Quinn was practically salivating. “Just tell me.”
“Are you sure? I thought you wanted to steer clear of this mess.”
“Tell me and shut up,” Quinn ordered, earning a grin from his friend.
“First off, the Sterlings are in financial trouble. They drill for oil and build jets but, since the government has cut defense spending, they’re in serious trouble and have been unloading property all over the place ... including in Florida. They’ve even floated the idea of selling their precious compound, but they want way too much money for it. I don’t think it’s going to sell.”
Quinn was officially intrigued. “Money is a great motivator when it comes to murder.”
“It is,” Fred agreed. “I’m sure there are answers to be chased when it comes to the family’s finances. There’s also one other thing.”
“Well, you can’t hold back on me now. Let me hear it.”
“I know a woman in the medical examiner’s office.” Fred lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “The hand has been turned over to them and there are some ... interesting ... tidbits to be gleaned from the report.”
“You’re dragging this out a long time,” Quinn noted. “It must be something really good.”
“It’s ... interesting.” Fred dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “So, the thing is, given the way the hand looked, the medical examiner is convinced that Pat Sterling was alive when his hand was cut off. If he wasn’t alive, then it was cut off within minutes of his death.”
“And how can they determine that?”
“Apparently it’s the state of the blood vessels or something, the way the blood clots.”
“Okay, well ... that means that he was close to Tierra Verde when he was killed.”
“That’s exactly what that means,” Fred confirmed. “The hand wasn’t in the water for more than a few hours. I think that means there was some sort of altercation, Pat was killed, and then his body was chopped up on the water before being dumped. Whoever did it probably thought sharks and other marine life would eat all the evidence ... and quickly.”
“Then this hand washing up is going to make someone nervous.”
“Pretty much.”
“I wonder who.”
“That is the question of the hour.”
9
Nine
When playing games as a child, Rowan often fancied herself a spy. She would sneak around her house with a magnifying glass — even though that was more of a detective thing — and try to catch her parents unaware. Her mother often found it annoying, especially when she was trying to cook dinner and Rowan impeded the process. Her father, though, found it amusing.
For some reason, that’s what Rowan thought about as she hid in the shade by the ice cream stand and watched Vicky stand guard over an obscene amount of purchases.
“Do you know anything about the Chapman family?” Rowan asked, her mind busy.
Sally shrugged as she licked an ice cream cone. If she thought Rowan’s insistence on spying on the future Mrs. Ben Sterling was odd, she didn’t show it. “Just what I’ve read in the newspapers.”
“That’s more than I know. Lay it on me.”
“Well, I know she went to one of those hoity-toity private schools. You know the ones that require uniforms, right? Only the super-privileged can attend. The thing is, she went on an academic scholarship. Her parents did okay — I think the father was some kind of famous surgeon before he died and the mother inherited from her parents. They had money, but not Sterling money.”
Rowan had to bite back a smile. Sally’s love of tabloid newspapers and television shows was finally going to benefit her.
“Ben went to the same high school as Vicky, but they didn’t date at the time,” Sally continued. “He was considered something of a ladies’ man and she was known for being dedicated to her studies.”
“But you only know a little bit,” Rowan teased.
“Trust me. If I could know more, I totally would. I find the lifestyles of the rich and famous fascinating. Anyway, he went to the University of Florida and she went to a smaller school for college. They both graduated — although he took an extra two years to finish his degree and everyone kind of looked the other way about it.”
Rowan was officially intrigued. “Why did he take an extra two years?”
“Why do you think? He liked to drink and party.”
Rowan thought about the staid man she’d met only a few days before. “I would’ve thought he was more serious.”
“He is now that he’s in his thirties but, back then, he was a typical college student. Once he graduated, he traveled a lot. They did a whole special on Vicky and Ben after they disappeared. I found it fascinating.”
“Uh-huh. When did they hook up?”
“Not until like a year ago. They met at some fundraiser. It was love at first sight and everyone brought their past at the same school into play even though they didn’t really know each other back then. Yada, yada, yada. The show kept calling it ‘destiny’ because they finally found each other at the right time.”
“And what do you think?”
Sally shrugged, noncommittal. “I think that he needed someone stable and she likes the high life.”
“That’s a little cynical. Don’t you think it’s possible that they’re truly in love?”
“Maybe. I saw them the night they were rescued, though. They didn’t spend any time together. Ben stuck close with his mother and Vicky couldn’t be pried away from her mother.”
“Maybe that was the trauma of what happened. I mean ... Patrice did lose her husband and daughter. Maybe Ben thought he had to stick close to his mother.”
“I guess that’s possible. It just struck me as odd. I mean ... they survived. Their love story survived. You would think he’d want to at least check on her.”
“And he didn’t at all?”
“Not that I saw ... and I was there for a good hour.”
Rowan pursed her lips. “That’s interesting, huh?”
“I think that’s the very least you could call it.”
