A Body on Fitzgerald's Bluff

by Anna Celeste Burke

  17 The Man Who’s Not on the Bridge

  From where I stood in the parking lot, I could see the arched bridge that crosses the road from Seaview Cottages to the dunes and beach quite clearly. I could have sworn someone was standing on the bridge, peering at us. At this distance, I might not have even noticed except that the figure moved for an instant when I turned around and faced the bridge. I squinted, wondering if I needed real glasses since I couldn’t see anyone on the bridge now.

  “Share what?” Neely asked.

  “I’ll tell you, but let’s get into the cars while we wait for Hank, okay?” My request was made with renewed urgency when I saw movement on the bridge again. The tall man appeared to be staring directly at us, until I glimpsed him. Then he disappeared almost immediately as he strode toward the beach. I stepped closer to Midge and spoke in a low voice as Marty ushered the boys to the Mustang.

  “I don’t want to scare the boys, but you should put the top up. Turn the engine on and use the AC if it gets too hot, but keep the windows rolled up and the doors locked until Hank gets here.” Midge didn’t ask why as she dashed to the driver’s side of her car. Neely had leaned in to hear me and questioned me quietly.

  “That’s not funny, so why were you laughing?”

  “No, it’s not! I’ll tell you what Hank said later. Right now, I’m more concerned about the man who’s on the bridge.”

  “Why?” Neely asked as she pushed the glasses up on her nose and frowned as if that would allow her to see all the way to the bridge. “You know my distance vision is no good, but I don’t see anyone on the bridge.”

  “To be more precise, what I should have said is that I’m more concerned about the man who’s NOT on the bridge.” With that, I called Hank again. When the call went to voice mail, I asked him to please hurry as I slipped into the passenger seat of Neely’s car and locked the door.

  If Boo was on his way, it would take him ten or fifteen minutes to reach us, even if he moved at a fast clip. I scanned the area around us, searching for a bluff nearby that could give me a higher elevation and a better view of anyone approaching us on foot. When I reached for the door handle to get out of the car, Neely stopped me.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Miriam Webster!” She was correct, of course. What could I do if I did see the big galoot coming this way except run right back to the car? “You haven’t even told me why you’re so spooked. Spill it!”

  “Okay,” I responded as calmly as I could, hoping not to infect her with my panic. I told her what I thought I’d seen, taking in great gulps of air and trying not to hyperventilate as I uttered Boo’s name. I’d never seen or met Boo, but I knew enough about Diana Durand not to unquestionably accept the claim she’d made to Andi that he was a “marshmallow.” The car suddenly felt claustrophobic—more like a trap than a haven.

  Neely didn’t say anything, but by the time I finished, she was also gazing anxiously at the bluffs and beach. She searched behind us too, using her rearview mirror. Midge and Marty appeared to be engaged in an animated conversation with Brandon and Nathan. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to be scared or worried in the least.

  Neely and I both let out audible sighs of relief when sirens sounded a few minutes later. Not long after that, Hank pulled up behind us. He didn’t bother to park before he hopped out of his car. A patrol car pulled up behind him.

  “Everyone okay?” Hank shouted. Neely had unlocked the car doors as soon as the sirens closed in on us. I opened my door and slipped out quickly.

  “We’re all fine now,” I replied, almost running toward him until I realized Hank had his gun drawn. When I stopped abruptly, he stowed the gun in a shoulder holster worn under his jacket.

  “What was the ‘hurry up’ message about?” Before I could respond, the doors on Midge’s car doors flew open and the boys sprang from the back seat.

  “Mom! Dad!” they cried as they rushed into the outstretched arms of their parents who’d disembarked from the back seat of the patrol car. As the family members embraced and chattered, I told Hank about Boo. After a round of “Boo who?” which evoked a snicker from Neely who’d joined us, Hank was on the phone with a dispatcher. He relayed the description I’d given him of the man and asked for someone to patrol the beach on foot to locate him.

  “He sure sounds like the guy The Gardeners saw arguing with Diana Durand in the parking lot. Do you want to tell me how you found out they call him Boo? The short version, please.”

