Treasure in Paradise

by Kathi Daley

  I would die if Ashley or Gracie disappeared, but I could see where a simple man would think he was doing a nice thing by taking the child to the carnival when his mother couldn’t.

  “It seems the locals all pitched in to take care of Buck.”

  “That’s mostly true, although there were a few who didn’t see eye to eye with him. Generally speaking, we like to take care of our own around here, and Buck was one of us, no matter his limitations. Garrett too. That’s why I want to be sure we come up with a plan that will help ensure that Garrett’s desires concerning the resort are met to the best of our abilities.”

  I was liking this guy more and more. It turned out that not only was Jack Long very good-looking, he was also knowledgeable about the renovation processes, and funny and friendly to boot.

  “The main problem I see is we need to make the necessary repairs that will attract a buyer who’ll be interested in maintaining the integrity of the resort without spending so much on the project that any interested party would never be able to afford the price Garrett would need to charge to recover his investment.”

  “Do you have any idea why Garrett let the property slide into such a state of disrepair?” I asked.

  “I think the decay occurred over time. When you’re around something every day you tend not to notice that the floors need refinishing and the exterior of the cabins have begun to deteriorate. Garrett had medical issues even before his stroke and the maintenance must have gotten to be too much for him. He should have hired someone to keep the place up years ago, but he’d always been a hands-on guy who probably convinced himself that just because he wasn’t up to a big project one year he might be the next, so he put it on the back burner.”

  I looked around at everything I could see. The property itself was spectacular, but Jack was correct that the structures were going to need a lot of work, maybe more than Garrett could afford.

  “I guess you’ve heard that Destination Properties has launched a campaign to try to pressure Garrett into selling so they can build a megaresort on the property.”

  “I’ve heard. To be honest I’d hate to see him sell to Destination Properties, but from a financial standpoint it makes a lot of sense.”

  “Have you discussed this with Garrett?”

  “Actually, I have. He’s adamant that he isn’t going to sell to the company, so I agreed to help him with this project, although I do think it’s important to do the renovations as inexpensively as possible just in case.”

  “Just in case of what?”

  “Just in case Greg Norton gets his way. He doesn’t strike me as the type to take no for an answer.”

  “What are you going to suggest to Garrett?”

  “I’m not sure. It almost makes the most sense to tear down the cabins in the worst condition and focus on the ones that require less work. Fewer cabins in good repair could actually prove to be more marketable than more cabins in a state of disrepair. The thing I’m uncertain about is how many cabins are necessary to make the cash flow work from a rental standpoint. Garrett might be better off subdividing the land and selling the cabins off individually rather than trying to sell the property as a resort. If he wants to protect the integrity of the land, he’s going to have a hard time finding a buyer who’s willing to maintain the rustic feel of the place and yet can afford to purchase the whole enchilada. I’d like to take a few days to draw up a plan for Garrett to consider before we begin work.”

  I shrugged. “It’s okay with me if it’s okay with Garrett. I have another project I’m working on anyway.”

  “Great. I’m going to take some measurements and make some notes, then I’ll call Garrett this afternoon. I should be able to have something to him by next week.”

  “Sounds good.” I decided to walk Jack back to his truck, which was filled with baseball equipment. “You coach baseball?”

  “I play softball.”

  “They have an adult league on the island?”

  “We have an adult team on the island. We play teams from other islands. You don’t play, do you?”

  “I have. In fact, I coach the girls’ softball team at the high school where I teach.”

  “Really? I don’t suppose you’d be interested in filling in for a tournament we’re playing in the weekend after next? One of our regulars is about to have a baby, so we’re short a player.”

  “The tournament is on Gull Island?”

  “At the recreation center on Shell Beach,” Jack confirmed.

  “Okay, I’m in. It sounds like fun. What time do you need me to be there?”

  “Nine a.m. on Saturday, July 2nd. We’re having a couple of practices between now and then, if you can make them. It’ll give you a chance to meet everyone before the tournament.”

  “I’ll try. When is the next practice?”

  “Friday at six.”

  “Great. I’ll see you then.”

  “You’ll need a team hat and shirt. I’ll let Rick Savage know. He’s the team manager. You can just pick them up at practice.”

  I felt a little odd about playing softball with the man I secretly suspected of covering up a murder, but I’d already told Jack I’d do it and I didn’t want to back out now. I wondered how Deputy Savage was going to take the news that I was his new teammate. If he was lying—and my sense was that he was—he had to realize I wasn’t buying everything he was telling me.

  “The pharmacist called earlier,” Grandpa Ben announced after Jack had left and he’d returned from his walk. “He needs me to sign a release I missed when we were there before. If you want to give me a ride we can stop by Betty Boop’s after.”

  “I’d be happy to. Oh, and tonight is the movie on the beach. I promised the girls we’d go, so we should be sure to be back home in time for an early dinner.”

  “Meg said there are food trucks there, and most folks just bring a blanket and eat on the beach.”

