by Vella Day
Once I was sure Iggy was hidden safely in the shrubs, I returned to the bedroom to change into my swimsuit. It was a bit chilly out, but Gavin assured us the pool was heated. It must be nice to live in such luxury. Or not. It actually seemed a bit lonely, but I would never have to worry about that problem.
When I returned to the living room, Gavin had a stack of beach towels ready. “What’s our plan?” he asked.
I told them that Iggy was on it. “If Mauricio opens his cabana door, Iggy will cloak himself if need be and sneak in.”
“He can’t do computer research, can he?” Gavin asked.
I guess Rihanna never fully explained my familiar’s talents. “No. That’s Jaxson’s department, but Iggy can tell us if there is a computer. Should Mauricio make a phone call, Iggy might be able to hear both sides of the conversation. His hearing is amazing. It’s his memory that is a bit faulty.”
“If Mauricio sees his collar, we might have some answering to do,” Jaxson said.
“Yeah, about that.” I explained that I removed Iggy’s collar.
“That was smart.”
Rihanna pulled open the sliding glass door. “I thought someone suggested we go for a swim so we can show Mauricio we’re here for a good time.”
“True.”
We all piled out of the house. True to his word, the pool was heated, and I couldn’t remember the last time I went swimming when it wasn’t in the Gulf of Mexico.
Since I didn’t see Mauricio, I splashed Jaxson, hoping he’d make some noise and draw him out. That was a mistake. A second later, I found myself underwater. Naturally, Jaxson let me up, laughed, and then hugged me. Nice!
A door off to the side opened. It was Mauricio coming out of his cabana.
“Showtime,” I whispered.
Gavin swam to the edge of the pool to greet the gardener, and Rihanna followed. Good. They needed to stay together should Mauricio be the one and only evil warlock. But from the way he smiled, he looked genuinely nice.
“I thought I heard a car pull up,” Mauricio said.
“This is my girlfriend, Rihanna, the one I told you about.”
“Nice to meet you.” Mauricio turned his attention back to Gavin. “Did your stepmother say when she was returning? I need to discuss changing up some of the plants.”
Did he really think that sounded legit? I couldn’t wait to hear what Rihanna said after reading his mind. During their discussion, I looked over at the cabana. The door was closed, and I hoped Iggy had been able to sneak inside and check things out. The problem was him getting out again.
“I need to get back to work,” Mauricio said.
Work? It was almost dark—or did he mean he needed to study inside his cabana?
“Morgana has her phone. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you called her,” Gavin said.
From the way the outdoor house lights angled across his face, I couldn’t get a good reading as to what he was thinking. “I might do that.”
Once the gardener left, he walked to the front of the property. “Should we see what Iggy is up to?” I asked Jaxson.
He stepped over to the side of the pool and leveraged himself out in one smooth movement. “I’ll get him.”
“No. I need to come with you.”
“If you-know-who is guilty, he has no reason to harm us. It would focus too much attention if two people who stayed at this house were affected.”
Jaxson talked as if he thought the gardener was guilty. I still didn’t see him as having a motive. “I want to come, but let’s hear what Rihanna has to say first.”
“Right.”
I used the steps to get out of the pool and walked over to where Rihanna was hanging out with Gavin. “Did Mauricio think any bad thoughts?”
She sucked in a breath. “It was scary.”
I squatted in front of her. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve never been stonewalled like that before. It was like he was able to erect an impermeable wall between our minds.”
“You didn’t hear anything?”
“No. I felt so…ordinary.”
That would be scary. “He might be in control of his emotions. He is a doctor, after all.”
She shook her head. “Gavin’s mom is a doctor, and I can tell what she’s thinking.”
“Rihanna?” Gavin questioned.
“But I never do.”
He looked up at us. “Do you believe her?”
“Absolutely not.” I chuckled. “Talk it out. We’re going to rescue Iggy.”
“Good luck,” my cousin said.
