by Carolyn Rae
He drove away and tried to plan tomorrow’s activities to search out the jewel thief, but he couldn’t stop thinking of her soft, kissable lips.
The next morning Justin slept late. It was ten-thirty by the time he drove to the Super Min. Luke had said Charity and Patience, who ran the store knew all the village gossip.
Inside, he walked down an aisle between a rack of candy and snacks across from cold remedies and first aid supplies. He spotted a short woman with caramel-colored hair behind the counter. Her name tag said Charity Grambling. “Ms. Grambling, I wonder if you could help me with some information.”
“I’ll try. What is it you want to know?”
Glancing over his shoulder at two customers several yards away, he leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “My friend, Lucas McBain, is worried about claims of missing jewelry. He said you might have heard gossip about anyone else missing jewelry. Has anyone offered opinions as to who might be likely to steal some?”
Charity leaned closer and whispered. “I haven’t heard anyone being mentioned, but you might check with Barbara Pennick, who runs Beachside Beauty Salon. If anyone heard anything my sister Patience and I have missed, she’d know about it.”
“Thanks.” He walked a few steps back the way he’d come and picked up a large Hershey bar with almonds to give Lisa later.
After driving along the street nearest the beach, he finally found the salon, but the place was full of women getting their hair cut or blown out. He looked around. A woman with a pixie haircut was shampooing a teenager’s hair. Seeing the name Barbara embroidered on the pocket of her smock, he decided she must be the owner.
As she settled the teenage girl under the hair dryer, he walked up to her. “Hello, I’m Justin Sherrod. May I have a word with you?”
She stepped behind a desk. “I can only spare a moment. Do you want to make an appointment for a woman? I don’t have a barber’s license, so I don’t do men’s hair.”
“I’m only here for a short time, but Charity Grambling said you might be able to give me some information about a lady friend.”
She looked at him quizzically.
“It’s a personal matter, so I don’t want to discuss it here. May I take you out for coffee and perhaps a piece of pie?”
She smiled at the word ‘pie,’ but shook her head. “My employees can’t take care of all the customers if I leave now.”
“Well, then, how about dinner?” He gave her a big smile. “You could meet me at Junonia. It’s a nice quiet restaurant. We could get a table well away from other diners.”
She stared at him. “And all you want is information? You aren’t trying to sell me anything, are you?”
He held up his hand. “On my Boy Scout honor, I promise there will be no sales talk.”
Barbara smoothed back her hair, which didn’t need smoothing. She spread out her hands. “Well, what have I got to lose? Sure, I’ll meet you, but I’ll drive my own car. What time shall I be there?”
“How about five o’clock?” He wanted this dinner to be over early so he could go see Lisa. After all, Barbara might not know any more than Charity.
Barbara shook her head, her short hairs barely moving. “Are you kidding? I don’t close until five, and I’ll need to change clothes. I don’t want to go out looking like this.”
He smiled. “I’m going like this, except for a tie and jacket.” He straightened his blue silk sports shirt and brushed back a lock of dark brown hair that had fallen over his forehead. “I’m looking forward to seeing you again. Will six-thirty be okay?”
“Sure.” She grinned. “It’s not often a nice young man offers to buy me dinner. There don’t seem to be many unattached bachelors in town.”
He called Barbara’s landlord and learned she always paid her rent on time. He got the same story from the electric company and the phone company. From the number of customers, her business seemed to be doing well, so she wasn’t likely to need money.
* * * *
Lisa had risen at eight this morning and tried to study, but after the sail boat ride they’d taken, she kept thinking about Justin and wondering what he was doing. She brewed another cup of coffee in the Keurig and opened the refrigerator. Drat, she’d used the last of the milk. Coffee didn’t taste right without it. She headed for the Super Min.
Once there, she also bought more sugar in case Justin took her up on her offer to make coffeecake. At the counter, she asked Charity if she’d met Justin.