  “Even better. I have to admit I’m almost as excited about the movie as the girls are. There’s something magical about the idea of watching a movie under the stars.”

  “When Gertie mentioned it, I remembered that drive-in we used to go to when you were a kid.”

  “I thought about that too.” I smiled. “I have such fond memories of those summer nights. It’s too bad the drive-in shut down. It would be fun to take the girls.”

  “Might want to suggest an outdoor movie night to your dad. It would be a fun event for Maggie’s Hideaway to sponsor.”

  “Yeah, I’ll do that. Have you talked to Dad since we’ve been here?”

  “I thought about calling, but I figured the whole purpose of this trip was to give him and Rosalie some space. Besides, I’m sure it’s starting to get busy at the resort, so I hate to bother him.”

  “Last night Gracie asked me what was going to happen when we went home and I realized I really had no idea.”

  “You know your dad is happy to have you and the girls at the resort.”

  “I know. And Rosalie has told me on more than one occasion that she’s fine with it as well. I can’t help but wonder though if they don’t secretly wish they didn’t have a house full of people underfoot all the time.”

  “I know how you feel. Doc offered to have me move in with him.”

  “Are you going to?”

  Grandpa frowned. “I’m not sure. Doc and I get along and he has a big house, but I think I’d miss making breakfast for the girls in the mornings and hearing about their day when they get home from school.”

  “We have time to figure it out. Let’s go ahead and head into town.”

  As soon as we arrived at the pharmacy, my grandfather signed the paperwork, then we moved to the soda fountain, where he asked George Brolin about Deputy Savage.

  “Rick is about as good a guy as they come,” the pharmac
ist said as we sipped our root beer floats. “I had a problem with some kids loitering in front of the pharmacy a few summers ago, and Rick very nicely got them to move on down the road without causing any sort of trouble.”

  “I guess the soda fountain tends to attract a younger crowd,” I observed.

  “At times. But I do my best to manage everyone. I don’t want my pharmacy customers to feel too intimidated to come inside. A lot of my regulars are seniors who don’t necessarily feel comfortable with the vibe teens these days are sending out. And the music they like to blare; don’t even get me started.”

  “Have you considered shutting down the soda fountain?” I asked as I stirred ice cream into my root beer. Somehow a soda fountain, barbershop, and pharmacy didn’t seem a likely combination when it came to customer base.

  “Considered it. Been here for over sixty years though. Wouldn’t seem right somehow. If I have any trouble, I just mention it to Rick and he takes care of it. His papa started bringing him in here for a cut and a cone when he was just a youngin. Guess he must have been three or four.”

  “Is Deputy Savage’s father still in town?”

  “Lives out at the senior home. Rick tried to take care of him on his own, but his dementia got to the point where he really needed round-the-clock care. Rick felt real bad about moving him in to the home at first, but Colin takes good care of Tom, and Rick volunteers at the home as often as he can, so I think it all worked out for the best.”

  I remembered Colin Walton was the man who’d been given the authority to decide Buck Barnes would be cremated. I didn’t know whether the fact that the men obviously knew each other well would play into our investigation, but I made a mental note of the relationship just in case.

  “Seems like Deputy Savage spends a lot of time volunteering. Someone mentioned he coaches both adult and kids’ sports.”

  “Rick is an important member of the community. He pitches in more than most. I tell him he should settle down and put some of that energy into a family of his own.”

  A phone rang in the background. “I best get that. You folks enjoy the rest of your drinks.”

  “What do you think?” I asked Grandpa.

  “I think the more I find out about Deputy Savage the less sure I am that he’s intentionally covering up a murder.”

  “Doc seemed pretty certain the wound to the head couldn’t have been caused by a fall.”

  “Yeah, and Doc knows his stuff.”

  “Maybe Kyle and Doc will learn something different from what we have so far. Let’s go by to have a chat with Mayor Bell. And we should check out the senior home. If the man who runs it is the one who gave the go-ahead to have Buck cremated, I’d like to get a general impression of him.”

  “Seems like you’re spreading yourself a little thin. Are you sure you want to take on this Norton fellow, try to find out whether Savage might be lying about what happened at the house, and figure out whether Buck was really murdered too?”

  “I realize I’m taking on a lot, but at this point everything seems equally important. It won’t take all that long to speak to the mayor and then we can head to the senior home to try to find out why Mr. Walton had Buck cremated before anyone had a chance to really investigate his death.”

  “Are we just going to show up and ask to speak to him about the cremation?”

  “No, I guess not. I’ll call and make an appointment. I’ll tell them I have an elderly grandfather who might be interested in their program.”

  “I’m not that old, and I don’t need to be in a home.”

  “I know that. I’ll just make up a story about my maternal grandfather, and once I have his attention, I’ll try to work the Buck thing into the conversation.”

  “This should be interesting,” Grandpa Ben said under his breath.

