“Beats siting in a hotel room pondering what happened to Kirby, right?” He took the cap off and fluffed out his flattened curls. “He wouldn’t want you to be depressed.”
They passed tourists from another group and checked out CD’s.
“You ever going to tell me why you and Kirby fell out?” Tate leaned against the shelf with his arms crossed. “He never wanted to talk about it either.”
“Did Kirby ever tell you about his past?” She hooked her fingers together. “About right before he came to Jamaica?”
“You mean him going to prison for four years for check fraud? Yeah.”
“I turned him in.”
He shook his head, batting his eyes. “Excuse me?”
She waited for two women with arms full of items to pass before continuing, “I turned him into the police.”
“Whoa.”
“So, now you see why he hated me.” She clasped her hands behind her back. “I ratted my brother out and he got prison time for it.”
“I can see why he’d be mad, but it wasn’t your fault. He did the crime and he couldn’t expect you to hide that.”
She shrugged. “He confided in me, and I betrayed his trust and went right to the police.”
“Kirby was a grown man who made his own decisions.” He moved aside for people to walk by. “What he did was wrong and he had to pay for that. He told me that prison changed him for the better so he had you to thank for that.”
She wiggled her toes in her sandals. “He didn’t see it that way.”
“Well, you did what any law abiding citizen would do.”
“I could’ve turned the other cheek.”
“Not you.” He tapped her nose. “You’re an honest person with morals and values. You wouldn’t have lived with yourself if you had said nothing. I don’t blame you. I’d have done the same thing.”
She exhaled, the guilt she’d felt for years escaping her body. “You would?”
“I believe people should pay for their mistakes. When you do something wrong, you need to own up to it. It’s the only way we become better people. You can’t live your life according to someone else’s rulebook, Kayla.”
“I appreciate that but it’s easier said than done.”
Her cell rang.
“Excuse me.” She dug it from her purse and answered, “Hello?”
“Miss Kayla Atkins?” a laid back, Jamaican accent cruised through the line. “It’s Inspector Gerain Wright.”
“Oh, Inspector Wright.” She looked at Tate. “Do you have any news?”
“Can you come down to the station?”
“Sure.” She checked her watch. “I’m on a tour with Mr. O’Keefe, but I can get a taxi.”
“That will be fine. See you soon.”
She hung up the phone. “I got to get a taxi.” She activated the taxi locator app on her phone. “Inspector Wright needs to see me right away.”
“Hold on, I’ll go with you.”
“What about the tour?”
“I’ll wrap it up and we can go to the station together.”
“You sure? I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
He gripped her shoulders as he walked around her. “If Wright has information about the murder I wanna be the first to know about it.”
CHAPTER 5
Inspector Wright shook Kayla and Tate’s hands when they entered the stuffy office, which smelled of dust and old papers.
“How are you?” Wright’s voice held a rhythmic flow due to his sharp accent. “Please sit down.” He sat behind the lopsided desk beside a stack of phone books piled on the floor.
Tate held Kayla’s chair as she sat. “Thank you,” she told him then focused on Wright.
Wright resembled an imperial statue in his uniform, a khaki jacket and shirt with epaulets on the shoulders. “How are you finding Jamaica so far?” He straightened the black peaked cap, giving Kayla a peek at his trimmed flat top.
“It’s beautiful.” Kayla crossed her legs in the green and white striped maxi dress. “Wish I were here under better circumstances though.”
“I’m surprised to see you here, Mr. O’Keefe.” Wright’s hazel eyes fought for attention against his coal-black skin.
“I’m helping Kayla. We both wanna find out who killed Kirby.”
“This news…” Wright steadied his gaze on Kayla. “You might find it uncomfortable to take, Miss Atkins.”
“I don’t care what it is as long as it gets us to the killer.”
“We’re done looking at your brother’s computer.” Wright rubbed his mouth, his gold wedding band sparkling. “Kirby frequented a dating sight and had been chatting with people and hooking up.”