After making sure that Mauricio was nowhere in sight, we snuck up to his cabana. I opened the door and peeked in. It was a one-room building that included a small kitchen, a two-person table, a bed, a desk, and a sofa facing a wall-mounted television.
The table was filled with books. “Do you think they are medical books?” I whispered.
“Let’s see.”
“What if we’re caught?” I asked.
“Tell him you spotted your pet iguana going inside.”
“Sounds good.” I was curious if Iggy was here. He might still be cloaked. “Iggy, please come out.”
A few seconds later, Iggy appeared and waddled toward me. “I’m here, but I couldn’t get out.”
“I figured.”
“All medical books,” Jaxson said.
I didn’t like being in the man’s private place. “I’m sorry, Iggy. Jaxson, let’s go.”
Jaxson was reaching for the handle when the door opened.
“What are you guys doing here?” I couldn’t tell if he was angry or just confused.
I bent down and scooped up Iggy. “My pet wandered off. He has a tendency to hide.”
“I was snooping,” he said.
What was Iggy thinking talking out loud? Please don’t let this man be a warlock and understand what Iggy just said.
“I’m glad you found him. What’s his name?”
“Iggy.”
Mauricio leaned over. “Hi there.”
I squeezed Iggy, hoping he’d understand that saying anything further might put us all in danger. Thankfully, he just bobbed his head. “I think he was just hungry.”
“He eats people food?”
“Sometimes, yes.” Not really, but I didn’t want to let anything slip.
“Come on, Glinda,” Jaxson said.
“Sorry,” I said to Mauricio in my sweetest voice.
When Mauricio didn’t say anything more, we hightailed it out of there. I felt a little bad that I’d dripped water on his floor, but I’m sure it wasn’t the first time his place got wet.
Once we returned to the pool area, I placed Iggy on the cool deck. “Don’t say a word,” I warned him. “Someone might be watching or listening.” I smiled in case Mauricio was looking out the window.
Naturally, this guy could be totally innocent, but letting down my guard could prove disastrous.
“I think we should head inside,” Rihanna said.
“Good idea. We also need to contact Dolly’s cousin, Nora, to see what she’s uncovered about the life of Daniel Sanchez. But first let’s hear what Iggy has to say.” As soon as we stepped inside the house, I grabbed a towel, dried off, and then faced him. “Anything?”
“Yes. You saw the medical books, but he also made a call.” I translated what he said.
“To Morgana?” Gavin asked. “I’d suggested he call her since he wanted to know when she was returning.”
“It was a woman, that’s all I know.”
This was typical Iggy. He liked making us work for it. “Come on. We don’t have all night.”
“Okay, okay. Mauricio sounded angry. All he said was that the kid and his friends were here.”
I told him what was said.
“He called me a kid?” Gavin asked.
“I know, right?” Iggy said. “Is he even old enough to be your dad?”
What was he talking about? I suppose it didn’t matter. “Did you hear what the lady
said?” I asked.
“She told Mauricio to forget us.”
I had to think about that for a moment. I turned to Gavin. “Didn’t you say that Morgana was not on great terms with Mauricio?”
“Like I said, they’d argued, but I didn’t hear if they’d made up or not. It’s why I think she suggested Mauricio might have wanted Dad dead.”
“I hope she based her comment on more than just a grudge.”
“Me, too,” Gavin said.
“There’s something else,” Iggy said.
“What is it?” I tried to sound patient.
“I saw a picture of Morgana and Mauricio kissing.”
My mind splintered into several directions. “Are you sure it was Morgana?” One of the two people might have been facing away from the camera.
“Yes. I couldn’t miss the red hair. Besides, she had on that blue colored ring she still wears.”
I told Gavin.
“It’s a turquoise ring my dad gave her when they first started dating,” Gavin said. “He told me how he had it handmade in Miami.”
Oh, my. That implied she was kissing Mauricio after knowing Daniel. “Let’s call Nora and see what she’s found out.”
“I’m coming with you,” Iggy said. “There is no way I’m staying here if Mauricio understood me.”
