Murder at the Marina

by Janet Finsilver

  “He didn’t harm anyone,” I said.

  “I know. But he sent us on a wild-goose chase that took a lot of police time.” Stanton put his notepad away. “Lots to do. See you later.”

  After he left, I canceled Alena’s personal room reservation for next weekend’s Russian Heritage Committee.

  She won’t be needing it.

  I kept the conference room reserved for the committee, figuring someone would contact me.

  Toward the end of the week, Bill Stanton called, and I set up a meeting with the Silver Sentinels. Mary brought a new treat, strawberry cheesecake bars. We put up the charts, updated them, and got ready to add new information.

  I heard a knock on the conference room door and opened it.

  “Hi, Kelly.” Bill held his Stetson in his hand.

  “Come on in. We’re all eager to hear what you have to share.”

  The officer settled himself at the table and looked at our notes hung around the room. “What would you like to know first?”

  “Tell us about Alexander,” Mary said. “What did you find out?”

  Rudy stood and picked up a marker, prepared to write what Deputy Stanton had to say.

  “Russian Treasures was a money laundering operation for a Russian crime syndicate. Turns out Alexander was using it for some illegal activities of his own, too. Thanks to your tip, Mary, we found stolen Russian antiques scattered throughout the store. After examining the ledgers, it appears he was skimming money from the coin trade as well.”

  The Professor twirled his pen. “Doesn’t seem a smart move to steal from an organized crime group and use their store for his own purposes.”

  Stanton nodded. “Shortly after Alexander was killed, we received a call from an agent in San Francisco who works with undercover officers. News of Alexander’s death and what he’d been up to had spread rapidly. Rumors made it clear he was executed.”

  “Why was he on the boat?” I asked.

  “We’re not positive, but we have a pretty good idea.” Stanton looked at Rudy. “We found Alexander’s appointment book, and it appears you planned in advance to meet with him to sell your coins.”

  “That’s right. I didn’t want to take a chance he’d be gone or too busy to talk with me,” Rudy said.

  Stanton took out his notepad from his pocket. “On those days, you and Ivan would leave the house in the morning and take the bus to the marina. After that, you’d get on the bus again and return to Redwood Cove and Alexander’s shop.”

  Rudy looked startled. “How did you know?”

  “We found reports in Alena’s briefcase. She employed two men to follow both of you the days of two of your appointments. You had the same routine both times.”

  “Yes. We studied the bus schedule and found a good way to get to the Nadia and check on her, which we do once a week, and then get back to Redwood Cove.”

  “She had you followed the day before as well,” Stanton said.

  “What was she trying to find out?” I asked.

  “We think she was working on figuring out the location of the gold coins,” he replied. “Redwood Cove has no bank. The closest one is in Fort Peter. The brothers didn’t go there the day before the meeting.”

  Gertie nodded. “So, she figured the money was at their house or on the Nadia.”

  “That’s what we think,” Stanton said. “It was an educated guess on her part. We suspect she, and possibly some of her men, met Alexander at the boat and searched it. After coming up empty-handed, she disposed of Alexander. She didn’t need him anymore, and she had a message to send.”

  “Quite the cold-blooded woman,” Mary said. “Can you prove she killed him?”

  “We can prove her gun was used. A clever lawyer can claim one of her men used it to murder Alexander.”

  “What about Rick?” Gertie asked.

  “I doubt he knew organized crime was involved. We think Alena and her men followed him to the boat and surprised him, and he tried to defend himself. We found a gun in his hand.”

  “Why didn’t they try to hide his body to delay people finding it?” I asked.

  “They did,” Stanton responded. “We found his blood on a tarp. They probably covered him and then searched the boat. They came up empty-handed. The only reason our people found the coin was because they used a metal detector.” Stanton looked at the charts. “I see you thought the body might have been left there to implicate Ivan.”

  The Professor put down his pen. “Yes, because of the fight.”

