Murder on the Equator Box Set

by Becca Bloom

  “Don’t count on it.” Oh, it was on! We’d see who raised more money.

  Sylvia and Adi came to my side, raising their hands for high fives. The mayor, having gotten what he'd come for, left the kitchen with a pleased expression and a bounce in his step.

  Tia Rosa grumbled. "That no work like I plan."

  "Serves you right, Tia," said Sylvia. "If you'd have asked Jess to help you nicely, without trying to one-up Mom, she probably would have preferred to help you rather than have her own table."

  My triumph shriveled up like a stale balloon. Oh my goodness, what had I done? I calmed my breathing to stave off the panic coursing through my body, leaving me light-headed and short-breathed.

  Abuelita turned away from the stove to watch me. There was no way I'd give her the satisfaction of seeing how much I regretted my decision. Lifting my chin and lowering my shoulders, I sauntered over to the coffee pot and poured myself another mugful with my trembling hand.

  Taking a generous drink, wishing it was liquid courage, I smiled at everyone in the kitchen.

  Adi and Sylvia returned my smile, no traces of doubt or concern on their faces. They seemed to think I could do this. And it struck me. If they had faith in me, why couldn't I have a little more faith in myself? What was the worst that could happen? My food wouldn't sell and I wouldn't end up on television. That actually sounded perfect to me. The last thing I wanted was to draw more attention to myself.

  You know what? I was going to give it my best shot. I'd help the community with my small contribution and I'd end the day proud of myself for doing something I wouldn’t normally do.

  Thus resolved, I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen out of the drawer under the coffee pot and set them next to my mug on the island. "Okay, let's brainstorm. What should I make and what do I need to do to run my table?" I’d dedicate an entire spread to this in my bullet journal later, but for now, I needed to get all my thoughts down.

  Tia Rosa pouted over at the sink. Abuelita huffed and stirred her pot. She was great at stirring pots.

  "Doughnuts! You should definitely make doughnuts," said Adi.

  Sylvia had more suggestions for the business end of the table. "You should talk to Fernanda. She and Martha might be able to help you manage the customers."

  "So I won't have to talk to anyone? Or pretend I know more Spanish than I do? Perfect!" I'd call Fernanda that afternoon. The fair was in two days and I didn't have any time to waste. I just hoped they weren't already busy at another table. This fair was a big deal and most of the residents of Baños had involved themselves one way or another.

  Adi suggested, "You ought to talk to Edgar, too. He doesn't currently have a job and he's excellent with people. I'm sure it'd be a good distraction for him until he can move on."

  "Good idea. Maybe other business owners will see what a hard worker he is and he'll get a job offer. Washo said he’s been very helpful and cooperative in the investigation," agreed Sylvia.

  After a few minutes, my paper was filled with notes and my confidence strengthened as I saw a clear plan developing before me.

  The phone rang and I ignored it, too involved in planning, until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  Adi held the telephone out to me. "It's for you. It's Vanessa."

  I hesitated. I didn't know Vanessa and couldn't think of a reason why she'd want to talk to me … unless, it had to do with Victor's murder. I'd just gotten my mind off that and wasn't in a hurry to return to the gruesome subject.

  "Come on. She could use another friend," Adi insisted, practically placing the phone in my hand.

  "Okay, okay," I took it, raising the receiver to my ear.

  "Hello, Jessica?" said the voice on the other end. Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "I'm Vanessa, Roberto's fiancée. Look, I know we haven’t met before and it must seem strange to you that I'd call you for help, but I don't know what else to do. I'm so afraid for Roberto and I know how you were able to help Fernanda when her aunt was killed. I guess … what I'm trying to ask is … Will you help us? Please?"

  I so badly wanted to tell her, "No." There were more reasons I should refuse to get involved than there were reasons to help her. But she’d said “Please” so nicely. Call me a sucker, but she really sounded distressed and I knew it would bother me for the rest of the day if I didn't even try to help her.

  "Where are you?" I asked.