“I agree. If he understood you, it means he is a warlock. While he might be a good one, I don’t want to take a chance he isn’t. You’ll have to stay in my purse, though.”
“I know.”
Iggy sounded rather dejected, but that couldn’t be helped.
“I’ll get ready as soon as I call Nora to set up a time and place to meet,” I said.
“Can you put my collar on me first?” Iggy asked.
“Sure.”
“I’ll call Nora,” Jaxson said. “You dress.”
He always could sweet talk the women. “Thank you.”
I showered and changed as fast as I could. I hoped Jaxson had been able to get a hold of Dolly’s sister-in-law. As soon as I donned my pink pendant, I left the bedroom, only to find the others were waiting for me. “Did I take that long?”
Rihanna smiled. “Maybe.”
“Sorry. Do we have a date with Nora?”
“We do,” Jaxson said. “We are meeting her at some restaurant near downtown.”
“Which means we need to hurry so as not to keep her waiting,” Gavin said.
We all remained rather quiet on the ride to the restaurant. I hoped Nora hadn’t uncovered too much dirt on Mauricio. That might mean we were in danger.
When we arrived, we entered en masse. “Do we know what she looks like?” I asked.
“I’m sure she’ll be able to spot us. She knows there are four of us.”
“Five,” piped up my iguana who was inside my purse.
“Shh.”
A tall, thin woman who was seated at a large table, stood, and waved to us. I was surprised the place was a seat-yourself restaurant. If this woman ran in Daniel Sanchez’s circles, I would have thought we’d be eating at a more upscale establishment. In all honesty, I was glad we weren’t. I felt more comfortable in a place like this. We wove our way around some tables to reach her.
“Which one of you is Gavin?” Her glance bounced between the two men.
“I am,” Gavin said.
“My sympathies.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m Glinda, by the way, and this is my cousin, Rihanna and my boyfriend, Jaxson. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with us.”
“Are you kidding? Dolly tells me all the time how much she helps solve crimes in Witch’s Cove. I have to tell you, I am so jealous.”
I shouldn’t be surprised that Dolly bragged. “She does help us a lot. Without her, many criminals might have gotten away.”
We all sat down.
“What did you find out about Daniel Sanchez?” Jaxson asked.
Chapter Twelve
“For starters, Daniel’s wife, Morgana, is no saint,” Nora said.
That had my attention. “How so?” I wonder if Dolly’s sister-in-law had info on Morgana’s relationship with Mauricio.
Nora’s right eyebrow rose. “Did you know Morgana and her gardener, Mauricio Jimenez, used to date before she met Gavin’s dad?”
Nailed it! Except it appeared this relationship continued even after she met Daniel. “We saw a picture in his cabana of the two of them kissing. I figured they were a couple at one point.” I didn’t mention that the photo was after she started to date Daniel.
“I’m not surprised it was on display. Morgana would be quite the catch for him. Are you aware that Mauricio was a doctor in Mexico and that he came to the US for asylum?”
“Was it political asylum?” Jaxson asked.
I was glad he didn’t tell her that was old news. Nothing was worse to a gossip than sharing something the other person already knew.
“That I don’t know.”
“How did they meet?” I thought it best to change the subject a bit, though I wasn’t sure knowing the history of those two was all that important. I just liked knowing the facts—or rather the gossip.
“I have a friend who owns an upscale bar near where Morgana lives. It’s a place where wealthy women feel safe visiting. Apparently, Morgana was waiting to have a few drinks with some girlfriends when Mr. Hunky showed up.”
“Wasn’t she seeing Daniel at the time?” I asked.
“Oh, no. She met Mauricio when she was still married to her first husband. When he started seeing someone else, she decided to retaliate.”
Note to self: Morgana appears to be the vindictive type. She also seems to omit facts pertinent to the case.
I wonder where Nora learned all of this. “Do you know one of her girlfriends?”
Nora smiled. “I do. It’s how I got the lowdown.”