  “I would agree,” Stanton said. “Rick’s murder became one more case for us to deal with, and the altercation between Rick and Ivan provided an opportunity to possibly throw us off track.”

  “For all she knew, we could almost be out of money,” Rudy said. “Why take the risk of getting caught?”

  “It was a gamble, but she did her homework there as well.” Stanton stood, went over to the coffee area, and poured himself a cup. “One of Alena’s employees hacked into Goldstein’s computer, and she tracked some of Harvey’s gold sales. People who buy those coins form a limited market. She found out Harvey had been selling them for a long time. She wasn’t able to tell if they belonged to you two or Clay, but her notes showed Clay’s last two sales to Alexander were coins of a much lesser value. You were her best bet.”

  He went on to tell us she’d discovered their connection to an aristocratic family, and he’d found notes about the brothers’ background. Alena had seen the Facebook information about the dagger and had added that to her files.

  “She certainly was thorough,” Gertie said. “Too bad she didn’t put her brain to good use.”

  “I agree,” Stanton said. “Are there any other loose ends?”

  We scanned the charts. All the answers were there.

  “Thank you, Bill. It feels good to have everything tied up,” I said.

  I shuddered a bit when I said tied up, thinking about the experience I’d had.

  Stanton stood and put on his hat. “You’re welcome.”

  He left, and the meeting took on a jovial tone as we chatted and took down the charts. I said I’d keep them until the case was closed, in case they proved helpful in some way. It was Thursday, and we made plans to meet on Sunday to decide which community project we might want to get involved in.

  I returned to my rooms, went to my computer, and checked messages. One, from Corrigan, said an international bidding war had started for the daggers and their case. He was enjoying handling the offers and said the family members would be well taken care of when the set sold.

  Vladimir emailed, saying he’d be in charge of the Russian Heritage Committee meeting planned for this coming Saturday. He asked if he could meet with me and the Silver Sentinels. I wrote back to tell him he was welcome to join us on Sunday at one o’clock. I wondered why he wanted to see us but didn’t ask. I’d know soon enough.

  The next two days passed quickly. Helen again baked baklava for Saturday’s group. I wasn’t quite as afraid of the fragile dough as I had been before, but I still kept my distance. Sunday arrived, and the group gathered in the conference room. We carried out the usual routine. Helen and I put out drinks, Mary arrived with treats, and the sound of Ivan’s voice boomed down the hallway as the brothers arrived. It was a routine I loved.

  Vladimir appeared in the doorway at the appointed time.

  “Come in,” I said. “Please join us. Refreshments are on the sideboard. Help yourself and take a seat.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “I just had lunch, so I’ll pass on the food and drink.”

  “What can we do for you?” the Professor asked.

  Vladimir remained standing. “I’ve learned a lot about your group in the past week. I want to thank you all for what you did to solve the murders of the two men, Alexander and Rick, and the help you gave to two of our Russian Heritage
Committee members, Ivan and Rudy.”

  “They are two of our own and dear friends,” Mary said. “We are there for each other.”

  “So I’ve heard,” Vladimir said. “Your community is very fortunate to have such a group as yourselves.” He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket. “I have a present for you as a way of saying thanks.”

  Vladimir opened the envelope and put what looked like a stack of tickets on the table. I reached over and took one. The rectangular cardstock had an elaborate design of red roses and gold filigree around the sides. The center read Russian Heritage Formal Ball, and the price of $175 under it.

  “These are tickets for you to attend a dance we are putting on,” Vladimir said. “There are enough for all of you, as well as a number of your friends.”

  Talk of attending a formal ball is back.

  I recalled the thoughts I’d had when Alena mentioned it, and how much I’d be out of my element. I’d pass on this event.

  Vladimir stood between Ivan and Rudy. He rested his right hand on Rudy’s shoulder and his left on Ivan’s. “I have talked with Rudy and Ivan. We plan to honor their family. The Russian community now knows the story. It will be a celebration of their being reunited.”

