SILENCE IS GOLDEN
(A Pet Psychic Mystery No. 3)
Shannon Esposito
Copyright © Shannon Esposito, 2013
Published by misterio press
Visit Shannon Esposito's official website at
http://www.murderinparadise.com/
Cover by India Drummond
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Dedicated to Rainey, my golden girl.
CHAPTER ONE
Does everyone in St. Pete have a secret? That was the question foremost in Victoria's mind during her run. She had discovered two shocking secrets in the past week alone. One she would keep. The other she couldn't. Checking her watch as she and Goldie stopped in front of Fresco's Waterfront Bistro, she fought to steady her breath from the three-mile jog and smiled down at her panting golden retriever. "We made good time, girl."
Pulling the backpack off her shoulder, she pushed aside the secrets for now and rifled through it with a sense of well being. She was finally taking care of herself, and it was paying off. At forty-five she was in better shape than she had been in her twenties when she first married Eugene. If only she could go back in time and tell her naive, meek self how it would turn out. So much of her life and energy had been spent trying to be enough for him. She still loved him, but he wasn't her priority any longer. Taking care of herself and Goldie, that was her focus now. Time has a way of making you sort out your priorities. Especially after a death.
Locating the water and portable dog bowl, she poured just a few mouthfuls.
Her three-year-old golden retriever sat obediently, tongue lolling, bright eyes sparkling as she waited.
"Here you go."
Goldie stuck her snout in the bowl and lapped up the water, licking the bowl dry and then grinning up at her with foam and drool dripping from her chin.
Victoria chuckled and took a long pull from the water bottle herself, then stuffed it—and the bowl—back in her pack. She scratched the dog under her wet chin.
"You can have more after you cool down. Come on, baby girl."
She still had about twenty minutes before Jade would be meeting her. Wiping at the sweat dripping down her face, she felt her heart skip. She couldn't wait to see the look on Jade's face when she showed her what she'd found in her late Uncle Renny's attic. Why didn't he leave any instructions for what to do with it? She supposed it didn't matter. Jade would be the one he'd want to have it. It wasn't like he tried to hide the fact Jade Harjo was the love of his life. Well, at least after Auntie Harriet died he didn't. Before her death, it was the secret everyone pretended not to know about, even Aunt Harriet. The skeleton in their family closet. Anyway, Jade would have to be careful with the artifact and who she showed it to. Would she give it to the museum? Keep it hidden like Uncle Renny did?
A soft woof! came from Goldie as she walked glued to Victoria's side, head up, sniffing the salty evening air.
Victoria startled and glanced around. "What is it, girl?"
There was no movement she could see. Dusk was settling. This was usually her favorite time of day but even as her breathing and heart rate returned to normal, anxiety tightened her gut. She mentally dug around, trying to find its source, but couldn't pinpoint it. Shaking it off, she continued to lead Goldie along the strip of parking lot between 2nd Avenue and the boats docked in the bay. The slapping of water against the boat hulls was hypnotic, and she let herself be soothed by the sound. The dusty purple and orange sunset had morphed into a smoky gray sky.
Why hadn't she and Eugene ever bought a boat? Goldie loved the water. She'd have to talk to Eugene about that. She knew nothing about boats. She sighed. If he ever spoke to her again. Oh, who was she kidding? He'd be angry for awhile and then they would make up. They always did. At least she had this. This predictability in their relationship. She was doing the right thing, and he'd just have to get over it.
Car lights swooped over them as someone turned onto the strip of blacktop. Victoria steered Goldie to the side, moving into the parking spaces, closer to the boats. She eyed a white boat. Even without the sails raised on the poles, it was an elegant creation. She could picture herself, Eugene and Goldie lounging in the middle of the bay in a sailboat. Yeah, that'd be nice. It would give them something to do as a family, too. Something in common.
The car's engine spun loudly. Glancing back, irritation stirred in her chest. She squinted into the headlights. Why was the driver going so fast? What a jerk. This was a parking lot, not a speedway for crying out loud. She pulled Goldie deeper into the empty parking spaces to give this idiot plenty of room.
Her next glance back threw her heart into her throat as the headlights blinded her. She screamed. A loud thud burst in her head. Helpless, she tumbled over the hood and smashed into the windshield. Then the pavement came at her at blinding speed, cracking her skull, her shoulder and legs as she tumbled across it like a rag doll.
The world had gone silent. Her head pounded in that silence like a far off drum. Tiny shells and pebbles from the pavement pressed into her right cheek. As she listened to her own shallow, rattling breath, she watched the car turn around and stop in front of her. The door swung open. Lights so bright. Black heels and familiar legs stepped out, stumbled and then ran toward her. She shifted her eyes. They were the only thing she could move. Where was Goldie? Goldie! A sob stuck in her throat. She wanted to scream, Find Goldie! Why would you do this? No sound would come. Her eyelids fluttered. So heavy. An eerie peace settled over her like a warm blanket, taking away all feeling in her body as she sank into the darkness.
