by Maci Grant
“Yes, that’s her. You’re amazing, Maddie!”
“I’m happy I could do something for you considering what happened to Marley’s hair.”
“Maddie, I told you that’s not your fault. Let it go.”
“Still. At least we found Marta. Are you going to tell Chief Pitman?”
Blu watched as Marley raced across the playground to beat her brother to the slide. She thought about the innocent smile on Marta’s lips and the glow in Oliver’s eyes when he spoke of her.
“I will.” She cleared her throat. “I just might take a peek at her myself first.”
“I can find you her current address.” Maddie tapped on her phone again. “I’m texting it to you.”
“How can you do all of that?”
“I’ve got skills!” Maddie grinned. “I might also have a bit of a social media addiction.” She cringed. “But Blu, if you’ve already got Chief Pitman concerned about you, you should think about being honest with him.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust him. It’s just that he doesn’t have a gentle bone in his body.”
“That you know of.” Maddie raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, look at AJ. He’s pretty considerate and kind, don’t you think?”
“Yes.” Blu tried to hide the automatic smile that curved her lips the moment AJ’s name was mentioned.
“He had to learn that from somewhere. I get the impression that Chief Pitman plays a fatherly role in his life.”
“That’s a good point.” Blu frowned. “But AJ can be pretty intense too, just like his uncle. I just want a chance to figure out who Marta is and how she might be involved. It’s not like I’m hiding anything. He had the same information that I gave you, so I’m sure he’ll figure out who Marta is on his own.”
“If you say so. I trust that you know what you’re doing. But if you want Chief Pitman to trust you, then you should think about giving him a reason to.”
“Listen to you.” Blu sighed. “Getting all wise on me.”
“What can I say? Being a nanny has made me realize just how dangerous this world can be.”
“Good point.” Blu nodded. “Speaking of dangerous, Brennan looks like he’s not enjoying himself too much.”
“Moody cannot even begin to describe that boy lately.”
“Maybe he needs a sport or something?”
“He’s very anti-sport. I think I’m going to take them to the skating rink later. Maybe that will make him crack a smile.”
“I hope so. Let me know how it goes.”
“Maybe you should bring the kids. You could invite AJ.”
“Skating?”
“It’s the perfect opportunity to fake a fall and end up in his arms.” Maddie wiggled her eyebrows.
“Ah, there went the good advice.”
“I’m serious. Summer isn’t going to last forever, Blu.”
“That’s exactly why we need to stay friends.” Blu narrowed her eyes. “What’s the point of starting a relationship that can’t last?”
“Look, you can be as logical as you want, but I promise you, if the summer ends before you have the chance to kiss that man, you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life.” She typed out a message on her phone.
“That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
Maddie looked into her eyes. “I don’t know. Is it?”
Blu frowned. “Let’s go, kids, time to go.”
“Uh huh.” Maddie smirked. “If you want to meet us for skating later we’ll be there around two.”
“Fine, but I’m not inviting AJ.”
“Oh—oops.” Maddie looked up from her phone. “I might have already done that.”
“Maddie!”
“What?” She widened her eyes, then grinned. “Someone has to look out for you.”
“Apparently.” Blu shook her head and steered the kids toward the car.
“Love you, Blu!” Maddie called out, teasing her.
Blu laughed. “Yeah. Love you too, girl.”
Once in the car, Blu opened the GPS in her phone. She retrieved the address that Maddie had texted her, typed it in, and waited for the map to generate.
“We’re just going to take a little detour, kids, then we’ll hit the pizza place for lunch.”
“A detour where?” Joey tried to peek at the map.
“Nowhere important. We’re not going to stop, we’re just going to drive around a bit.”
Blu started the car and pulled out onto the road. She cranked up the children’s radio station and smiled as the kids sang along. She was about halfway to her destination when a patrol car pulled up behind her.
She glanced in the rearview mirror at it, then at her speedometer. She was well within the speed limit. Confident that she wouldn’t be pulled over, she smiled at the kids. A moment later flashing lights and sirens alerted her to the fact that she was indeed going to be pulled over.
She sighed and steered the car off to the side of the road.
“Blu, what is it? Were you speeding?”
“No. It’s nothing, I’m sure. Just relax, Joey.”
“Copper!” Marley giggled.
“Sh, Marley!” Blu took a deep breath and reached for her insurance information.
“Where are you going, Blu?” Chief Pitman rested his hands on the doorframe.
“Chief Pitman? Are you following me?”
“Possibly. I figured out who Marta is. I was going to head out to her house to speak with her. Much to my surprise I find myself driving behind your vehicle, and I have the intuition that we’re going to the same place.” The chief looked with narrowed eyes at what must have been her guilty expression. “So how did you get her address? Did you have it all along?”
“No, I didn’t. My friend Maddie was able to find it all on the Internet. I was going to tell you.”
“Right. After you questioned her?”