“I told you.” Kayla clutched Tate’s wrist. “He wasn’t faithful to Sakina.”
“This can’t be true.” Tate touched the desk. “If Kirby was meeting people off the Internet, he would’ve told me.”
“You keep thinking he told you everything.” Kayla huffed. “No one tells anybody everything. It wasn’t in Kirby’s blood to be faithful. He was just like our father. So, who are these women? Do you think one of them killed him?”
Wright leaned back in the leather chair, tapping his pencil. “He wasn’t meeting women.”
Tate’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“Kirby was chatting with men.” Wright twirled the pencil between his fingers. “He was on a gay website talking to gay men.”
“Wait, a minute.” A chuckle caught in Kayla’s throat. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Tate gaped. “Are you saying Kirby was gay?”
“No damn way,” Kayla said. “My brother wasn’t gay. You gotta be mistaken.”
“I can’t speak to his sexual orientation,” Wright said. “But, he was meeting men, and it wasn’t to play chess. We read many messages between him and several guys and they were explicit.”
“I was closer to Kirby than anyone.” Tate gripped the arms of the chair. “There’s no way he could’ve been gay and hid it from me.”
“According to the computer he met with a least four men to have sex.”
“God.” Kayla covered her mouth. “It’s like he was a damn stranger, Tate.”
He rubbed his forehead, lip dragging on the floor.
“I didn’t know him at all.” Kayla’s heart dropped to her gut. “Not at all.”
“I’m sorry to relay this news but the investigation is what’s important.” Wright rocked. “It’s a possibility that a man he met online killed him. He might’ve started a relationship, and it turned bad. No one is stabbed fourteen times by just anyone. It has to be someone emotionally involved with your brother. Someone who snapped.”
“Can you give me names of these men?” Kayla asked.
“It’s police business and you need to let us handle it.”
“I’m not going away.” She raised her head. “I came here for answers and I’ll get them.”
“We don’t have real names yet. They used user names, so it’ll take us time to find identities.”
“Were the men local?” Tate asked.
“They all seem to be from the area, yes.” Wright reached across the desk toward Kayla. “I promise you we’ll do all we can to get this person. We don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
Kayla became woozy when she stood.
“Whoa.” Tate put his arms around her and the feeling subsided.
Wright stood, holding onto his chair. “Are you all right, Miss Atkins?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I won’t be all right until you get the bastard who killed my brother.”
“MALISSA?” Kayla tore through the hotel lobby and grabbed the five-foot-seven Malissa DaSilva into a bear hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, girl.” The copper-blonde beauty reciprocated the affection. “Did I surprise you?”
“Did you?” Kayla squealed, tugging on Malissa’s hands. “You shocked the hell out of me.”
Tate sauntered into the lounge, smi
ling. “Hello.”
“Mm.” Malissa tightened her lips, watching Tate as if he’d popped out of a cake naked. “Well, hello.” She held her hand out to him, putting on airs. “I’m Malissa DaSilva.”
“I’m Tate O’Keefe.” He kissed her hand and winked.
“My, my.” She scanned his fine frame. “And, who is this, Kayla?”
“This is Kirby’s best friend.” She pulled up the strap of her maxi dress. “He’s been helping me try to find out what happened.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Tate.” Malissa held her skinny hip. “Leave it to Kayla to find a man anywhere she goes. Men love her.”
Tate smirked at Kayla.
“Stop.” Kayla nudged Malissa. “What are you doing here?”
“I felt horrible for not coming with you. I couldn’t let my bestie struggle in the horrid trap of Jamaica and me not be here for support.”
Tate scoffed. “Horrid trap?”
“She’s being funny.” Kayla smiled. “What she means is she couldn’t wait to get down here and partake in all this tropical seduction.”
“It’s not just that.” Malissa put her arm around Kayla’s shoulders. “My conscience was killing me, and I want to help you find out what happened to Kirby.” She let Kayla go, holding out her arms. “So, I got an extended vacation from work and here I am.”