  "I'm at Dr. Montalvo's office. He's such a sweetheart, he's offered to give me time off, but I can't stay home twiddling my thumbs when Roberto needs me. I'll meet you in the reception area."

  "Can Adi come with me?" I asked, assuming she'd agree.

  "Of course. She's been a lifeline for me lately. I don't keep any secrets from her."

  Nodding at Adi, who stood close enough, I knew she was trying to listen to Vanessa's side of the conversation, I said, "Good. We'll be there in … five minutes?" I looked at Sylvia, not wanting to confiscate her main kitchen helper to leave her alone with two grumpy grandmas and half-baked muffins in the oven without her permission.

  With a glance at her watch, Sylvia nodded her approval.

  "Yes. Five minutes," I confirmed, handing Sylvia the timer so she’d know when to take out the muffins.

  Adi took off her apron, hanging it on the hook by the back door. "We'd better get going if I'm going to be back in time to help with the lunch crowd."

  Sylvia sighed, smoothing her daughter's hair. "You know what? It's time I hired some extra help. I’ll need it for the fundraiser. Furthermore, I can't expect you to pick up the slack here when you become a famous designer."

  Adi smiled and hugged Sylvia so tightly, they rocked back and forth together.

  "Thank you, Ma," she said, pulling away.

  My eyes clouded up a bit. What would my mom and dad say about my booth at the food fair? They would hug me every bit as hard as Sylvia had hugged Adi. They would be proud.

  Peeking out into the dining area just to make sure Christian hadn't come back to bother the customers, we made our way to Dr. Montalvo's office where we found Vanessa waiting in the reception area.

  She managed to look fashionable in a set of lavender scrubs. Her long hair was in a high ponytail and curled at the end as if she'd spent precious morning minutes curling it when in all likelihood, she'd probably just tossed it up. It was a look I optimistically attempted every single morning … with varying results.

  Extending her hand and leaning forward to grace me with both a handshake and a kiss on the cheek, I couldn't help but notice her large engagement ring. It was impossible to miss, taking up a good part of her finger.

  "Wow! That is some rock," I said aloud before my brain caught up with my mouth.

  She leaned in conspiratorially. "One of the perks of marrying a successful doctor."

  Vanessa then led us into a small room with a counter lined with little vials full of various liquids I tried not to look at on one side and an exam table on the other. There was a chair in front of the window on the opposite wall, which she occupied, leaving the exam table for Adi and I to hop onto. Well, Adi hopped. I leaned against it with my hip and wondered when the glorious day would come when I could once again sit.

  Before Vanessa could remark on my uncomfortable pose, I asked, "You said that you're worried. What can we do to help you?"

  Vanessa sighed, her eyes roving around the room, making me distrust her before I'd even listened to her. Shoving my instincts aside, I waited for her to speak, determined to listen to everything she said without judgment.

  "I'll have to tell you a little bit about Roberto and Victor's history with their parents for you to understand my reason for concern completely."

  I nodded for her to continue. The sooner she began, the better.

  She twirled her ring around her finger. "You see, Roberto's parents have a house in town, another property in the city, and the building where they had the ice cream parlor. By normal standards, they were fairly well-off. By Ecuadorian standards, they were quite
rich."

  Okay, so far, this was about money.

  "They only had the two sons, Roberto being the oldest and, by far, the more responsible. When they needed help, he was always there for them. Victor was the eternal university student, hopping from one profession to another like a hummingbird flitting between flowers."

  “That must have been hard on their parents,” I commented. My parents had contributed enough for my education, I wouldn't even have considered changing my studies on them. What a waste of time and money. I plowed through endless hours of boring computer theory, content to have at least snagged a job enabling me to work from home and listen to my favorite radio station all day.

  Vanessa bunched her cheeks and shook her head. "You'd think that, right? But not Victor's parents. He could do no wrong in their eyes. He was the golden child. Roberto went to medical school, graduated with honors, and was accepted as a partner in one of the best clinics in Ambato. And you think they noticed? They were so busy babying Victor, they didn't even throw Roberto a party when he graduated." The unmistakable bitterness in her tone made me feel sorry for Roberto. Even though my parents hadn’t agreed with my choice of profession, (believing me capable of grander things, as most parents do) they had celebrated every single milestone with me. They did the same for my sisters. None of us ever felt neglected or inferior at their hand.