“Yes. He was in here earlier. Now that’s a handsome dude.”
“Did he say where he was going?”
Charity hesitated a moment, then shook her head.
As Lisa stepped outside a strong breeze blew her hair across her face. Brushing it away, Lisa decided it was time she had it trimmed and headed for Beachside Beauty. Glancing in the window, she saw Justin talking with the owner, Barbara Pennick. Then he smiled at the woman and headed for the door. Lisa ducked out of sight and headed for the beach. If he spoke to her, she’d pretend she hadn’t seen him earlier.
However, he headed in the other direction, so she hurried back to her cottage with her purchases. She really needed that coffee now.
Now she wished she’d arranged for Friday craft classes, so the day wouldn’t seem so long. What was she doing? She really liked Justin, but he seemed to want to play the field. Just like Bill, who she’d thought would stop flirting with other women after they became engaged. Now that she thought of it, he’d often teased the waitress when they ate out, but Lisa had thought nothing of it at the time.
Maybe she should concentrate on making friends with other women here, like Zoe. She was married to Dr. Oliver Bradbury and wouldn’t be interested in Justin.
* * * *
Justin checked his watch. Since it was only one o’clock, he called Lisa. “The Gulf is really calm this afternoon. Would you like to go sailing again if I promise not to tip over?” Say yes, he thought, but worried this was a bad move. Why should she trust him after he’d made such a fiasco last time? He waited.
“Well—” she said.
He cut in right away. “If you don’t want to go, we could walk on the beach or do something else.” He waited once more.
Finally, she said, “If the weather’s nice, I trust you to take good care of me on the water. Now that I know what to expect, I think it would be nice.”
He let out the breath he’d been holding. “May I pick you up in half an hour?”
“Sure. I’ll be ready.”
To his delight, she was smiling and standing on the doorstep when he pulled up. He handed her the chocolate bar and crossed his fingers that nothing would go wrong this time.
She grinned, broke the bar, and held half of it out. “Thanks. I’ll share.”
Later, after they got in the boat, he pushed off from the dock and paddled out a ways. She pushed down the centerboard, while he raised the sail. The breeze caught it, and they moved along quite nicely. She sat there not saying anything, and he was surprised he was content just to be in her company. “Have you always lived in Hurst?”
She shook her head. “My family moved here from Michigan. My dad got tired of the cold winters. I miss the vibrant yellow, red and orange leaves in the fall, but it’s nice we still have seasonal changes there. I don’t know if I’d want to live where it’s always summer.”
That got Justin thinking. This place was idyllic. If he were to open up a jewelry store here, would she consider moving to be with him? “How long will it take to get your master’s degree?”
“If things go right, I could do it in two years, but I’d have to spend all next summer taking classes.”
He wondered if she’d even consider taking some classes at a university in Naples so she could come back next summer if he decided to open a jewelry story here. He wasn’t even sure she liked him that well, but he’d sure like to see more of her.
Luckily, the boat ride was uneventful, and they sailed almost to shore with only a little paddling needed to
pull up next to the dock.
* * * *
At six-thirty, Justin sat at a quiet table in Junonia and waited. Would Barbara show up? He guessed she was more than five years older than his thirty-one, but you never could tell with women.
Finally, she walked in. He rose and met her halfway. After escorting her to the table, he pulled out a chair for her. “Would you like a glass of wine or a cocktail?” He hoped that would make her feel more like talking.
She nodded, and he handed her the menu. The waiter approached and asked about drinks. “I’ll have a daiquiri,” she said. Her hands strayed to the ruby pendant she wore.
He asked for a glass of red wine. “That’s a lovely pendant you have. Did you buy it or was it a gift?”
She smiled. “My dad gave it to me for my twentieth birthday. It’s the only fine jewelry I have, except for some gold chains. I prefer dainty to gaudy when it comes to jewelry. She pointed to tiny ruby earrings. “I bought these to match it.”
