he comes this way to jump back in the water like his sister, you’ll see him, and we’ll take his picture.”

  He sipped his coffee. “Why do you think he’ll come this way?”
r />   “Because I think his human girlfriend might be Cathi Connor. I saw her go into her rental house with Lilly, but I didn’t see her come out again. I think she might be in there with Tovi.”

  Since it was going to be a long wait, I told him about getting Trudy and Tim back together.

  “She promised to be there for me if I get cold feet—which isn’t going to happen.”

  Kevin smiled. “You never know. The question is—who will be there for me if I get cold feet?”

  “I thought you said you knew what you wanted. Have you changed your mind?”

  “No. But marriage is stressful. I might before it happens.”

  I stared at him, loving the lines of his handsome face in the moonlight. “Have you ever been married? I mean, you’re kind of old to get married for the first time.”

  “I could say that about you too.” He grinned. “But I’m too much of a gentleman.”

  “You’re right. We’re both mature. We should know exactly what we want. We shouldn’t have the problem Trudy and Tim are having.”

  “Have you thought about where you’d like to get married, if we do?”

  “I have. I think sunrise on the beach would be nice. It can’t be at the Blue Whale because you’d run yourself ragged trying to get everything ready. That doesn’t sound like a good beginning to the honeymoon.”

  “Oh.” He put his arm around me. “The honeymoon. I suppose we get one of those, even if we are elderly.”

  “We’re not that old,” I joked. “We should go somewhere with lots of antiques that I could buy for the shop.”

  “No business!” He kissed me. “I can’t look at food either. Just you and me and a few days away.”

  “I found a new link to Grandma Eleanore today,” I told him. “It might be what I’m looking for to bring her home.”

  I told him the story of how she and Gramps had eloped.

  “Maybe that’s what we need to do,” he said. “Skip the big deal and go right for the important part.”

  “But everyone would be so disappointed. I don’t have six brothers and sisters like Gramps did. I think he’d probably kill me if he didn’t get to walk me down the aisle.”

  “Since that would be a bad start to our future relationship, I guess we’ll stay here.”

  “What about your family? You said they live in Maryland, right? Are you going to invite them?”

  “Probably. I only have my parents and one brother. I really don’t know if they’ll come down for a wedding or just send money.”

  “Money is good, especially if we know ahead of time so we don’t have to buy food, champagne, or those stupid little party favors Trudy likes so much.”

  “Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring your grandmother home, Dae?” he asked. “Horace seems really happy with MC. Isn’t that going to screw up everything between them?”

  I looked into his eyes that were luminous in the light. “I can’t just leave her there, lost in time, if there’s some way to bring her back. I don’t know what will happen if I can do it, but what kind of granddaughter would I be not to try?”

  “Certainly not the kind that I know.” He kissed me again and smiled.

  Yawning, I glanced at my watch. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bothered you with waiting out here for a merman. Tovi could’ve left while we were at your place. We’re both going to be miserable tomorrow on one of the busiest days of the year in Duck. Maybe you should change your mind about marrying me. I’m obviously self-centered and don’t care what happens to you. You could get pneumonia and die.”

  “Yes, at my advanced, unmarried age. You’d feel guilty then, I bet.”

  “For a while,” I agreed. “But then I’d marry someone else. I’m still eligible, you know.”

  We laughed together at that scenario and then the sound of fast-moving footsteps came toward us from the house we were watching.

  “It’s him.” I picked up the camera. “It’s Tovi. He’s headed back to sea.”

  Like an unerring missile moving toward its target, Tovi ran quickly for the pier and the salt water beside it. The waves pushed to the shore even in the small cove they’d chosen to anchor the gambling ship.

  “I see him,” Kevin said. “But he’s got two legs. Are you sure he’s the right one?”

  “Yes, he’s the merman. Look out!”

  I lifted the camera for a picture and saw Tovi running straight at me. The last thing I saw before I fell into the water was his hand going up to block the shot.

  After that, I was in the surf. It wasn’t very deep off the short end of the pier. I wasn’t worried about drowning since I’d learned how to swim when I was very young.

  It took a minute to disengage from Tovi landing squarely on top of me. His large tail had a powerful thrust as he kicked hard to get into deeper water.

  I clung to the camera strap, not knowing if there was a viable image of him becoming a merman or not. I guess he didn’t know either and was trying to protect his secret.