This was really good stuff. “Go on.”
“Mauricio was at the bar looking lost and adorable, and Morgana saw her chance. When she learned his dilemma, she took him under her wing.”
“I take it she hired him as her gardener because he needed employment to be able to stay here?” Gavin asked.
“You are a smart boy.”
That, and Mauricio was a good way to get back at her husband, but I didn’t need to mention that in front of Gavin.
“How long did they date?” Jaxson asked.
“They actually lived together for about a year until her divorce became final. That’s when she met Gavin’s dad and told Mauricio that he had to move into the cabana.”
“I bet that upset him.” At least he should have been upset. “He needed the job though, right?”
“Yes. He was kind of trapped.”
“Is Mauricio currently attending school or doing some training to get his medical license renewed?” Jaxson asked.
While I liked focusing on the emotional relationship, Jaxson seemed to prefer the practical aspect of things.
“I don’t know the details, but he’ll have to do something if he plans to practice here. I know he volunteers three days a week at the local morgue. He was a medical examiner in Mexico.”
That was a great lead. “Do you know the name of the morgue and where it is located?”
“Since I figured you might ask, I did a little digging before you came. Mauricio works with a Dr. Chris Williams over on Tenth Avenue.”
“That’s super. And did you dig up any dirt on Sandra Cortez, Morgana’s sister?” Dolly had asked Nora to research both of them. “Sandra admitted to dating Gavin’s dad before her sister swept him off his feet.”
The waitress came by. Finally. Thankfully, we’d already chosen our meal, so the ordering process went quickly.
“I’m vaguer on her, but she is someone to be reckoned with. She is a fiercely aggressive lawyer who goes after her opponent—within the law, of course.”
“Of course,” I tossed back.
“Sandra mentioned an Ed Whitlow was suing Daniel because of some papers Whitlow b
elieved Daniel had falsified regarding the man’s divorce,” Jaxson said. “Do you know anything about this guy.”
Nora waved a hand. “Ed and I go way back. He’s an old cheapskate who hates losing a dime even though he’s richer than sin.”
“Are you saying the claim against Gavin’s dad might have been bogus?”
Nora held up a hand. “We lost touch over the years, but rumor has it the claim might have been a desperate attempt on Ed’s part to cheat his ex-wife out of her just rewards.” She turned to Gavin. “If you want a real suspect, from what I heard, it’s your uncle who really hated your father.”
His eyes widened. “Uncle Richie?”
“Yes, or so Daniel said.”
“What did Dad say exactly?”
“When your uncle first met your mom, he threw a fit that your dad was dating her,” Nora said. “He said nothing good could come from dating a woman in medical school.”
Gavin chuckled. “That would have been over twenty years ago. Uncle Richie wouldn’t be involved in any of this mess now, not after all these years. Besides, once Uncle Richie was arrested for breaking and entering about ten years ago, Dad kind of disowned his brother.”
“Just saying. If you guys are looking for who might want to harm Daniel, I’d check him out.”
We didn’t need any more suspects, though I was sure Jaxson or the Miami PD could investigate him. “Thanks.”
Our meal arrived, and I chowed down, not realizing how hungry I was. Even though Nora’s information was wonderful and possibly helpful, I wasn’t sure we gained much from our trip to Miami. Morgana had already pointed the finger at her sister and her gardener, and no one seemed to think Ed Whitlow had it in him to harm anyone. And then there was Gavin’s uncle. Had he done something recently to cause concern? We’d have to ask Steve to check with Detective Bogart, the lead on the case.
Before I could even decide who was my number one suspect, Jaxson had taken out his credit card to pay.
“No, it’s on me,” Nora said.
“You helped us,” I said. “We should pay for your meal.”
“Nonsense. I haven’t had this big of a rush in a long time.”
“Then thank you.”
She waved to the server and then gave the girl her card. “Please give Dolly my best.”
Nora seemed sweet. I don’t know why Dolly appeared to dislike her. “We will.”