  "That's awful. I'm so glad Roberto has you now," said Adi.

  Vanessa flashed her ring as she clutched her heart, making sure to do so with her left hand. I bet she practiced that move just to show off her bling. I'd probably do the same thing, although my taste in jewelry was significantly more subdued than hers.

  "Aww, you're so sweet, Adi. You always know just what to say," Vanessa said, flinging her ring finger out before letting it rest against her thigh (ring side up, of course).

  "So why does this make you worry for Roberto? The police haven’t even determined it was a murder," I said, trying to get us back on track.

  Vanessa looked at us from the side of her eyes, lowering her voice in a conspiratorial tone, "This is where things get sticky. Their parents died of natural causes within months of each other. Everyone assumed they would either divide their properties equally between their two sons or will all of it to Roberto on the understanding he would continue to take care of Victor."

  She spoke of Victor like he was incapable of acting like a responsible adult, and my experience with him had been so different, I couldn't help but chalk her down a couple more points in my estimation.

  "It was a shock when we learned that they had left everything to Victor. The house, the property, and the ice cream parlor building. Everything."

  I put myself in Roberto's place. While Vanessa was doing everything in her power to make me think she was a bit of a gold-digger, my respect for him rose immensely. "That must have been devastating for him. I had no idea. I've only seen him a couple of times, but he was always so supportive of and encouraging to Victor. They really seemed to get along well."

  Vanessa smiled and clutched her hands together. "Roberto is a much kinder and more forgiving person than I am. He's been put through so much, but he has never once made a resentful comment against his brother or his parents."

  I think I could see where this was going. Any outsider would assume he harbored a deep grudge against the younger, lazier brother. I asked, "Roberto gets everything now, doesn't he?"

  Vanessa sat up straight in her chair, her face brightening. "Oh, I knew it was the right thing to talk to you. That's exactly the problem. One of the first things he had Victor do was to make a will when he inherited. Not having anyone else important in his life, Victor willed everything to Roberto. It was decent of him, I will admit, but it makes Roberto a huge target. It gives him a motive and is the reason why he’s currently under investigation."

  I cringed. "Roberto encouraged him to do the will?"

  She nodded, a pained expression providing a resounding, "Yes."

  "That looks bad.” Adi closed her eyes and shook her head.

  "I know it. Señor Santorini has called repeatedly to badger Roberto to sell him the building for his language school. I'm sure he wants to secure a sale before Roberto is wrongfully charged and the courts take possession of the properties."

  How awful. "He should leave Roberto alone and give him time to grieve the loss of his brother." Seriously, what was wrong with some people?

  "That's what I wish for him, too." Vanessa turned to face Adi. "It's for that reason, we've decided to continue with the wedding. Roberto needs my full support. We'll cancel some of our reception plans and we’ve moved it from daytime to evening, but I want to show all the naysayers that I stand by my man."

  I felt Adi's relief. And I was glad for her too. She'd worked too hard to have to wait for the opportunity to feature her talents.

  While I understood Vanessa's concerns, I still didn't know what she wanted from us. Thankfully, she didn't make us wait much longer before she got to the point.

  Scooting forward in her chair, she said, "And that is why I want to ask you both a huge favor. I won't let my fiancé get sent to jail for a crime we all know he didn't commit. Will you help me find out who really killed Victor? Ideally, before we get married?"

  "Your wedding is in three days!" gasped Adi.

  “That’s right. I hate it that we had to cancel the reception hall, but we both feel it’s important not to draw so much attention to ourselves.” Vanessa looked directly at me. "What do you think? Can we catch a murderer before my wedding?"

  Chapter 10

  As much as I wanted to help, I wasn't about to get involved in another homicide investigation if, indeed, that’s what this ended up being. It hadn't gone so well last time.

