The Sandcastle Murders

by K. E. Warner

  Chapter twenty-eight

  Three days of uninterrupted calm refreshed Magda’s energy reserves. She was grateful for the reprieve, and now felt rested for tonight’s White Night Dinner. She scooped her hair off her neck and adjusted the shoulders of a white, solid lace, scoop-necked dress. Spinning before the mirror she watched the peasant sleeves flounce, a dainty partner for the skirt spinning just above the knee. She twisted her hair in a loose bun and wrapped it with a white velvet ribbon.

  Slipping on a pair of white sandals, she picked up her cell phone, her stomach butterflying with anticipation. Donna’s list of rules had her wondering how they put fun into the evening. Though she was privy to the location of the venue, meeting and travelling with guests who didn’t know where they were going would be a novel experience.

  She thumbed through social media apps to pass the time, then double-checked her text messages, making sure she’d seen every text message from Donna and the committee. The list of people she received messages from was lengthy, an expected outcome of someone in her line of work. But yesterday, the texts increased with questions and comments about the event pinging from phone to phone. ‘Did we get this?’ ‘Did someone pick up that?’ ‘Teresa wants to know if pale blue is white?’ Mostly, she’d ignored them.

  But as she scrolled, her eyes caught an unopened text from an unknown number. She opened it and read:

  goa

  Three letters. What was that supposed to mean? The message window showed she received it yesterday. Yesterday? Maybe she became immune to the constant buzzing after the first thirty or forty messages about the dinner.

  Likely the message meant nothing. A wrong number. Or a pocket dial. Or a child playing with a phone. Tomorrow, if it still bothered her, she’d do a Reverse Lookup on the number.

  The phone buzzed, and a new text distracted her.

  Stey Cove Arena: 6:15 departure – please ensure your team has accounted for all items you require to enjoy the evening!

  Magda bolted upright. Four o’clock, plenty of time to get there, but she was too restless to sit any longer.

  She snatched her white beaded cotton purse and threw her phone inside, looking forward to the night. She’d take a stroll down at the marina before she headed to the meeting place. Perhaps Chris or the boat would be there.

  Chapter twenty-nine

  Magda, Elaine, and the Connors sat together in the school bus chugging down the hill toward the bandshell.

  Elaine squealed as they rounded the curve, the destination in sight. “Oh my, there must be a hundred of those glass lights hanging from poles. It looks like a fairy-tale.” Gasps could be heard throughout the bus as people realized they’d arrived.

  “I can’t wait till it gets dark.” Magda felt like a kid, envisioning what the baseball sized balls would look like once daylight drifted into night and the LED lighting of the balls glowed.

  Alice pointed toward the cordoned off area where white ribbons hung between poles. “Oh, I finally see what Donna was talking about. It’s set up as if it’s a stage. And those flags indicate table numbers. She said it would be obvious. And, oh gosh, look.” A young girl, in a long white gown, fairy wings floating behind her, handed each guest a single white rose wrist corsage or boutonniere as they stepped from the bus.

  Magda waved at Donna and Charles, who were waiting for the rest of their table to arrive. She descended the bus stairs and almost stepped on Saori, attired in an over-sized white satin bow. The little pup twitched and scratched at the ribbon around her neck.

  “Saori, it’s no use. Donna dressed us tonight. We’ll not get out of it.” Charles looked handsome in his white suit, tie, and panama hat, but Magda saw him tug at the tie. He and Saori looked like a pair of uncomfortable bookends for Donna.

  The last bus arrived and Henri stepped out, waved, and quickstepped toward the group.

  Magda heard Charles’ low groan. “He couldn’t find a date?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him before turning to see if Henri heard the comment, but Charles had turned to survey the picnic area. Donna’s face went red, and she shushed Charles before turning to kiss Henri’s cheeks.

  “We’re expecting one more guest.” She glanced at Magda, who furrowed her brow at Donna. “He’s just getting off work, and since I’m the event chair, I’m allowing our table to break this one rule and set up before he gets here.”

  The driver unloaded the chairs and baskets and the group carried everything they needed the few feet to their appointed spot. Thanks to Donna, their table had been delivered, so they weren’t dependant on card tables the way other groups were.

  “Charles, you and Dave can put the lace tablecloth on. Magda and Alice can drape each chair with a sheath of white cotton. There are pieces of velvet ribbon to tie around the legs under each seat to keep it in place.”

  Elaine pulled a centrepiece from a box and paused for the men to straighten the tablecloth. A dozen white roses, baby’s breath, and six large white orchids sat in a mother-of-pearl vase. “This goes here.” And she set it in the middle of the table. “Henri, there are strings of mini-lights in that box too. If you run them the length of the table, then turn them on, we’ll be done decorating.” Magda noticed the smile Elaine shared with Henri as she spoke to him.

  Donna stood back and admired the setting. “All right. Now everyone can put out their own place setting. I brought the extra and it can go right here. Across from Magda.”