  Rudy nodded. “Please say you will all come. This means a lot to Ivan and me.”

  Ivan nodded. “Have been talking with Timur and Verushka. Becoming like family. They will be there along with Clay.”

  “I will wear my father’s uniform.” His eyes teared a bit. “Please say you’ll come.”

  It sounds like I’m on my way to a formal Russian ball after all.

  Chapter 29

  “But…but…” spluttered Gertie. “Me? In a ball gown?”

  I knew how she felt.

  “You will be beautiful,” Vladimir said. “I must go now. I have another appointment.”

  “Thank you for the tickets,” I said. I think.

  The others all added their thanks. Vladimir said good-bye and went on his way.

  Rudy passed out the tickets and gave me what was left. “Please give these to your friends.”

  “We have more to say,” Ivan said.

  Rudy nodded. “Yes, Ivan and I talked and want to pay for the gowns for the ladies and a tux for you, Professor.”

  “Oh, no,” Mary said. “I can’t let you do that.”

  “Same here,” Gertie chimed in.

  I wasn’t to be left out. “Thank you, Rudy, but that doesn’t feel right.”

  “I’m with the ladies on this,” the Professor said.

  Rudy straightened his shoulders and gave us a stern look. “You all give generously of your time and your caring. It’s your nature. Accepting a gift is a form of giving.”

  “Give us opportunity to thank you,” Ivan said.

  “Our hearts are filled with gratitude toward all of you,” Rudy said. “Sometimes it is important to let people give to you.”

  Mary gave a slight smile. “That was lovely. I accept.”

  Gertie sighed. “What would my Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother say about buying a formal gown?”

  Rudy reached across the table and patted her hand. “She would say do it for your friends.”

  “She probably would,” Gertie said. “Thank you, Rudy and Ivan.”

  The Professor and I once again followed along, agreeing to accept their offer.

  Ivan reached for one of the dessert bars Mary had brought. “Good. Is settled.”

  “Besides,” Rudy said, “the dagger set will be bringing in more money than Ivan and I can imagine.”

  “You all should know I can’t dance,” I said. “Please don’t give me a bad time for just standing at the ball.”

  “I will be delighted to teach you,” the Professor said. “We have plenty of time before the event. It’s not for three months.”

  He didn’t know I had two left feet.

  “Well…we can give it a try.”

  “Nonsense. There’s nothing to it,” he commented. “It’ll be fun.”

  I thought of Scott and the pie incident. The Professor didn’t know what he was getting into, but he would soon enough. I hoped he had sturdy shoes.

  Gertie and Mary made plans to meet the next afternoon to start shopping online. The Professor offered to drive Rudy and Ivan to the largest nearby town inland that was big enough to rent and sell tuxedos. They’d make a day of it, with lunch at a famous Italian restaurant. I went to call my sister. I needed her help with the formal gown business.

  I settled on the window seat in my quarters and dialed. Her familiar voice answered.

  “Hi, Sis. How are the kids?” I asked.

  “Doing great. They’re down for a nap right now. What are you up to?”

  “Learning more about the town and the inn.”

  I’d tell her about the festival and Rudy and Ivan’s relatives another time. I never shared what I did with the Silver Sentinels in the crime-solving arena so as not to worry them.

  “So…I’ve been invited to a formal Russian ball.”

  “What!” she shrieked in my ear. “You mean like in wearing a formal gown? Long gloves? High heels?”

  “Yes, all those things.”

  “Oh.” The short word was a long sigh filled with fantasies of a formal ball followed by a pause. “How exciting!” she shrieked again.

  “Not so much for me. Sis, you were a perfect girly girl growing up. I was the spitting image of a tomboy.”

  “You’ll have fun.”

  “I grew up watching Lassie and Rin Tin Tin while you watched and rewatched Cinderella and Snow White.”