CHAPTER TWO
I leaned against the crow's nest railing of the 70-foot pirate ship, enjoying the rush of cool air over my face and gazing at the wedding party dancing the Macarena on the deck below. They were all decked out in pirate outfits, except for the bride, who twirled and stepped along despite being in a floor-length, sparkly white gown. I chuckled as I noticed her tiara had been replaced by a pirate hat. From princess to pirate bride, now that's a good day. Between the hum of the engine and the loud music, I felt immersed in the small space and celebration, and my heart was just bursting with all the happiness buzzing around me.
"What do ye say, me beauty? Wanna dance with this ol' land lubber?" Will growled into my ear. His body was pressed against mine, one hand on either side of the railing. I felt protected from the chill of the February night air and content to be right where I was, enfolded in his arms.
"You're so sexy when you talk pirate." I chuckled. "Maybe if they play something slower." Between the champagne that had flowed in plastic cups after the ceremony and the motion of the ship, I was sure attempting the Macarena—a dance I had never learned—would leave someone with bruised toes... or me with a bruised ego.
When Will first asked me to be his date for his co-worker's wedding on Captain Memo's Pirate Ship, I thought he was joking. Turned out, nope. Real pirate ship, real wedding. But, I have to say, so far it has been an evening I won't soon forget. Not to mention the first wedding I've ever been to. Our family back in Savannah didn't get invited to many social events. As in none. Ever. But, moving to St. Pete last summer has given me an opportunity to make up for lost time
. There's always somebody celebrating something in this town.
As the song ended, I noticed the ship was turning, getting ready to make the return trip back to the marina. I sighed, moving my attention from the wedding party to the horizon. I didn't want this night to end. The brilliant gold sunset, that everyone had paused to snap pictures of, had given way to a purple-hued sky with just a touch of pink left of the show. I was surprised at how close we had stayed to land. It was now a swath of green between the darkening sky and gray water, the rows of rectangular buildings lit up like a string of white Christmas lights along the coast.
The sound of bells being struck twice rang through the air, bringing my attention back to the ship. That was the signal for us to cover our ears, so we did. Whistles erupted as one of the pirate crew brought out a small, hand-held canon. We could see people waving from the St. Pete pier. Everyone shouted back as they held their hands over their ears. Boom! The canon spit smoke that billowed up from the deck and then quickly got swept away. Everyone cheered and another song with a heavy beat sent the partygoers into fits of dancing once again.
Will snuggled his nose into my neck and pressed his body against me. "You smell good."
"You feel good." I smiled. My gaze fluttered and then narrowed as something in the water between us and shore caught my eye. Small splashes were breaking the surface. I leaned further over the railing. Maybe a pelican in distress? It was only about thirty yards away from us, but the fading light made it hard to make out details.
"What is that?" I pointed. Will leaned further over, narrowing his eyes at the disturbance in the water. We were both silent as we watched.
"I can't tell. I don't think it's a person, looks too small. Maybe some kind of big fish that's injured?"
"I'd bet my bottom dollar the captain has binoculars."
Will kissed the top of my head and sighed. "Let's go ask." He knew by now my curiosity always got the best of me and so we made our way down the stairs, through the crowd of dancers and up two more flights of stairs to the captain's deck.
"'Excuse me, Captain," Will said. "Would you happen to have a pair of binoculars we could borrow?"
"Aye!" The captain smiled, staying in character. "That I would, Matey." He reached down into the wood shelves below the wheel and handed them to Will. As Will adjusted them, the captain asked, "Dolphins?"
"Not sure."
The captain smiled at me, his cheeks flushed, his eyes gleaming, obviously enjoying his work. "Having a good time, Lassie?"
I nodded. "Yes, thank you. Great ship you've got here."
"Aye, She's a beaut, she is."
Will pulled his eyes away from the binoculars, frowned and handed them to me. "Darwin, take a look and tell me what you think it is."
Shoving them against my eyes, I scanned the water until I found the disturbance and it felt like the world stopped. "Oh heavens! Will, I think that's a dog!"
"That's what I think, too."
"A dog?" The captain's smile and pirate accent disappeared. I nodded and handed him the binoculars. "Well, I'll be—"
"We have to help him or he's going to drown out there. Can we get closer?" I crossed my arms over my chest as my heart began to flutter with anxiety.
The captain glanced up at me, his brows pressed down with concern, and then he grabbed the wheel. "I have a bunch of animal lovers on my crew. Don't think they'd forgive me if I didn't."
He powered the ship down. It cut smoothly through the water as he brought it back around towards the dog. Then he took another peek through the binoculars. "Though, not sure we'll reach him in time. Looks like his head is going under." He stopped the music and called out over the loudspeaker. "Man overboard!"
I watched, fascinated, as the crew below us sprang into action. Two pirate women emerged quickly with life rings while two others herded the wedding party and guests away from the swinging door on the side of the ship that would give them access to the water. A life raft was quickly shuttled to that door.
"What's a dog doing that far away from land?" Will shook his head and scanned the surrounding water. "I don't see any boats around that he could have fallen from."