  “Sure,” I replied. “There isn’t that much to tell.” Hank listened intently, his pale blue eyes never wavering from my face as I explained what we’d learned about him—including the “marshmallow” bit.

  “Well, if he was headed this way, my guess is the sirens changed his mind.” I nodded in response to Hank’s observation as he put his phone away.

  “I’m sure you’re right. He’s probably taken off in the opposite direction by now.”

  “We’ll have someone waiting for him if he gets as far as Dickens’ Dune or the parking lot near there. Maybe that’s where he was going all along. He could have left a car parked there,” Hank added.

  “I also wouldn’t be too surprised if he tried to make his escape using the bridge again. He could have parked at the Clubhouse. Security at the guard gate would have let him into the community if he’d made a lunch reservation or arranged to play a round of golf.”

  “I doubt he made a reservation for lunch or golf using ‘Boo’ as his name,” Hank murmured.

  “I’m sorry we don’t have his real name,” Neely offered.

  “And I apologize if I’ve got it all wrong and panicked for no reason when I glimpsed an enormous man with almost no hair on the bridge. I can’t be sure it was him, so I may have just sicced you on some poor guy trying to relax at the beach.”

  “There can’t be too many guys around here who fit the description we have for Boo,” Neely added.

  “Deputy Devers is on patrol in Seaview Cottages. He’s supposed to be keeping an eye out for any of our suspects if they turn up.”

  “Yeah, well, I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for him to get his man,” Neely muttered. “Does he even know he’s supposed to be looking for Boo?”

  “He does now,” Hank replied. “It’s better to be safe than sorry, Miriam. The guy sounds like he stands out, even at a distance, so you made the right call to send the alert to me.” Hank smiled through the stress on his face.

  “I doubt I could have stopped myself. My reaction was immediate. It wasn’t just that he fit Boo’s description, but he also appeared to be watching us from the bridge. I wondered if he’d spotted us at the resort and was waiting for us to return to Seaview Cottages. Then, when he crossed the bridge to the beach, I got worried he’d seen us speaking to the boys and had decided to come after them.” I dropped my voice when I mentioned my concern about the boys, even though we were huddled together trying to stay out of earshot of the others.

  “If nothing else, once I picked up your message to hurry, it got the boys’ parents motivated. Let’s hear what our witnesses have to say so we can all get out of here.”

  When Hank smiled this time, the smile was broader, and the sparkle had returned to his eyes. My heart began to pound again as he gazed at me. He wasn’t more than a few inches away. There was something conspiratorial, even intimate, about the connection we’d made as we spoke about the latest twist. Dang it, if my throat wasn’t going dry again!

  “You’re right,” I said. My voice had that thin raspy sound that it had taken on during my last encounter with the detective. I took a quick step away from Hank toward the boys and their parents. Neely had joined Midge and Marty and introduced herself. My action suddenly felt too much like a retreat, so I turned, cleared my throat, and spoke again.

  “Brandon and Nathan are incredibly observant and have plenty to say if you can keep them safe. They may be a little too clever for their own good.” Hank smirked at my comment and raised one eyebrow. I hustled away to say hell
o to the boys’ parents before the exasperating detective had a chance to say “look who’s talking” or anything remotely like that.

  Even though we no longer made the rounds of the summer cottages, it was another hour before Neely dropped me off at home. I couldn’t wait to get inside, change out of the tight jeans I’d worn all day, and slip into my comfortable sweat pants.

  I waved goodbye to Neely from my front porch and then unlocked the door. As I did that, I heard Domino woof at me from inside. When I opened the door, Domino jumped up, put her weight against the door, and shut it!

  “Domino! It’s me, Momma.” She ran to the picture window and looked at me from inside. As she did that, I pulled the wig off and mussed up my hair. Domino jumped with joy and spun around. I opened the door and this time she let me in. With or without Domino, I usually come and go through the garage, so maybe by coming to the front door in that wig I’d spooked her.

