by Gerald Lopez
“Is a res—e—dance the same as a house?” Galen said.
“Yes,” Walter said.
The detective and Galen peered out the window attentively, as they passed La Mer hotel, the pool area, manicured grounds, and smaller cottages.
“It’s humon—hu… huge,” Galen said, when they were in the driveway of a large white, stucco exterior home.
The detective ruffled Galen’s hair, and chuckled. Inside, the home was comfortably but stylishly furnished. Pale colors of blue and green were prevalent in the upholstery of chairs and sofas. Wall-to-wall stone floor tiles and white walls made it feel cool compared to the morning heat outside. The mostly glass back wall revealed an enclosed patio with pool and Jacuzzi.
“Look, Galen, there’s a pool and everything!” Gabriel said.
“Tile is a good floor for a dog to walk on,” Galen said, looking downward.
“Single-minded lil fella, isn’t he?” The detective said to Walter and smiled.
“Yes,” Walter said. “And so am I. We’re all going to brunch tomorrow in the main dining room, so we need to get ourselves in order.”
“Huh?” the detective said.
“All three of my boys are in desperate need of a haircut… now,” Walter said. “Starting with the oldest. Off with the shirt, detective. Wait for me on the back patio. I’ll be there soon with scissors in hand.”
“No!” Galen said. “I don’t want a haircut.”
“Walter’s good at cutting hair, don’t worry,” the detective said. “He always used to cut mine.”
Galen looked at the detective’s hair, then at Walter and spoke. “Nooo.”
“I didn’t do his last haircut, that’s why his hair is so messy now,” Walter said.
“Jimmy likes my hair long,” Gabriel said.
Walter walked up to Gabriel and ran his hand through Gabriel’s hair, checking the length.
“Just a little trim for him should do it,” the detective said.
“Gabriel, don’t you need to keep it trim for school?” Walter said.
“Yes,” Gabriel said. “But, we’re on vacation now.”
“Just a trim for you then,” Walter said and turned to Galen. “And as for you.”
Galen ran to another part of the house.
“I’ll get him,” Gabriel said.
“What grade you in, Gabriel?” the detective said.
“I’ll be a senior and graduating next year,” Gabriel said. “I just turned seventeen today—I almost forgot.”
“Happy birthday, kiddo,” the detective said.
“You,” Walter said to his detective, “Shirt off and outside.”
“Yes, Sir,” the detective said.
When Walter got outside with his scissors, plastic cape, and other supplies his detective was shirtless and barefoot wearing only his underwear in a chair.
“It’s nice here,” the detective said.
Walter put the cape on his detective, and squirted his hair with some water from the bottle he held.
“It doesn’t feel crowded to you?” Walter said.
“Nope.”
“They’ve already grown attached to you—Gabriel and Galen.”
“To us, babe,” the detective said.
“And how do you feel about that—nervous, apprehensive, cool—what?”
“I like it,” the detective said.
“That’s all?”
“Works for me.” He stretched his legs out and relaxed.
“I forgot how totally cool you were, Detective,” Walter said, then gave his detective a quick kiss
“‘Cool’… but ready to retire and play daddy.”
“Those two boys can use a Dad I think,” Walter said, then began cutting his detective’s hair.
They spent the rest of the time in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. Walter undid the cape, then brushed hair off the detective.
“Send the next one out, then it’s a shower and a nap for you.
“Nap?”
“You haven’t gotten much sleep lately,” Walter said. “At least try the mattress and see how you like it. The master bedroom is on the left when you go back in, the other bedrooms are to the right.”
The detective walked back in the house.
“Next!” the detective said, then headed down the hall to the left, passing several paintings. Entering the bedroom, he spotted photographs of him and Walter on the dresser but was too tired to notice anything else. He liked the aqua blue and iridescent white tiles used throughout the bathroom. After taking a long, hot shower he put on a pair of underwear he found in the dresser, then decided to try the mattress. It was perfect—not too firm or soft. He stretched out, and looked through the glass French doors to the outside as his eyelids grew heavy.