“Girl.” Kayla hugged her, beaming. “I’m so glad to see you. It means the world you came.”
“I love this hotel.” Malissa glanced around the elegant room of deep brown hues, bobbing her head. “At least you’re traveling in style.” Her focus made its way back to Tate. “Here I was thinking you were alone when you have this hunk at your disposal.”
Tate lowered his head, blushing. “I’m gonna take off, Kayla.”
“Okay.” She smiled, wiggling.
“It was nice to meet you again, Malissa. Kayla, call me if you need to.”
“I will.”
Tate left the lounge with both women’s stares glued to his tight, muscular ass.
“Ooh, wee.” Malissa leaned back, fanning her face. “It’s just like he stepped out of a romance novel or something.”
Kayla laughed.
“He is fine.” The freckles danced on Malissa’s pink cheeks. “You two getting it on?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kayla sat in the suede armchair and put her legs on the rest. “I just met the man yesterday.”
“You two seem chummy for just meeting yesterday.” Malissa sat in the chair beside Kayla, her luggage by her feet. “There were sparks all over this lounge.”
“Girl, please.” Kayla laid her head back and closed her eyes. “I’m not here for a man.”
“That man likes you, Kay. You see how he was blushing?”
“He was blushing because you embarrassed the hell out of him.”
“Did I?” Malissa poked her lips out, wobbling her head.
“Get any idea out your head about trying to hook me up with Tate. I’m here for one thing.”
“It’s Jamaica though. Doesn’t mean you can’t have fun while you’re here.”
“Malissa.” Kayla ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m serious. I’m scared.”
“Of what?” Malissa sipped from her yellow cocktail. “It’s pineapple. You want me to order you one?”
“I found out my brother might’ve been gay and meeting local men online.”
The straw slid from Malissa’s mouth. “Wow.”
“I can’t believe this. Kirby gay? This entire thing is a mess. Do I even want to find out what happened? What if I stumble onto some secret I can’t accept?” Kayla rubbed her forehead. “If it weren’t for Tate, I’d had a breakdown.”
“You got me now too and I’m going to do my best to help. I want you to get the answers you need.”
“Thanks so much.” Kayla hugged her, sniffing the lemon scent of Malissa’s shampoo. “You’ve always been there when I needed you.”
“And, I always will be.” Malissa stroked Kayla’s hair. “Does the police think a man from the Internet killed Kirby?”
“It’s possible. They have to find out who the men are and who he met, etcetera.”
“You should take a break from this for at least a day because I’m worried you’re getting too stressed out.”
“This is what I came here for.”
“Yeah, but you’re on information overload and you need time to process things so you can think straight. You won’t do any good if you get burned out. Kayla, we’re in Jamaica!” she howled.
People in the lounge gawked at them.
“One of the most beautiful islands in the world.” Malissa bounced in the chair. “You’ve never been out of Florida and this might be your last chance to come here. You owe it to yourself to let your hair down.”
“I’d feel guilty. How can I celebrate when I’m supposed to find out who killed Kirby?”
“You’re doing more than most people would for a brother who wasn’t talking to her.” Malissa rolled her eyes. “It’s ridiculous Kirby held a grudge for so long. Family is more important than anything. There’s a festival downtown tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, Tate mentioned it but I told him I wasn’t sure if I’d go.”
“Oh, you’re going now.” Malissa danced in her seat. “There will be dancing, drinking, music, and men. The perfect chance for you to unwind and clear your thoughts. You can focus on Kirby the day after.”
“Leave it to you.” Kayla shook her head, grinning. “You haven’t been here a day yet and already found a party.”
Malissa stood, wiggling her hips.
“Tate said the festival will be huge.” Kayla lifted her chin. “Nine times out of ten someone who knows what happened will be there.” She stood, fixing her dress. “Good idea, Malissa.”