  Magda clenched her jaw and remained silent. She took a deep breath and smiled. “Roses. They smell beautiful.”

  Finally, Donna invited the guests to open the picnic baskets and distribute their culinary contributions across the table. There was a platter of prosciutto and melon kebabs, garnished with mint leaves, a plate of hasselback tomato caprese with fresh basil drizzled in white balsamic cream, brie with radish and arugula crostini, a huge platter of shrimp, devilled eggs, cheeses, baguettes, mini leek quiches, and a five-layer white cake piped with white roses covering every inch.

  The guests stood behind their chairs, observing each other, the surrounding forest, the sound of the ocean rolling nearby, and the bounty they would soon enjoy. The rules stated no one sat until the last guest arrived.

  Magda watched as other tables seated themselves and finally nudged Donna. “Not sure who your guest is, but maybe we shouldn’t wait.” She nodded at the empty chair directly across from her.

  “Well, I owe it to him to wait, actually. He brought the table here for me earlier, and the flowers too. He’ll be here soon. I just got a text.”

  As Magda sighed, she caught sight of a white blur loping toward the table at an inelegant pace. Raheem arrived looking somewhat disheveled in a white linen shirt, white chinos, and white leather loafers. Magda’s sigh turned into a slight hum as she met his gaze and saw the smile cross his face. Her heart pounded and she considered how to react to his presence.

  “Sorry everyone. Caught up in some work.” He took Donna’s hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed it as if he was a knight. “Thank you for inviting me, Donna.”

  Donna’s blush was visible, even in the fading light, but Magda’s face froze, certain this was a slight against her.

  “Hello, Raheem. I wasn’t aware you were attending.” The entire event had taken on new meaning for Magda.

  “Yes. I accepted Donna’s gracious last-minute invitation. And I sincerely appreciate having the chance to enjoy something this beautiful.” His words seemed to mean the event, but his eyes never left Magda’s face.

  Donna’s voice sliced the tension. “Please, everyone, take a seat.”

  The guests sat and Henri offered a toast, “Could we raise our glasses?” The group responded in unison, lifting wine and champagne glasses. “May the rains sweep gently across your fields, may the sun warm the land, may every good seed you have planted bear fruit, and may late summer find you standing in fields of plenty. Sláinte!”

  Donna thanked Henri to echoes of ‘Sláinte’ and ‘Good Heal
th’ and encouraged everyone to dig in. Magda remained silent and still until Donna nudged her, whispering, “Don’t be rude, Magda, enjoy the party.”

  Magda didn’t respond but took a sip of the champagne and accepted a platter being passed by Dave. Each guest filled their plates and as platters emptied, more food appeared from coolers.

  The dinner progressed through a variety of subjects: poetry, prose, carpentry, and old parlour games. Elaine spoke above the rest, “How about a game of For and Against.”

  Dave and Alice knew the game and piped up affirmatively, but the rest remained silent.

  Seeing the confused looks, Elaine continued. “You state a topic, something innocuous, like ‘bread’ for example, and everyone must state whether they are for it, or against it, and the reason behind their decision. No debating, just listen to what the person says and accept it as their opinion. How about it?”

  The game sounded like an innocent and inclusive parlour game from yesteryear, and the table agreed in unison.

  “I’ll start. The topic is….” Elaine looked around the table before declaring, “Artificial Christmas trees. Shall we begin with you, Raheem, and go to the right from there?”

  Raheem nodded. “Against. I have so many wonderful memories of being a child and traipsing into the forest with my dad to choose a tree, help him chop it, tie it to the car, and bring it home.”

  Almost everyone nodded with smiles on their faces. Magda rolled her eyes.

  Alice declared herself in favour. “I dislike cleaning up real tree needles after Christmas.”

  Dave was also in favour of artificial trees, citing the expense of actual trees year after year. Donna against, believing trees a sustainable resource as opposed to the artificial, which were discarded eventually. Magda, for, mentioning allergies to pine trees, Henri against, as he missed live trees. Real trees were against the condo bylaws – management didn’t want to clean pine needles from hallways or elevators.

  And finally, Charles, who premised his position with an anecdote. “Did you know that in the year 2000 the world began looking at the demise of the real Christmas tree because of artificial trees? In fact, in 2004, the National Christmas Tree Association offered a free online game called The Attack of the Mutant Artificial Christmas Tree. It encouraged players to lob snowballs at a virtual artificial tree to destroy it. Believe it or not, saving the Christmas tree almost didn’t happen. Because of presidential politics.”

  Donna placed a finger on her lips and gave Charles a gentle nod. He stopped talking mid-sentence. The group leaned in toward him in unison.

  “Um. Against. But I am for the American Christmas Tree Promotion Board.”

  They were used to Charles’ insertions of quirky bits of information into conversations. No one pursued the end of his story.

  “Now you suggest the next word, Raheem.”

  “Hmm. Coffee.”