  After we left the pharmacy, Grandpa seemed to be in deep thought as he slid into the passenger seat of the car, and I had enough on my mind that I left him with his thoughts and focused on my own.

  I called the senior home to see if we could get an appointment for today. I was informed that tours were on Friday mornings and if I wanted to take a look around that would be the time to do so. Grandpa and I discussed our options and decided that the most important thing at this point would be to stop by and have a chat with the mayor about Greg Norton’s plans for the island.

  I started the car and pulled into traffic. I was beginning to figure out the layout of the town, so finding the mayor’s salon didn’t present a problem. We headed north and then turned onto Cove Street and parked in the community parking lot. Grandpa decided to wait for me in the car, so I rolled down the windows and hurried across the street. Betty Boop’s, much like the name, was an interesting place. For one thing, all three of the hairdressers on duty looked like they had been frozen in time. They all had big hair and colorful makeup that made me wonder if they were on their way to a sock hop.

  “Can I help you, darlin’?” the tallest of the three women asked.

  “I’m looking for Mayor Bell.”

  “You found her. What can I do for you? A cut and a blow out?”

  I looked around the brightly decorated room. In addition to the three hairdressers there were two women getting their hair done and two others reading magazines.

  “No. I’m actually hoping to speak to you in your capacity as mayor. Maybe you can tell me a more convenient time to stop by.”

  “This is as good a time as any. It looks like our humidity is doing a number on your curls. I can straighten that out for you while we chat.”

  I touched my hand to my head. I did have a bit of a cavewoman thing going on, but it still wasn’t as bad as the ’dos the women who worked in the salon were sporting. “Maybe another time. My grandfather is waiting for me in the car.”

  “Lordy be, you left the poor man in the car?”

  “The windows are down and I only plan to take a minute of your time. I’d prefer to speak to you in private. Perhaps I can make an appointment?”

  “Come on back in the morning at around nine. Salon doesn’t open until ten, so we can chat while I fix you up real nice.”

  Terrific. At least the woman had agreed to speak to me in private, and I guessed I could use a trim and maybe a blowout too. My naturally curly hair seemed to have a mind of its own once we hit the humidity of the East Coast. I thanked the woman, assured her I’d see her in the morning, and then headed back to the car.

  “So?” Grandpa Ben asked.

  “She was busy. I have an appointment to talk with her in the morning. Do you mind making one more stop? I thought I’d run by the inn to see if I can catch Mr. Norton. I’d like to speak to him about his plans before the meeting tomorrow.”

  “Actually, if you don’t mind dropping me at the house I’d like to take a nap before we go out tonight.”

  “I’d be happy to. The last thing I want is for you to overdo it.”

  Grandpa Ben required a lot more rest since he’d had a stroke several years ago, so I was happy to have him rest up. After I dropped him off I headed toward the inn. There was no one at the counter when I entered the lobby, so I rang the bell. Hallie smiled as she came into the room.

  “Are you still trying to track down Greg Norton?”

  “I am. Is he here?”

  “Actually, he is. I’ll ring up to his room to see if he’s willing to speak to you.”

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

  As it turned out, he was happy to speak to me and agreed to meet me in the dining area where the guests took their meals.

  “Greg Norton.” The man stuck out his hand as soon as he walked up to me.

  “Tj Jensen.” I shook his hand.

  “Let’s sit here at a table, shall we?”

  I took a seat across from the man, who I could see right off
was relaxed and confident, as if he’d already won whatever battle he was geared up to fight.

  “What can I do for you, Ms. Jensen?”

  “It’s come to my attention that you’re trying to gain support to force Garrett Hanford to sell his resort to you. I’m here to tell you that Garrett is quite determined not to sell to a developer.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of Mr. Hanford’s very selfish stance.”

  “Selfish?”

  “A megaresort, such as the one the company I work for plans to build, would bring jobs and money to this community. Most of the residents who live on the island barely get by from month to month. By refusing to sell his land to a company with the means to improve it, Mr. Hanford is denying the men and women he claims are his friends the boost in income that very well could make all the difference in their lives.”

  “Not everyone supports the project,” I pointed out.

  “That’s true, but I think you’ll find once I present my final list of supporters at the meeting that a vast majority of the business owners on the island do support the sale of Mr. Hanford’s land to Destination Properties.”

  “What about the turtles that nest on the beach? If you build a big resort, you’ll disturb their nesting place.”

  The man shrugged.

  “The turtles can find another beach to nest on. In fact, I have it on good authority that the numbers of nests on the island are diminishing greatly as the turtles move to undeveloped islands in the chain. It really makes no sense that they come to Gull Island in the first place. “

  “I heard that you are responsible for the reduction in eggs this year,” I challenged.

  “A rumor started by small-minded people that cannot be proven. Look, it sounds like you’re a friend of Garrett Hanford’s and I assume you have his best interests at heart. If you really care about him, you’ll convince him to sell the land before things get ugly. I’d hate to see him on the losing side of a battle with his neighbors.”