However, she wasn’t wearing a ruby ring. Deciding she wasn’t a likely suspect and noting no one nearby, he sipped his wine and leaned forward. “I’d like what I’m telling you to be confidential.”
“Of course.”
“My friend, Lucas McBain, has had reports of expensive jewelry missing, and he’s asked me to quietly ask around without attracting attention. I wonder if you have heard anything, or if you know anyone who sounds envious of some other woman’s rings or necklaces.”
“I only heard Sharon Thompson mention a tennis bracelet missing after going to a book club meeting. However, she made out like she might have misplaced it. She’d said it was a gift from her husband and she was afraid to tell him it was no longer in her jewel box. She looked distressed, so I figured it was worth plenty.”
After the waiter came and took their order, T-bone steak for him and lobster for her, Justin waited until the server had entered the door to the kitchen. “Was this a regular resident or a vacationer?”
“Oh, Sharon lives here. I remember the day after she got it. She beamed with pride when she showed it to me and the other women at the salon that day. She said it was the best birthday present she ever got.”
“Did anyone’s expression strike you as unusual?”
“One of the temporary employees who works at the reservations desk of Casa Blanca Resort oohed and ahhed over it earlier.”
“What’s her name?”
“Rosa. Rosa Gonzales.”
“Do you remember anything she said about it?”
Barbara nodded. “She said, ‘I should be so lucky. I never get anything really expensive for my birthday.’ She claimed her husband was a penny pincher and would never spend that much for jewelry. Instead he’d give her thirty dollars and tell her to pick out something she’d like.”
Justin wrote down the name. He’d ask Luke if he could run an extensive background check on Barbara and Rosa Gonzales. Barbara hadn’t flinched when he mentioned missing jewelry, but Rosa might want some nice jewelry. She couldn’t wear it where other residents would see it, but she could pawn it and buy something else. He’d check out Rosa’s credit rating again.
Their food arrived, his sizzling on a cast iron pan. Justin noticed Barbara wasn’t afraid to use hands to crack open the lobster claws. She seemed to enjoy the succulent meat. He found his steak tender and delicious. Butter melted on the hot rolls, which tasted like homemade.
Justin asked, “Did you ever notice anything missing from your salon? You must have some nice perfumes, sprays, and lotions.”
“No. I sell my stuff at a discount, so my patrons are not likely to steal anything because they get a good deal from me.”
Deciding he’d gotten all he could from Barbara, he asked, “Would you like dessert or another cocktail?”
She patted her stomach. “Dinner was marvelous, but I’ve had enough.”
After the waiter brought the check, Justin laid some bills on the table. “Keep the change.”
The waiter, counting up the amount left, smiled. “Thank you, and please come again.”
Justin led Barbara from the restaurant. ““Thanks for the information. Which is your car? I want to see you get inside safely.”
She pointed to a maroon Camry and headed for it.
He walked beside her and waited until she was behind the wheel and had started the engine. After she pulled away, he headed for his car and glanced at his watch. Almost ten. Would Lisa welcome him visiting this late?
Chapter Seven
After eating supper, Lisa sat on the wicker couch going over the GRE test booklet once more. She rubbed her eyes. Justin had said he might call after he finished whatever he had to do. Come to think of it, he hadn’t told her what the favor was. Maybe he didn’t feel close enough to her to mention that. He’d been talking to Barbara Pennick at the beauty salon. Lisa had already decided she wasn’t going to get involved with him, so why should that bother her?
Except it did. She’d told him her deepest shame—being betrayed a month before the wedding, but he’d hardly told her anything about his family besides having a stepbrother he disliked and a half-sister. However, he had told Lisa he thought she was smart. That must be good for something, even if only to bolster her confidence when she took the test.
A knock on her door startled her. A quick peek through the peephole told her he was standing outside her door. Her heart beat faster. Smiling, she pulled the door open. “I didn’t think you were coming, but I’m glad to see you.”