  “You’ll look so beautiful.”

  “I was practicing barrel racing for the next rodeo while you learned to embroider.”

  “Wait until you start shopping for gowns! You’ll have a great time doing that.”

  “That’s what I called you about. That and to say hi. Will you help me find a dress?”

  “Will I help you find a dress? Are you kidding? Of course!”

  We decided she’d send me photos of her top online picks. After I chose the one I wanted, it would be shipped to the ranch. She insisted on everything fitting perfectly for the family and always made any necessary alterations. She had all my measurements. I gave her the date of the dance. I could tell she could hardly wait to get off the phone and start shopping.

  In the following week, I had my first dance lesson with the Professor. Originally, he had said we’d practice once a week. After our first encounter, he changed it to three times a week.

  I gave the remaining tickets to Daniel, Helen, Bill, and Scott. They were thrilled. Corrigan sold the dagger set for untold millions to a museum and offered to set up a trust fund for Timur, Verushka, and Clay. They would be set financially for the rest of their lives.

  During a conversation with him, I mentioned the Russian ball. He told me to save him a dance and he would be there. He promised to arrange for transportation for the Silver Sentinels and me that evening.

  My sister sent me a dozen photos. As I looked at them one by one, I found they were all lovely but didn’t spark the excitement my sister exuded when she found a piece of clothing she loved.

  Then I got to the last picture. I gasped. This was the one. Simple. Elegant. Gorgeous. Emerald green silk cascaded to the floor with a V-neck bodice. The back had a V as well, but deeper. I emailed her my choice, and she immediately replied it was the one she hoped I would pick.

  A month later, the box with the dress arrived. My sister had made fast work of the alterations. I took it to my quarters, opened the box, and folded back the tissue paper covering it. A beam of sunlight hit the emerald green silk, and it seemed to shimmer in response. Carefully, I lifted it out of the box and laid it out on the bed. The gown was even more beautiful than I had expected.

  I touched it and mar
veled at its softness. My ex and I had had a simple wedding with no wedding gown involved. I wore a nice dress, and he was in a suit. I’d never worn anything like this.

  Two tissue-wrapped packages were in the bottom of the box. I picked one up and put it on the bed next to the dress. I opened the paper and found long black satin gloves, a small beaded handbag, and a jewel-studded hair clip, along with a note.

  Here are a few additional items to make your evening even more magical.

  My amazing sister. The last package revealed a pair of black satin high heels and another note.

  I thought you might not think about the heels until the last minute, so here they are.

  She was so right. They only footwear I’d brought with me that had any kind of heel were my cowboy boots.

  I put on the dress and felt transformed, as if I was part of a fairy tale. I twisted up my hair and fastened it with the sparkling clip. That and the gloves took the experience to another level. I slipped into the heels and realized I had a lot of practicing ahead. It had been a long time since I’d worn high heels, much less danced in them.

  I was excited. I had to admit it. My sister had altered the gown, and it was a perfect fit. Once I learned to walk and dance in the shoes, I’d be ready.

  Rudy called the next day and asked if he and Ivan could come over for a few minutes. I told him that would be fine. I’d be in all day, doing an inventory of our pantry. When they arrived, we went into the conference room. Rudy had brought his briefcase. We all sat and Rudy put the case down, opened it, and pulled out a box.

  “Ivan and I have a present for you. We wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you.”

  “Wait,” I said. “You’ve done enough with offering to buy the ball gown.”

  Ivan rested his hand on my arm. “Is something special from us.”

  Rudy opened the box, and I saw the necklace Ivan had shown us in the vault, the one that had belonged to their mother. “Our mother would want you to have this. You saved her sons.”

  “We look at sometimes and remember her,” Ivan said. “We can look at it on you and do the same.”

  I was close to speechless. The diamonds sparkled and glittered in the overhead light. “But…what about family members you could give it to? Like Verushka and Clay’s sister.”