“WE TRIED TO GET A LOOK AT everything she was loading into the limousine, but it was too hard,” Rowan explained to Quinn and Fred over dinner several hours later. “I saw a lot of boxes from high-end shops, though. We’re talking Ann Taylor, Bloomingdale’s, Burberry, and Cartier. Oh, and Coach bags, too. She had two things from there.”
Quinn scratched the side of his nose as he leaned back in the booth seat they shared and rested his arm over the back of the bench. “So ... you followed Vicky Chapman through the mall, huh? Is that really how you spent your afternoon?”
Rowan gave him a withering look. “Listen, she was there and acting strange. I thought it was prudent to follow her around. If I didn’t, I would’ve come back with leather pants and Sally thought that was a terrible idea because I have a tendency to look like a dominatrix. Those are her words, by the way, not mine.”
“There’s so much information in that sentence I don’t even know where to start,” Quinn said, glaring at Fred as the other man dissolved into hysterical gales of laughter. “I guess I’ll start with the obvious. Why were you looking at leather pants?”
“Because that’s what you wear on a motorcycle.”
“Not in Florida it’s not,” Fred offered with a laugh. “I like that you’re getting into the biker chick spirit, though. I bet you look good in leather.”
“Knock that off,” Quinn warned, extending a finger in his friend’s direction. “You can’t flirt with my girlfriend in front of me. That’s rude ... and it makes me want to punch you.”
“I do look good in leather,” Rowan confirmed. “You can wear it in Michigan without looking like an idiot. I think I’m going to have to find something else that screams ‘bad to the bone’ to wear in Florida.”
“Something tells me you’re up to the challenge,” Fred chortled. “Please let me help you shop. I have a great eye when it comes to picking out tight
pants.”
“And you’re done talking to him,” Quinn muttered, keeping his eyes on Rowan. He was serious when he slipped a strand of hair behind her ear. Thanks to being out in the humidity all day, there was an added curl to it. “I thought we agreed that we were going to let this go. I mean ... we have a lot to deal with and nothing about this situation benefits us.”
Fred shot his friend a confused look, but Quinn refused to engage with him.
“I know what you said,” Rowan countered. “It’s just ... I can’t help wondering if we’re supposed to be part of this investigation. I happen to believe in a higher power. While I don’t subscribe to any one religion, I want to believe that things don’t occur in a vacuum.
“That means we found those people for a reason,” she continued. “It means I stumbled over the hand for a reason, too. I mean ... what are the odds? I was out there walking with my father. I just happened to see the glint of his wedding ring at the exact right time. We could’ve kept walking and no one would’ve ever found that hand. It’s possible that we were meant to find it.”
“I get that but ... this is not our fight.”
“No? I think maybe it is.” Rowan had been arguing the point back and forth in her head the entire afternoon. In principle, she agreed with Quinn. There was no reason for them to get involved. In practice, though, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being drawn in because it was meant to be.
“You think this is our fight? How so?”
“Even if you manage to write it off as coincidence, the fact that we found them when we did, the rest of it feels like there’s some design behind it,” she pressed. “I found the hand. Dad and Uncle Nick just happened to buy a house a mile away from where the Sterlings live. I ran into Vicky in the mall and the odds of that happening have to be astronomical. Mitchum came to see you this morning. He had Patrice with him and we witnessed a fight between them. I took a photo and ... you know.”
She cast a quick look at Fred and found him watching her with intense eyes. “Wait ... do you know?”
“I know,” Fred confirmed, ignoring the small growl that escaped Quinn’s clenched jaw. “I don’t think Quinn is comfortable talking about it, though. He seems to think I’m somehow a danger to you.”
“I don’t think that!” Quinn snapped. “I just ... it’s not something we want spread around, at least not right now.”
“Because of the Phoenix Society, right?”
Quinn nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck. “They’re our biggest concern right now. We have to focus on them, not the Sterlings.”
“That’s not what you said when you called me for inside info on the Sterlings,” Fred countered. “I mean ... you seemed to be all up in their business a few hours ago.”
Rowan’s eyes were accusatory as she turned to Quinn. “No way. Why would you hide that from me?”
The glare Quinn lobbed in his friend’s direction was strong enough to rip skin from bone. “I’m going to kill you.”
“You didn’t say it was a secret,” Fred shot back, feigning innocence. “I thought we were having a simple conversation. My bad.”
“I’m really going to kill you,” Quinn muttered, shaking his head. “There are going to be knives ... and screams ... and maybe lemon juice in paper cuts to make sure it really hurts.”
Fred chuckled. He obviously wasn’t worried about Quinn following through on his threat. “I think you’re being a complete and total baby. There’s no reason to get worked up.”
“Oh, shut up.” Quinn exhaled heavily as he turned back to Rowan. The look on her face was enough to cause his heart to constrict. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. I probably should’ve told you I asked Fred to dig for a little information on the Sterlings. It’s just ... you’re already dealing with a lot.”
“And you think I’m fragile,” Rowan surmised, folding her arms over her chest and averting her gaze. “I get it.”
“I don’t think you’re fragile.” He jabbed a finger at Fred. “This is your fault. You knew you were going to cause trouble and you did it anyway.”