  Kevin was yelling for me when I surfaced a moment later. I was glad he hadn’t jumped in after me—that would’ve been embarrassing for a hardened Banker like myself.

  “It’s okay.” I came up sputtering and holding the camera. “I’ve still got it.”

  He reached out a hand down and helped me out of the water.

  “I saw him change,” Kevin was yelling as he hugged me. “At the last minute, as he took you with him, I saw his legs become a big, blue and gold tail. There are seafolk!”

  “That’s what I’ve been telling you.” I grinned and kissed him.

  “No. Real seafolk, Dae. I can’t think of any way he could have faked that. It was real.”

  Kevin is normally a little on the jaded side. Probably from the life he’s led. It was fun to see how excited he was about me being right.

  “Of course there are seafolk. At least two of them. Now let’s go back to the Blue Whale so I can change clothes. I hope the camera caught what you saw. Tess will be so excited.”

  I always kept a spare set of clothes at the inn. Sometimes I worked in the garden or helped in the kitchen and got my clothes messed up. I changed quickly into the old jeans and green top I kept there, excited to see what might prove the existence of another race of people. I took a moment to text Tess and then hurried into the kitchen.

  “Did I get it?” I stood behind Kevin while he was at the computer.

  “You got something, but it looks like all those newspaper pictures of aliens and werewolves. It’s hard to tell what it is.”

  I studied the image and was disappointed. “I can tell it’s him. There’s his tail as he’s pushing me into the water. I kept snapping.”

  “This is the only one with any image at all. Sorry. I don’t think anyone but me and you are going to believe this is a merman.”

  “We could probably sell it to The Globe or The Enquirer anyway.” I put my arms around his neck. “That’s okay. At least you saw him. I don’t need to convince anyone else.”

  “I know this is too little, too late,” he said. “But I’m sorry for doubting you. It won’t ever happen again. I don’t care if you see a little green man or Bigfoot. If you say you saw it, I believe it.”

  I kissed him. “You should’ve known better. You know how the weird things in life like me.”

  “Then I guess I must be one of the weirdest things because I like you a lot.”

  We were in each other’s arms when Tess came running into the Blue Whale. I was pretty sure that she was still wearing her night clothes, not to mention one sandal and one tennis shoe.

  “Well? You saw him. Did you get a picture?” She tried to get her tangled gray hair out of her face as she spoke.

  Kevin kissed me one more time. “I’m going to make breakfast.”

  I showed Tess the image on the computer. She made it larger and smaller, trying to tighten the image and focus more on Tovi.

  She finally gave up, clapping her hand down hard on the desk. “Blast it. This looks
like all those other grainy, shadowy pictures of things they say don’t exist. What a disappointment.”

  “On the other hand, Kevin saw him change, so I’ve made a believer of him. And I found out Tovi has a human girlfriend. That’s something.”

  “Yes. It is. Even if we have to convince the world one person at a time, we’ll do it. This is exciting news. Do you think it relates to your captain being murdered?”

  “I’m not sure. I don’t see why Tovi would want to kill Captain Lucky. His sister, Lilly, is another story. That mermaid has an attitude problem. But even then, why would she bother?”

  “But Lilly told us her brother killed Captain Lucky,” Tess pointed out.

  “I know. But I don’t believe her.”

  We went to join Kevin at the kitchen table, drawn by the smell of bacon and biscuits.

  I got a text that Chief Michaels was doing much better and they expected him to come home the next day. It could still be weeks or months until he was able to go back to work. But just having him home from the hospital was good news. I wondered if Gramps would be filling in all that time.

  “We have to devise a trap to catch Tovi or Lilly,” Tess said between bites of food. “I don’t mean to harm them in any way, but I would like a chance to talk to them, maybe draw some blood, and take pictures.”

  “I don’t see how you could trap them,” I said. “Not in a way that wouldn’t hurt them.”

  “I could probably come up with something,” Kevin volunteered.

  Tess was thrilled about the idea, but I was reluctant. I’d seen the movie Splash. I didn’t think anything good could come from the plan.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tess left right after breakfast. She said she’d be back to talk to Kevin about his plan to catch one of the seafolk.

  As soon as she was gone, I launched into a hundred reasons why he shouldn’t help her.

  “You know how these science things end up.” I helped him clear the kitchen table and said good morning to his staff as they came in. “You shouldn’t help her with this.”

  “But this is the chance of a lifetime,” he insisted as he got out the menu for the day to give his cooks. “If we don’t find a way to document this, no one will ever believe it.”