  “What is it, girl? Didn’t you recognize me? You saw me leave the house in this silly outfit.” I put my bag down and bent down to make eye contact with Domino. I got a big smooch for my effort. Then she went nuts again.

  Domino ran from the foyer where I stood, down the short hallway, and dashed into the kitchen. I heard her make pawing sounds from what must have been the laundry room. Before I could make sense of her odd behavior, she came galloping back. She stood in front of me, bowed as though she wanted to play, and then ran toward the kitchen again. When she paused and woofed at me, I took it to mean I was supposed to follow.

  “I don’t know what you’re up to, Domino, but I’m coming.” When I got to the kitchen, I could see into the laundry room and stopped. The laundry basket that had been empty when I left this morning was full—piled high with clothes and other items that Domino must have collected from around the house.

  “Domino is this a new game, or have you had a major anxiety attack?” I asked her in a weary, annoyed tone.

  I dragged myself into the laundry room to take a closer look at what she’d done. A throw I leave at the foot of the bed for Domino to sleep on was the biggest item and sat on top of the pile. I pulled it off and threw it into the washer. Then I began removing slippers and magazines and newspapers and finally got to the bottom. On any ordinary day, Domino collects our mail from the floor in the foyer after it’s dropped through the slot in the front door. Then she deposits it in a tray on the coffee table. Today, it was at the bottom of the laundry basket. When I picked it up, I immediately dropped it again.

  18 Domino’s Game

  “No wonder you’re upset, Domino! I’m so sorry I didn’t understand.” I picked up the nearly empty laundry basket and put it on the dining table in the kitchen. I was so creeped out that it took me a few more seconds to decide what to do next.

  Then, I almost ran to the foyer where I’d dropped my bag on a table near the front door. Once I dug out my phone, I called Charly. Domino and I wandered back toward the kitchen as I waited anxiously for her to answer.

  “Hello,” she said on the third ring.

  “Charly, it’s Miriam. I need your advice. Someone has left me something in an envelope with my name scrawled on it. What should I do?” I cleared my voice before going on. “It reeks of the same cologne I smelled when we found Diana’s body.”

  “Call Hank. I’ll be right there.”

  “He might not be happy to hear from me again so soon.” I explained how we’d spent that last hour or so at the beach. Our conversation with Hank had ended with yet another warning about the need to stay out of an ongoing murder investigation. Now I was probably in for an “I told you so moment” with him.

  “Trust me, Miriam, he’s going to want to see what’s in that envelope. It’s better if he opens it rather than you. There’s less chance that you’ll contaminate it and he can begin to document what the police refer to as the chain of custody that’s important to the collection of evidence.”

  “I’m afraid the chain has a weak link in it already. There’s probably doggy spit to go with the teeth marks Domino left on it. Apparently, it was delivered along with the rest of the morning mail, or soon after. Domino buried it all at the bottom of a laundry basket. She didn’t approve of someone dropping the stinky thing through the mail slot into our house.”

  “That’s okay. Domino was doing her best to protect you. If you’re right about the scent, it must be paired for her with all the stress and excitement that went on when we found Diana’s body. Dogs are incredibly sensitive creatures—Domino, in particular. Call Hank. I’m on my way and I’ll bring Emily with me.”

  “Thanks so much. Domino will be happy to see you and Emily.” Domino had been watching me intently with her brow furrowed. When I mentioned Emily’s name, her tail began to wag. As soon as I ended the call, I set my phone down and gave Domino the love she deserved for making such a valiant effort to keep bad things away from us.

  “You deserve a treat,” I said as I found the detective’s phone number by going through the recent calls I’d made and redialed it. Domino was almost back to normal as she wolfed down a doggie biscuit. I wish I could say the same about myself. I tried to calm down as I called the detective.

  “Hank Miller speaking.”

  “Uh, Hank. Detective Miller, it’s me again—Miriam.”

  “Hello, Miriam. What’s up?” I could almost hear him add “now” to that question, but he restrained himself.