"Don't know but here's the catch." The captain glanced up at Will, worry now pinching the corners of his eyes. "We aren't allowed to actually get in the water, per Coast Guard regulations. Usually with humans, that's not a problem. We deploy the life raft, they get in and we pull 'em to safety. With a dog? Not sure how we're going to get that critter on the raft."
Will held up his hand. "Say no more." He motioned for me to follow him, and we made our way quickly back down the stairs to the crew members holding the raft.
"Sir, we need you to go to the other side of the ship." A worried crew member stopped him. The others were scanning the water in confusion.
Will kept his voice calm but urgent. "The captain has told me about your regulations concerning rescue. This isn't a human overboard, it's a dog. The only way to save it is for me to go out there in the raft. You're not allowed, I understand, but there's nothing stopping me."
She shared a confused glance with her coworker, and they both scanned the water further out until they saw the distressed animal.
"Oh!" she said in surprise. Turning back to Will, she nodded and they lowered the raft into the water. Will removed his jacket, shoes and watch, handing them to me.
"Hurry," I said. We were close enough now that I could see the dog's head disappearing beneath the surface. His energy was depleted. We weren't going to reach him in time.
There was only one thing to do.
As Will climbed down into the raft, I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, following the salty air in and out of my lungs and moving my attention to the place where I could connect with the water. When I reached my center and felt my mind flow in sync with the water, I opened my eyes and concentrated on the area around the dog. Gathering the water around it and beneath it, like a cradle, I watched the dog's body bob up to the surface. Then I pulled the water toward us with everything I had. The boat rocked gently.
Come on, boy. Just hang on a little bit longer. I pulled back slowly, being mindful to concentrate on keeping his head above the surface. Energy dissipated from me at an alarming pace.
I had been practicing, doing small exercises since I had decided it was irresponsible to shun my gift, but this was my first big test of control. My legs felt heavy and began to tremble. I held on tighter to the edge of the ship for support and made an effort to refocus. A surge of energy flowed out of me. Fifteen feet. We could see him clearly now, floating limp, barely treading with his front legs. Ten. My eyes watered with the effort and the wind. The crew had gathered around us, their voices escalating as the gap between Will and the dog closed. Five feet.
The light had faded fast. The captain shined a powerful flashlight on the dog as Will used his hands to paddle toward it. Almost there.
When Will slipped his arms underneath the soggy, limp animal and dragged it onto the raft, cheers erupted around me. I collapsed against the railing, pulling my energy back inward to feed my exhausted mind and body. Will's phone buzzed in his jacket at my feet.
Leave a message. He's kind of busy at the moment.
The crew hurried blankets over as Will cradled the wet, shaking dog in his arms. I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Will's shoulders while someone wrapped another one around the dog.
"He's alive. That's a miracle. Any tags?" I asked, gently drying its head with a corner, being careful not to make contact here in front of all these people. A dog in the middle of the Bay had surely suffered some trauma. I needed to get the dog alone to find out what happened, and see if we could get him back to his owner.
"Nope. No collar. It's okay now, you're safe," Will cooed to the dog as he joined me in rubbing it with the blanket. I was grateful for the bodies gathered around us as they blocked the wind. Some of Will's police pals, giddy from the rescue and all the champagne, were already giving him a hard time about being a hero.
He tried to act annoyed but I could tell he was happy this little guy was okay.
"It's a golden retriever," I said to Will. "Looks well taken care of. Somebody's gotta be missing it." The poor thing was panting and shaking, the whites of its eyes showing as it gazed off in shock. But it was alive. I briefly glanced up and thanked the stars for that.
Will carefully checked each of its legs for injury, moving each one slowly. No yelping. That was a good sign. I watched him move his hands along the dog's body under the blanket. A little flinch.
"Might have a sore rib, but I don't think it's broken." He looked up at a pirate lady. "Let's get him some fresh water." Then he continued gently rubbing the dog's ears and neck with the blanket. He sighed and pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. "Darwin, can you find my phone? We'll get him to the emergency vet after we dock. I'll let them know we're coming."
I nodded and went to retrieve his things.
When I handed him the phone, he glanced at it and visibly stiffened. As the dog greedily lapped at the fresh water he was given, Will listened to a message and dialed a number. But, it wasn't the emergency vet he was calling. He was the homicide detective on call, and a body had been found.
CHAPTER THREE
While Will struggled to change quickly into a dry pair of clothes from the trunk of his car, I took the opportunity to finally be alone with the dog.
Will had carried her—we'd discovered it was a female—through the parking lot back to his car and laid her on the blanket in the backseat. I knelt down in front of the open door now and looked into her scared, brown eyes. My heart twisted in my chest.
"Okay, girl, let's see what you have to tell me about your little evening swim." Taking a deep breath, I exhaled and rested my palms gently on either side of her head.
Zap! A force hit me like I had just bounced off a brick wall. I raised an arm to my face as blinding white light assaulted my senses. An impact like a bomb exploded in my head. The world spun as I tumbled. Panic. A sweet smell. Lilacs? The need to run consumed me. Splash! Cold water surrounded me.
Silence Is Golden (A Pet Psychic Mystery No. 3) Page 1