  The For and Against Game went around the table a second time and passed Charles without incident. The next words included Alice’s ‘paper’, Dave’s ‘sand’, and Donna’s ‘high-rises’.

  Then came Magda.

  Her squinted glare directed itself across the table, piercing Raheem’s dark brown eyes. Through gritted teeth, she said, “Keys.”

  The table murmured, and she heard endorsements of ‘good one’, and ‘nicely done’, but Raheem’s face remained placid.

  Henri’s turn elicited an against. “I can never remember where I put them.”

  Charles remained succinct, having learned his lesson first round. “For. They keep people out.”

  No surprise there.

  Elaine chirped, “Against. I’m with Henri, always losing mine.” She smiled sweetly across the table at him.

  Raheem’s turn. Magda and Raheem’s eyes remained locked since she first uttered the word. “For. When someone has the keys to your heart, you are the happiest person on Earth.”

  The table guests sighed in unison. All heads turned to Magda, whose eyes glistened. She wanted this moment gone. “Alice?”

  Alice choked a response. “Well, I don’t think I can say anything else. I think Raheem just won the game.”

  His eyebrows lifted and he grinned at Magda.

  But Henri had one more word to add. “I have a word. Fishing. For, or against.”

  His word elicited the most agreement of the evening. As they went around the table, Henri’s smile grew. It was unanimous. Fishing included a variety of positive perspectives such as, ‘roll of the waves’, ‘smell of salt in the air’, and from Charles, ‘peaceful’.

  It elated the old navy man as he beamed at his friends. “Well, I had a bit of an ulterior motive for that one. I feel I owe you all something for the support you’ve shown me this summer, and I was thinking of renting a fishing boat and taking you out. I would see if I could borrow Chris’, but…”, his shoulders sagged.

  Elaine was quick to dispel the change in mood Chris’ name elicited. “Henri that sounds like so much fun. I’ve never fished, but would love to go out on a boat.” Her eyes fluttered in his directions.

  Donna, Dave and Alice, and Magda chimed in to agree.

  Raheem hesitated. “Well, I think it’d be great – but I can’t commit. Just because of work.”

  They all nodded at Raheem’s response and quickly turned to Charles.

  He remained silent until Donna spoke up. “Charles, you said fishing was peaceful. Don’t you think you’d enjoy it?”

  “I am not sure. I have read so much about what it’s like fishing. It seemed like something I would do with my father.”

  Magda assumed this was a reference to having grown up without a father, a factor she thought helped form Charles’ preference for a living alone. His mother promoted a reclusive lifestyle and Charles maintained it as he aged.

  Donna persevered. “Do you think you could try it? With us? Can he bring Saori, Henri?”

  “I don’t see why not? Flying through the water in a fishing boat is much like driving a car, only dogs don’t need an open a window to enjoy the scents whizzing past.”

  Donna spoke directly to Charles once more. “Wonderful. We’ll put you down for a ‘likely to attend’.” She smiled at him, and his face fell; he’d lost that battle.

  The group relaxed and energy increased as they took turns elaborating on their ideas of fishing, what to wear, what food to bring, and where they’d go.

  Henri’s eyes narrowed and a slight smile teased at the corners of his mouth. “Jedediah Island might be the perfect spot. It has sheltered bays and sea lions playing in the surrounding water, which means plenty of fish. It also has some interesting animals on the island.”

  Magda flinched at the location, and she caught the twitch of Raheem’s eyes as he watched her. He remained silent and she smiled, her grin an attempt to put him at ease. Raheem’s intuitive powers were intimidating, but she remained steadfast.

  Conversation relaxed further as food disappeared from the table. Glasses emptied, the twinkling lights illuminated the magic of the evening, and they placed empty dishes in picnic baskets.

  “And now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for.” Donna lifted the white cake in front of Magda and handed her a silver cake knife, white ribbon gracing the handle. “Magda, will you do the honours?”

  Magda sliced the cake to calls of ‘Just a small piece’, ‘oh maybe a bit bigger than that’, and ‘I’m not starting a diet till tomorrow anyway.’

  A few of the surrounding tables cleared as they finished dessert, everyone packing up with less energy and enthusiasm than they had when setting up. As the tables thinned, Donna’s friends finished up their champagne and packed their belongings.

  “Magda.” It was the first time Raheem had addressed her all night. “I wonder if I could drive you back to your car?”

  He was the bigger person this evening, and she knew it. She took his lead and nodded. They continued to help pack up, and Raheem folded the table, offering to take the table and flower centrepiece for Donn
a.

  “C’mon, we’ll leave the picnic basket here and take the table and flowers to the car. I can grab my flashlight and we’ll come back for the rest.”

  He hurried, and she did small skip-steps to keep up, still silent, unsure what to say to him.

  When they reached the car, he tucked the table and flowers into the back of his SUV, grabbed the flashlight from his glove box, and closed the door. As he turned to walk back beside her, he took her hand.

  They walked in silence for a few minutes before he spoke. “So Jedediah Island? That sounds like fun.”