There was something poking him in the back so the detective slowly opened his eyes and turned to see a squirming, smiling boy half asleep beside him. He ran his hand through the boy’s still long hair. Big brown eyes with long lashes looked up at him.
“You hiding out in here with me?” the detective said.
“I don’t know,” Galen said.
“You guys are finally awake,” Gabriel said, when he walked into the bedroom barefoot wearing a La Mer T-shirt and shorts. “It’s lunch time. You’ve been asleep a couple of hours.” His hair wasn’t much shorter but it did look neater. He climbed into bed with his brother and the detective.
“The hair looks good, Jimmy’ll love it,” the detective said, as he sat up and looked at Gabriel.
“So this is where everyone’s hiding,” Walter said.
Galen ducked under the covers.
“Too late, I already saw you,” Walter said.
The detective ducked under the covers to speak to Galen.
“He’s gonna win out, you know. He always does.”
“I don’t want a haircut,” Galen said.
“You’ll look super handsome afterward, and all the girls will chase after you,” the detective said.
“Yuck,” Galen said.
“Too young for that stuff yet, huh?’ the detective said. “Hmm, you can be good and prove to Walter you’re big enough to take care of a puppy.”
“May… be,” Galen said.
“Besides, if you stay under here, the tickle monster will get you.”
“What?” Galen said, before being attacked by the detective turned tickle monster who tickled his tummy.
Galen was giggling and thrashing about the bed. He finally managed to get out from under the sheet and off the bed. He ran toward the door, throwing off his shirt and leaving it on the floor.
“He’s all yours,” the detective said to Walter.
“Thanks,” Walter said, then smiled and left to catch up with Galen.
The detective lay back next to Gabriel.
“So where can we go grab some grub while those two are busy, birthday boy?” the detective said.
“We can use the back trail to go down to the beach.”
“Back trail?” the detective said, sitting up. “Can anyone use that trail?”
“If they know about it,” Gabriel said. “My dad used it all the time. He told me about it. It’s used mostly by hotel guests, but there’s no gate or guard there.”
“Could someone use it to sneak onto the property?”
“I guess,” Gabriel said. “Do you think that’s how the killer got in?”
“Is it a possibility?”
Gabriel sat up. “Yeah. Everyone would’ve been at work from early in the morning.”
“Could the chef’s wife have been home to see anything?”
“Chambers told me that she always helps chef in the kitchen, and the maintenance guy’s wife helps him too, so they wouldn’t have been home,” Gabriel said. “Nobody would’ve been back here.”
“But maybe somebody was—someone that didn’t belong back here.” He got up from bed. “Let’s go check that trail out. Maybe you’ll even have a chance to show a certain someone your new haircut.”
“Mr. Detective, will the guy who killed my dad try to kill me now?” Gabriel said.
Chapter 20
Trail Bound
“ANYONE WHO’D GO after you would have to go through me and Walter first,” the detective said. “Haven’t we gone through this before, buddy?”
“Maybe,” Gabriel said. “Things are starting to get jumbled up in my mind.”
The detective headed toward the dresser and found that his clothes had already been moved in.
“Walter moved your stuff over while you and Galen were out cold sleeping,” Gabriel said. “He brought me some clothes from the shop here, and sent someone to bring our stuff from our old house. Walter is a really nice guy.”
“Yeah,” the detective said, as he put on a square cut swimsuit then grabbed a tank top.
“Can I invite Jimmy to come by tomorrow?”
“I think that’ll be fine,” the detective said. “He walked to the closet, found his flip-flops, and put them on. “Throw something on your feet, kid, so we can go.”
While Gabriel went to put something on, the detective waked outside to Walter and mentioned that he and Gabriel were going out.
“I want to go,” Galen said.
“Then you should’ve gotten your haircut earlier,” Walter said.