  “Charly told me to call you to come get new evidence left here at my home while I was away. Domino got to it first, so it’s been worked over a little.” I did my best to sound coherent as I filled him in about what I meant by that: describing the item, how it must have turned up inside my house, and Domino’s game she invented to get rid of it.

  “I’ll get there as soon as I can. It’s going to be a few more minutes before I can get away.”

  “Do you want my address?” I asked.

  “Nope. I already have it—along with that for the rest of your gang members.” I figured that I-told-you-so moment had arrived. Instead, he sighed. “Keep the doors locked, okay?”

  “Will do. Charly’s on her way over, so I won’t be alone.”

  “Good. She’ll know what to do if there’s trouble before I get there.”

  “She will?” I asked. He must not have heard me because he ended the call without answering my question. I paced around the kitchen trying to decide what to do next. When the doorbell rang, I jumped about a foot off the ground. Domino woofed and dashed to the front door.

  “Fix your hair,” were the first words out of Charly’s mouth once I let her inside. When I glanced at my image in the mirror near the front door, I could see why. My hair was standing up on end. “I’m going to put Emily and Domino outside, okay? Then you can show me what Domino found and did her best to bury.”

  While Charly let the dogs out, I slipped into the powder room and combed my hair. I leaned in to look at myself in the mirror and began an all too familiar slide into paranoia wondering why she’d mentioned my hair. Did it have to do with Hank’s visit, or had she learned something more about my situation? I sighed and took a step backward away from the sink.

  “Miriam Webster, you’re becoming a kook!” I wagged my finger as I chided myself. “Keeping secrets isn’t good for your mental health.” All this sneaking around as a sleuth didn’t help either. Especially with the prospect that a murderer on the loose had been on my front porch today. One with the audacity to shove something through the slot in my front door!

  The image of Boo crossing the bridge that led to the beach from our community gave me a shiver. Had he been here at my house before I spotted him on the bridge? Dave Winick’s drive-by visit on the golf cart came to mind too. As I recalled the photos I’d found online, the smile he wore now seemed a tad crooked. No, I reasoned, from what Judi had told me during that phone call, it just had to be Boo.

  “I knew he’d been through the store because I’d catch a whiff of his cologne in the air,” Judi had said.

 
When I returned to the kitchen, I knew exactly what Judi meant as a hint of the cologne reached my nose. Charly had put on plastic gloves and was peering at that battered envelope. She gave it a sniff.

  “Whew! That is strong, isn’t it? Are you sure this is the same scent you noticed out on the bluff?”

  “Yes. It’s distinctive, don’t you think? Besides, as you already said, Domino’s nose is better than mine. I can’t imagine another reason for her to react so strangely, can you? I’m sure you’re correct that she’s paired the scent with the incident out on Fitzgerald’s Bluff.”

  “I’m dying to know what’s in the envelope. We’ll wait until Hank gets here and let him open it.”

  “I’m not as eager as you are to see what lovely message a strangler has left. Boo is my best guess at the identity of my visitor,” I added. Before Charly could ask me who that was, I continued. “Let me make you a cup of tea and I’ll tell you all I know about a man named Boo. Neely and I were going to do that this evening, but circumstances keep changing our plans today. I suppose she called you about having dinner here and our decision not to canvass the residents in the summer cottages.”

  “Yes, she did, but our conversation was brief. Neely said you have all sorts of information to share, including the lowdown on a boyfriend Diana called Boo, so I’d heard the odd name already.”

  “The two boys we met on the beach have a story about Howard Humphrey you should hear, too. I’m sure you’ll find it interesting even though you already know he was renting the Sinclair Cottage. What clever brothers they are!”

  “It’s too bad they didn’t go to the police right away.” Charly shrugged. “Trust isn’t easy when you’re that young. I wish I could say knowing who you can confide in when you’re in a pickle gets easier with age, but that’s not necessarily true, is it?”

  “No, it’s not.” I busied myself with the task of making our tea and changed the subject, once again, not wanting to get pulled into a deeper conversation about trust given what a fake I am. “Do you want Earl Grey or an herbal tea without the caffeine?”