She sighed. “You’re supposed to go for fun, Kay.”
Kayla got her purse off the chair. “You go for your reasons and I’ll go for mine.”
CHAPTER 6
“Woo, wee!” Malissa pulled Kayla through the crowded downtown street the next night.
Kayla couldn’t see two feet in front of her and everywhere she stepped, she bumped into someone. People of various ages and nationalities danced to up-tempo reggae courtesy of a live band.
Malissa swung in circles, dragging Kayla passed adults with liquor and kids with sodas and lollipops.
“What are all these kids doing out here?” Kayla asked. “It’s almost midnight.”
“This is Jamaica, girl.” Malissa pulled Kayla in line at a rusty food truck. “They party all night long no matter the age.” She ordered two Jamaican patties and handed one to Kayla. “These things are to die for.”
“This is the hundredth one you’ve had today.” Kayla bit into the savory pastry, her palate greeted with spicy pork and Jamaican seasonings.
“Enjoying yourself?” Malissa chomped. “Finally getting a real taste of Jamaica.”
Kayla wiped crumbs from her mouth. “It’s overwhelming.”
Gorgeous, curvaceous black women strutted in skimpy bikinis that left nothing to the imagination.
“Look at her.” Kayla pointed to a woman with a giant headdress on who gyrated her hips at one hundred miles per hour; the sparkles on her outfit caught the streetlights. “How does she move like that?”
“How did she get into that bikini?” Malissa gaped. “I could be naked and I’d have on more clothes than some of these women.”
A group of American tourists flirted with Malissa and Kayla on their way to the food stands.
“The whole city’s probably here,” Kayla said. “Someone has to know about Kirby’s murder.”
Men ran through the crowd, waving green and yellow streamers.
“Knowing about it and telling you are two different things.” Malissa finished her patty. “Few people wanna get involved in a murder investigation.”
“I have to try.”
They inched their way across the street and to the seating space under t
he lit tents.
“Hey, ladies.” Tate strolled their way in thin white slacks, sneakers with no socks and a white and red island shirt.
Kayla smiled, glad she’d chosen her strapless white dress.
“Kayla.” Tate’s eyebrows reached his forehead. “That dress.”
“Thank you.”
He smiled, rubbing his hands. “You have a great eye for what you look good in.”
Malissa chuckled under her breath.
“I thought you weren’t coming.” Tate sat on the bench beside Kayla.
“Malissa changed my mind.”
“She needs to have fun.” Malissa propped her elbows on the table.
“Glad you came out.” Tate smiled. “You can’t tell me Jamaica isn’t wooing you.”
“I love it here.” A warm breeze swept across her face. “I can see why you fell in love with it.”
The band began another fast song as people twisted to the African drum beat.
“Ooh.” Tate wiggled, snapping his fingers. “Feel that beat, Kayla?”
Malissa snickered.
“You like to dance?” Tate swiveled, surprising Kayla by how he moved. “What you looking at me like that for? Thought I couldn’t dance to these beats?”
“No.” Kayla giggled. “It’s not that.”
“You’ve been misjudging me since we met.” He stood, grabbing her hand. “Don’t let the ‘white guy from Jersey’ fool you. I’m just as Jamaican as the natives are now. It’s in my blood. Let’s dance.”
Kayla took her hand from his. “I—”
“Go on.” Malissa picked her teeth. “Kay’s a great dancer.”
“That sounds like a challenge.” Tate helped her off the bench and led her to the crowd.
“I don’t know about this.” Kayla tensed up. “I’m getting shy suddenly.”
“Let that go.” Tate grabbed her hands, swinging his small hips from left to right.
Kayla mimicked the action, adding a twirl to it.
“There you go.” Tate did a slick step-and-slide and then turned in a circle.
“You got moves, huh?” Kayla laughed. “Where did you learn to dance like this?”
“It’s natural.” He rotated his body as if he were a snake. “When I was a kid, I just started dancing. No one had to teach me.”
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