“I think we should all be honest with each other,” he countered. “We’re in a pickle because of the Phoenix Society. Those guys are bad news. If we’re going to be working together, I think we should lay it all out there.”
Despite herself, Rowan was intrigued by the statement. “What do you mean? About them being bad news, I mean. Have you talked to people who work there?”
“I’ve talked to two people who used to work there, and neither one of them were very high up,” Fred clarified. “They were both secretaries, which means they weren’t invited into the inner sanctum. That doesn’t mean they didn’t form a few opinions, and both of them were willing to share those opinions over cocktails.”
“Wait ... they’re local?” Rowan couldn’t contain her surprise. “I thought the Phoenix Society was located in Michigan.”
“It turns out they have offices all over the place,” Fred replied. “They definitely have an office in Michigan. They also have an office in Miami. Their headquarters seems to be located in Colorado.”
“I’m assuming you haven’t been there.”
“No, I haven’t. I’m not ruling it out, though. I’m guessing the really juicy stuff happens at the headquarters and those secretaries are privy to more information than the two I’ve managed to track down.”
“Still, you obviously got a little information,” Rowan pressed. “What did they say to you?”
“Only that the company’s sole focus seemed to be on paranormal phenomenon.”
Rowan nodded. “Any specific kind?”
“I didn’t get the feeling that they were picky. Psychics are a big deal, though. Both women brought up psychics multiple times. That’s all anyone could talk about ... tracking down the right psychics.”
Rowan swallowed hard. “I see.”
Quinn’s hand immediately went to her neck so he could massage away some of the tension. “It’s going to be okay. As far as we know, they don’t know about you.”
“They could know. They might be biding their time. Maybe they’re waiting for a chance to grab me and my father when it’s convenient to get us together.”
“Because your father is psychic, too,” Fred mused, things coming together in his head. “That’s why he faked his death.”
Quinn shot him a quelling look. “I don’t think we should talk about that here. We’re in public.”
“I get it.” Fred held up his hands in defeat. “You don’t need to get worked up. I get it. This is serious and we really need to focus on it.”
“We do,” Quinn agreed. “That’s why we need to give up on chasing information on the Sterlings. That goes for me, too. I shouldn’t have asked you to dig for more information. It’s just ... some of the specifics in this case are bothering me.”
“I get that, too,” Fred said. “No worries, man. We’ll let it go and focus on the Phoenix Society. They’re clearly the big game in town and deserve our attention.”
“Without a doubt.”
Rowan absently nodded, her mind busy. None of the information regarding the Phoenix Society surprised her. That didn’t mean it wasn’t unsettling. “Definitely focus on them,” she said finally. “We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be distracted.”
“Then we won’t be distracted.” Fred grabbed his beer bottle and drank from it. “I’m sorry I sucked the fun out of the room.”
“That’s okay.” Rowan flashed a smile for his benefit. “I’m sure Quinn will make you pay for it later.”
“You’ve got that right,” Quinn muttered.
THE WALK BACK TO THE Bounding Storm seemed longer than usual. Quinn figured that was because Rowan was silent for the entire duration of the trip.
“Do you want to yell at me?” he asked finally when they reached the parking lot.
Rowan slowed her pace and shifted her contemplative eyes to him. She’d been so lost in thought she didn’t notice his distress. “Should I yel
l at you?”
He shrugged. Fred had said his goodbyes at the restaurant, which Quinn was secretly thankful for. He knew he was going to have to work himself up to an apology and he didn’t want an audience for it. “I’m sorry that I continued digging into the Sterlings after I told you to pull back. That wasn’t fair ... and if you want to spank me, I think I’ve earned it.”
Despite the serious nature of the conversation, Rowan couldn’t stop herself from smiling at his hangdog expression. “That was well played.”
“I try.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m happy with you right now,” she supplied. “In fact, I am a little angry. I’m also worried about the things Fred said regarding the Phoenix Society. I’m not sure which of those things I should be focusing on first.”
“I think you should yell at me about the Sterlings.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows hopped. “That’s the opposite of what I thought you would say.”
“The faster you yell and get it out of your system, the better. Then we’ll make up and you’ll forgive me. It’s important that we get back on the same wavelength.”
“I don’t think we’re on different wavelengths,” she replied honestly. “I’m not angry with you. I know why you said what you said and did what you did. You’re as curious about the Sterlings as I am.
“The thing is, I don’t think either of us will be able to wipe our hands of the investigation,” she continued. “We’re not the type to simply give up when we have questions. That means we’re likely to drive ourselves nuts if we attempt to curb our natural impulses.”
Quinn grinned. “I think you’re just making excuses because you want to keep digging.”
“I do,” Rowan confirmed. “I saw the omen and can’t get it out of my head. That doesn’t mean I can simply forget about the Phoenix Society either. I think the best thing to do is go after information on both of them … even though that’s the opposite of what I said at dinner.
“The thing is, it’s going to be hard to track down information on the Phoenix Society so it only makes sense that we spend a bit of time distracting ourselves with an investigation on the Sterlings.”
Farewell Seas Page 28