“No fair,” Galen, who was in the chair about to get his haircut, said. He looked at the detective with a sad face and big eyes.
“Sorry, kid,” the detective said, then spoke to Walter. “I’m gonna see what kind of trouble the birthday boy and I can get into.” He turned to Galen and smiled. “If you’re good I’ll bring you a special treat. And I’ll know if you’re being good or not.”
“He will,” Walter said.
“I’ll be good,” Galen said, and sat up straight.
The detective couldn’t help but chuckle, then he gave Walter a kiss on the cheek and Galen a kiss on the top of his head. “Bye, bye hair.”
“Hey, be nice,” Galen said.
“Always,” the detective said, then went inside where Gabriel was waiting with new La Mer flip-flops on.
“The hotel name’s not just on your T-shirt, it’s on your flip-flops too.”
Gabriel chuckled. “Don’t talk about me, Pops. Your man will have you wearing all the gear too—soon.”
“So long as there’s no tie involved I’m good,” the detective said. “Ready?”
“Yeah. Is Galen coming?”
“Nope, just us grown-ups for now,” the detective said.
They walked straight ahead once they exited the front door and, following a trail, they made it to the rocks.
“Ah, I see it now,” the detective said, stopping and looking at the steps carved into the rocks.
“Pops, I’ve been thinking about something.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Yeah. The killer wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble to come in and out of the hotel if he or she was a local.”
“You think it could be a she?”
“Sure, why not?”
“The way the body was arranged didn’t really say female killer to me.”
“Oh.”
“Gabriel, why do you think the killer could be a local?”
“People would’ve spotted a non local and told Mr. Walter.”
“Mr. Walter, huh? No ‘Pops’ for him.”
“Pops works for you,” Gabriel said, then leaned against some rocks. “I’ll have to think of something for Mr. Walter. He’s too classy to call Pops. Oops, I didn’t mean for that to sound like it did.”
“I know I’m not as pretty or classy as Walter. I’m kind of a junkyard dog type.”
Gabriel chuckled. “That’s just how you want people to see you. I think you’re a good guy. ‘Pops’ just kind of came out of my mouth naturally. Is that OK?”
“‘Pops’, huh? It does work. Let’s walk and talk.”
Gabriel led the way as they spoke.
“Walter thinks you and Galen need a Dad,” the detective said. “What do you think?”
“You tell me first, Pops.”
“At seventeen you’re pretty much grown,” the detective said. “But you do have a year left of school.”
“Galen’s still little,” Gabriel said. “He needs some strong males in his life besides me.”
“Probably.” He stopped to look at the view of the town and the water below. “Beautiful. Listen, Gabriel, I don’t want to step on your toes with the whole family thing. On the way back from the train station, Robertito told me about how you’ve been there for your brother. And you were the man of the house when your Ma was still alive too.”
Gabriel sniffled as he spoke.
“I loved Mama and I love my brother. But…”
The detective put his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, and Gabriel turned to look at him with tears in his eyes. “Sometimes it’s tough and I get tired—really tired. I go to school, then work part-time handing out flyers for clubs and restaurants. Some of the women in town have offered to watch Galen, but he usually stays by my side and does his schoolwork. We… I… I need help. If something happened to me, then who would take care of my little brother. Naomi can’t have him living with her there.” He looked into the detective’s eyes with despair, as he put his hand against his chest then leaned against the rocks exasperated.
“Help isn’t what you need, buddy. You’re strong as hell, and can handle most shit that might come your way. He saw a confused look enter Gabriel’s eyes and reached toward him, grabbed him, and pulled him into a hug. Before saying anything else he let Gabriel cry quietly.
“You talk to me like I’m a real person,” Gabriel said between sniffles.
“Get it all out so we can have some fun on your birthday—and find Jimmy.”
Gabriel let go of the detective and laughed. “You’re kind of crazy, but in a good way.”