“I’ve got something for you.” He held out a small cup and a plastic spoon. “The Super Min was still open, so I brought you ice cream.” He glanced at her study materials laid out on the couch. “Would you like to take a short walk with me on the beach?”
“Yes. That sounds great.” She grabbed her keys, stepped out, and locked the door. The ice cream, vanilla with chocolate fudge swirls, melted in her mouth as they walked the short block to Oceanview Drive, which bordered the beach. “I know you don’t care for your stepbrother, but tell me about your half-sister. What’s she like?”
“Nicole’s a cute kid. I used to walk her to school when she attended kindergarten and first grade. About halfway through first grade she had a good friend she wanted to walk with. She told me, ‘I’m a big girl now. I can walk with Susie.’”
When they reached the steps to the beach, he held Lisa’s hand and steadied her as she descended the steps to the sand. At the bottom, he tossed their empty ice cream cups in a trash can. She inhaled the salty tang of the ocean breeze and removed her flip flops.
Justin took his off and held out his back pack to put both pairs in, then looped it back over his shoulders. Side by side, they walked, the sand pillowing their feet and the waves making a soft shush, shush sound. High in the heavens, stars spread over an inky sky.
“So,” she said, “did the favor you did for Lucas keep you busy all day?” Lisa clamped her mouth shut. She shouldn’t have asked that. She wasn’t going to butt into his private business.
Justin turned to face her. “I’ll tell you the real reason I’m doing something for Luke, but you must promise not to say anything about it.”
“Oh, I won’t.” It was good to know he trusted her with his secret agenda. She wished her parents had trusted her with knowledge about their financial situation before she planned her wedding. If there was a next time, she’d pay for it all.
Justin faced her. “Luke said some women have reported missing valuable jewelry.”
Lisa thought a moment and wondered about her cleaning lady. “That’s a shame. I hate to think of crime invading the peace of this beautiful place.” Should she mention Molly? No, she’d give the poor woman the benefit of the doubt.
“Luke asked me to investigate. Not only do I know something about diamonds from working in my family’s jewelry chain, but I’ve done some PI work in the past.”
“Was that why you took Ashley out to dinner at South of the Border? I saw you there with her and was surprised you were with
someone so young, except I figured whom you dated was none of my business, because—well, we aren’t exactly a couple—I mean I enjoy your company and all, but I don’t have any claim on your attention.” She clamped her mouth shut again, afraid she’d said way too much. She hadn’t meant to babble like that. She didn’t want to sound clingy. Guys didn’t like that.
“I thought a young girl might be tempted, but she told me she preferred costume jewelry so she could have lots to choose from.”
“So have you been talking with several different women?”
“Luke gave me some names. I won’t necessarily date them all, but I will be asking questions about them.”
A cloud covered the moon, shadowing the beach. A sick feeling came over Lisa. Was that why he was paying attention to her? Of course it was. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. No wonder he’d asked about seeing her jewelry box. She, who prided herself on being honest, was now a suspect. All this time he’d been pretending to like her, he was gathering evidence to accuse her of the robberies. A lump formed in her throat.
Now she wished she hadn’t gone out with him. She regretting showing how much she liked him when she kissed him back. The lump grew harder. She’d been a damn fool.
Time to put on her big-girl panties. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for a confrontation. “Is my name on that list? You consider me a suspect, don’t you?”
He stared at her while her stomach churned.
“Luke mentioned you were new and that he didn’t know you very well.”
Lisa frowned. “So he automatically put me on a suspect list without even talking to me or asking if I knew anything about it? That’s not even fair.”
Justin nodded. “Hey, you’d only been here a week, and all the robberies started after you arrived.”
“So, what’s missing?”
“There’s a green pendant without a chain, a ruby ring, and a large diamond on a ring flanked by two smaller diamonds. And just recently, a diamond tennis bracelet has gone missing.”