  "I'll keep my ears open and see what I can find out from Agent Vasquez, but that's all I can offer," I said, trying to sound as firm as I knew I needed to sound.

  Vanessa clasped her hands together. "I just knew you'd help us. Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much it means to Roberto and me to have an insider in on the investigation."

  "I'm hardly an insider, but I'll do what I can," I said, careful not to promise more than I knew I could deliver without involving myself.

  Adi hopped down from the table. "Don't worry. Jess found Señora Guzmán's murderer and she'll find Victor's too."

  “I didn’t say—”

  “You’re the best, Jess. Really, I can’t thank you enough,” Vanessa repeated.

  “But—”

  I stood between the designer and the bride with my mouth open, waiting for my opportunity to clarify (or at least to lower Vanessa's expectations of my detective abilities), but they prattled on about gowns, wedding cake, and reception plans for so long, it was awkward when I finally could speak.

  But speak, I did. “Just so we’re clear. All I can do is keep my eyes and ears open—”

  “Vanessa, have you seen my glasses?” asked Dr. Montalvo from the reception area.

  She rolled her eyes and whispered to us, “They’re probably on top of his head. I’d better get back to work.” Reaching out for my hand and squeezing it, she looked me straight in the face. “Thank you. I need good friends right now and you have no idea what a relief it is for us to have someone like you on our side.”

  I wanted to stomp my foot in frustration, but I refrained from acting like a toddler until she slipped her giant ring off her finger, looped it through a chain she wore around her neck, and left the room.

  Adi said, “Smart girl. Someone would mug her for sure if she walked around with that thing on her finger.”

  I couldn’t have cared less about Vanessa’s ring. "Why did you tell her I'd find out who murdered Victor?" I hissed at Adi once I was certain Vanessa was out of hearing range.

  She smiled confidently. "Don't worry. You'll totally figure out what happened so the right person goes to jail. I trust you."

  "While participating in a town-wide fundraiser? When am I supposed to do all of this? And how d
o you suppose I stay out of prison when Agent Vasquez finds out?"

  "He doesn't have to find out. You're discreet and I won't say anything."

  She made it sound so simple, but her assessment of my capabilities was delusional. "I'm not a detective! It was an accident I found out who had murdered Señora Guzmán, not some clever, investigatory skill on my part."

  "I think you're clever. You'll be fine. You'll sell more than anyone else in the fundraiser, land a spot on the local news, and solve a murder without breaking a sweat. I'll help you. Designers are a lot like psychologists. My clients and their friends tell me everything and I have access to all of Victor's family and friends."

  Now, I wanted to scream. However, such a dramatic display would only be futile, so I said instead, "Promise me you won't involve Abuelita or Tia Rosa. It's bad enough you promised Vanessa, but I want to keep our involvement to a minimum."

  "So, you agree? Excellent!"

  There was no reasoning with her. Turning to the stairs, I said, "Let's go to the grocery store. I have doughnuts to make."

  We discussed flavors on our way down the stairs to the sidewalk. Until a shadow blocked our exit.

  "Miss James?"

  Agent Vasquez — Washo when he felt like a friend — only called me that when he was displeased. Like when my mom uses my full name before I get into trouble for something one of my sisters pinned on me. (I’m not even exaggerating. Even my sisters would admit that I’m the nice one of the three.)

  Well, I wasn't so happy to see him either. "Hello, Agent Vasquez."

  He stepped to the side, allowing us to join him on the sidewalk. Crossing his arms and looking at us over the top of his shades, he asked, "What're you doing here?"

  "Dr. Montalvo helped me with my injuries." He had. Yesterday.

  "Didn't you see him yesterday?"

  I don't know why I bothered to mislead Washo when I knew he'd find out what we were up to anyway. Maybe it was a survival instinct, but I felt the need to stall.

  "I did. His nurse is a friend of Adi's and she called to talk about what's going on. Friends do that, you know," I added to make sure he realized how innocent our visit was.