“I was just going to drive past and see if I could catch a glimpse of her. “
“Then I’m glad that I stopped you. Blu, you may know the beach pretty well, but you know nothing about the neighborhoods further away. This woman lives in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the area. You would have put yourself and these two kids in danger.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize that.” Blu frowned.
“A GPS can’t tell you the crime rate. That’s why we’re supposed to be a team. Are you going to be on my team or are we going to be on different sides?”
Blu grimaced as she glanced in the rearview mirror. The very thought of putting the kids in danger made her sick to her stomach.
“We’re a team. I’m sorry, Chief Pitman.”
“Good. Then take the kids home. I’ll let you know what I find out. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Blu waited until Chief Pitman was back in the patrol car, then she turned her car around.
As she drove back toward the beach, she realized that even though she considered herself a good investigator, there were some things that she didn’t think through. She needed to be more careful when the kids were in her care.
Chapter 15
Blu drove back toward the beach. One glance in the back seat told her that the kids were still a bit shaken by being pulled over. She decided it was time to brighten their mood.
“Pizza time!”
She turned down the road that led to the pizza place. The kids began to chant their desire for pizza. Blu pulled into the parking lot and was about to park when she noticed that the pizza place was not open.
“Pizza, pizza, pizza!” Joey and Marley chanted.
Blu gulped as she realized that it was the only pizza place she knew of. She thought about doing a search for one, but after what happened with Marta’s address she didn’t want to risk it. However, if she didn’t get some pizza in front of the two kids in her back seat she was fairly certain that she would be in quite a bit of danger.
After a moment she dialed AJ’s number.
/> “Well, hello there, I thought maybe you lost my num—”
“—No time for that, AJ. I need to find a pizza place.”
“Vincenzo’s is great.”
“I agree, but it’s also closed. I was hoping that you might know of another place.”
“I might.”
Blu could barely hear him over the demands for pizza coming from the back seat. “AJ, please, the kids are ready to chew through the interior.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you about my favorite pizza place—it’s only for locals, not for tourists, but you have to promise me one thing.”
“What?” She was quite enjoying his teasing.
“I get to join you for lunch.”
Blu smiled at the thought. “Alright, I guess I can promise that.”
“Great. I’ll text you the address and meet you there.”
“Thanks, AJ.”
Blu hung up the phone. An instant later the address came through. Blu drove the few blocks to it. If it weren’t for AJ’s directions, she never would have found it. The pizza place was a tiny shop in a strip mall, it only had two tables inside.
“Hello?”
“Hi there.” A man stepped out of the back room. “How can I help you?”
“One large cheese pizza and garlic knots please.”
“Okay, it will be ready in about ten minutes.” He smiled and winked at the kids.
Right after Blu got the kids settled at one of the tables, the door to the pizza shop swung open. Blu looked up to see AJ’s thick frame filling the doorway. She smiled without meaning to and when he smiled back she blushed.
“My hero.”
“If all it takes is a pizza place, then I’m getting off easy.”
“You have no idea what it’s like to be held hostage by two hungry children. Trust me, you’re my hero.” Blu sat down at the table.
AJ sat down across from her and looked at the kids. “Well, you two are in for a treat. This is the best pizza in the state.”
“Really?” Blu glanced over her shoulder at the menu on the wall. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“When you live in a tourist town, you learn to keep the best local places a secret, otherwise you’ll never get a chance to eat the food. If this place was flooded with tourists, then they’d have to expand, raise prices, change their menus, hire new help, and by next year it wouldn’t even be recognizable.”
“I’ve never thought about it that way.” Blu smiled at the man in a white apron who brought out their pizza. “Wait! Joey, it’s hot.” She shooed away his hand as he reached for a slice.
“I’ll do that.” The man smiled and served them each a slice on a paper plate.
“Thank you.” Blu grabbed Marley’s plate to cut up the pizza.
“So I heard you had a run-in with my uncle this morning.”
“You did?”
“Yes. Let’s just say he called me to tell me what you did.”
“I don’t understand. Why would he call you?”
“Because he was worried about you, Blu. And I guess he thinks that I might be able to get through to you.”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the two of you talking about me.”
“I don’t blame you.” AJ smiled. “That’s why I’m here with you, not lecturing you about how dangerous your little field trip was today.”
“That sounds a little like a lecture.”
“It’s just conversation.”
Blu handed Marley back her pizza. “Look, I respect your uncle but he’s not exactly delicate. The way Oliver described Marta was so sweet. I just wanted a chance to get a glimpse of her. I mean Oliver just lost his father, I didn’t want him to lose his girlfriend too—not if he didn’t need to.”
“Well, that’s very thoughtful of you, but did you ever consider that Marta and Oliver might have planned the whole thing?”
Blu blinked. She stared down at her slice of pizza. “Not really.”
“Or you just don’t want to think it?”
“Maybe.” She glanced up at him. “I know Marta was there. I saw her run past me.”
“And you know that Oliver was there. It’s rather convenient that he would be fully visible at his hot dog cart while Marta took care of their problem.”