“I’m pretty smart too, sometimes—comes with age. I’ll be fifty pretty soon.”
“You look good for fifty, Pops.”
“Thanks, Son. I don’t want to tell anyone what to do or their business but—”
“You’re going to,” Gabriel said, then chuckled. “It’s OK if you have some advice for me or how to help my… my life.”
“You need what I’m guessing you’ve never had—a family where all you have to be is—well, I’d say a kid but you’re a young adult. You’re seventeen, buddy woo-hoo! Walter and I can handle the tough family stuff, so you can have time to be yourself a while.”
“Galen’s my brother and I’ll always be there for him.”
“I’d expect that and respect it,” he put his hand firmly on Gabriel’s shoulder and smiled. “Now, though you have more options and freedom.”
Gabriel started walking down the stairs again. “I can go to university somewhere or start a business.”
“Lots of possibilities there,” the detective said. “Walter’s a business wiz if you need advice or want someone to talk to. He won’t steer you wrong.”
Gabriel turned again and gave the detective a big hug. “I’ve always wanted a real family. Mom always treated me kind of like a replacement for having a husband to lean on. Not in a dirty way but you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I get it. We’re never gonna get to Jimmy if we keep stopping like this. And I am so anxious to see what he thinks of my haircut.”
“You don’t have to try so hard, Pops,” Gabriel said, and laughed. “You’re not the silly type.”
“No, but I got a smile on your face.”
“Yeah, you did.”
“One quick question, then we concentrate on birthday fun,” the detective said. “Why would a local want to kill Cabot Chambers?”
“This may sound stupid, but I don’t think it’s about money.”
“Did he cross the wrong people?”
“No—well, not the way you’d think. Naomi was his main girl, but she didn’t mind him flirting, screwing around, or whatever with other women.”
“And men?”
“No, not like some people think. I think—” He stopped and looked at the detective. “You’ve probably already heard he had a kinky side—whips and chains kind of thing. Sometimes guys would get involved—I guess to tie him up or something but not sexually.”
“How do you know all of this stuff?”
“People talk,” Gabriel said, then continued downstairs.
“Did any of the ‘stuff’ go too far?”
“I never heard that it did,” Gabriel said.
“But you think he may have flirted with someone he shouldn’t have.”
“That’s just my guess, but I don’t have any hard facts. Would someone kill somebody who got it on or even just flirted with their girl or guy?”
“It’s definitely been known to happen. That sort of thing is what keeps detectives like me in business. So, what do you want to eat for your birthday?”
“I am kind of hungry. How long do you have to solve the murder before the police step in.”
“I’ve got no idea,” the detective said.
“Well, you can probably ask Robertito when we see him.”
“Are we seeing him?”
“He’s always at this section of the beach at around this time. And he’ll be wearing his teeny Speedos and be flirting with everybody.”
“That good, huh?”
“Perfect,” Gabriel said. “He works out all the time and is all muscle, plus he really fills out those Speedos.”
“You noticed a lot of the pertinent details about him I see.”
“More like you can’t miss the details when they’re so fully on display,” Gabriel said. “I appreciate and admire, but that’s all. Just a few more steps and we’re there.”
True to what Gabriel said, they were on the beach, having bypassed the main parts of town.
“We’re actually a little early to see Robertito,” Gabriel said. “But I have an idea where we can go. And you’ll find the place interesting.”
Chapter 21
Party Time
GABRIEL AND “POPS” walked along the beach and talked. Pops aka the detective found it interesting how the town steadily rose up from the beach. Soon they were in a large outdoor restaurant raised up from the beach on a wooden platform. There was a thatched roof overhead and wooden poles holding it up, but no walls. A woman with long, wavy, brown hair was singing “Histoire D’un Amour”, and Marianne who was now casually dressed in a cropped, off the shoulder, red top, shorts and black flats, was dancing. She held her hand out to the detective who took it and joined in the dance.