“But was he a problem?”
“Maybe Oliver didn’t want to wait to inherit the family business.”
“A hot dog cart?” Blu shook her head. “No. Oliver said that Emile was having money problems. There wouldn’t be much to inherit.”
“That’s what Oliver told you.” AJ leaned across the table and met her eyes. “Con artists come in all shapes and sizes, Blu. I saw the way he spoke to you last night. I saw how he had you wrapped around his finger, dangling on his every word.”
Chapter 16
Blu stared at AJ with a quirked eyebrow. “I’m sorry? You saw all of that? Because all I saw was a grieving son who was struggling with his loss. I think you got the wrong impression, AJ, and I don’t appreciate what you’re implying.”
AJ frowned and glanced over at the kids, who were fighting over a garlic knot. “I didn’t mean to imply anything. I guess I just want to be sure that you’re keeping a clear head about all this.”
“Joey, share it with your sister.” Blu turned her attention back to AJ. “It’s your uncle’s job to follow the facts of the case. But I trust my instincts. Maybe Oliver is a con artist like you think, but I don’t think he’s a killer.”
“Maybe not. But maybe his girlfriend is.”
“Do you know something that I don’t?”
“My uncle did some research on Marta’s family. They’ve been involved in organized crime. In fact several of her relatives still are.”
“Seriously?” Blu raised an eyebrow. “That’s unexpected.”
“You see?” He held her gaze. “This case is going to get dangerous fast. I just want you to exercise some caution.”
“I will.” Blu nodded. “From now on, I will.”
AJ focused on his slice of pizza for a moment, then he cleared his throat. “So I got this strange text from Maddie.”
Blu pressed the heel of her palm to her forehead. “I know, I’m sorry.”
“Why? I enjoy roller-skating.”
“You do?”
He grinned. “I need a rematch. You ran me ragged on the sand yesterday. Let’s see if I can skate circles around you. Hm? Are you going to be there?”
Blu gritted her teeth. She could imagine how embarrassing it would be when she fell flat on her rear in front of AJ.
“I’m not a very good skater.”
“Oh? I can teach you.”
“Are we going roller-skating with Brennan? I want to go Blu, please!” said Joey.
“Alright, alright.” Blu laughed. “I’ll give it a try. But I’m warning you, I’m going to spend more time on the floor than I am on my skates.”
“Not with me around to catch you.” AJ smiled as he took his last bite of pizza.
Blu smiled across the table at him. His confident nature was infectious.
“That could be fun.”
“It will be. You need a break from all this, and the kids need a fun afternoon.”
“I guess you’re right. We’ll meet you there.”
“Perfect.”
After they left the pizza place, Blu and the kids spent some time at the beach. As she watched the kids build sandcastles she felt a subtle flutter in her chest. Their youth shielded them from what the rest of the world couldn’t ignore. Life was hard at times and impossible at others.
Her thoughts returned to the fact that Emile had been faced with financial difficulties. How desperate was he? He had lied to his son about where he was. He had lied to his wife about the company he kept. Would it be so much of a stretch to think that rather than securing a legal loan he’d possibly gotten himself involved with a loan shark?
If that was the case, then perhaps Marta wasn’t innocent at all. Perhaps she had been at that lighthouse to do business
for her family. Oliver might not have even known that Marta was there.
She pulled out her phone and thumbed through the notes she’d made about the case. Not once had Oliver mentioned that he knew Marta was there at the lighthouse.
As she watched the children play, she dialed Oliver’s number. It rang three times before he answered.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Oliver. It’s Blu.”
“Oh. Hi.”
“Are you busy right now?”
“Not really.”
“Oliver, I want to ask you a question and I’d appreciate it if you were honest with me.”
“Okay, sure.”
“Did you know that Marta was at the lighthouse? The day that your father died?”
“Yes. Of course I did. I mean, she was there with me.”
“She was? Because you seemed pretty surprised when you saw the sketch of her.”
“What?” He paused. “How did you know about that?”
“Just answer the question, Oliver.”
“Look, Marta was there. I didn’t identify her when I saw the sketch because with her family’s history, I knew that the wrong assumptions would be made.”
“I guess you didn’t know that I saw her there? I’m the one who gave the information to make the sketch.”
“No, I didn’t know that. I wish you would have told me. Are you a cop or something?”
“No, I’m not a cop—just a nanny. Oliver, I’m not trying to cause you trouble. I want to help you and your father. But in order to do that you have to be honest with me.”
“I am being honest with you. Marta was there because I was there—not for any other reason.”
“She must have been to the top of that lighthouse plenty of times before. You don’t think it was strange that she was at the top of the lighthouse with your father when you didn’t even know that he was there?”
“What I think is strange is that my father is dead and you are calling me to harass me. I don’t have anything to say to you. It’s bad enough they arrested Marta. Now I’m going to have to figure out how to come up with bail money—all because of your sketch.”
“She was there, Oliver. Whether you want to face the facts or not, she was there.”
