Tequila and Sunrise

by Madison Johns

  I carefully walked back to where I started, but my feet slipped out from under me and I grabbed wildly at the crates to stop my fall. I winced as I fell and stared up at the ceiling. A sheet of plywood sat above the rafters, and I eagerly climbed to my feet. I scooted a heavy wood box across the floor and climbed on it, praying the box would hold long enough for me to see what might be hidden above the boards. Inching my fingers over the edge, a splinter penetrated beneath my fingernail. I gasped as I yanked out the sharp object.

  I wiggled the board next and smiled at the thumping sound that told me I had found something. A box tumbled out and slammed to the floor below.

  “Are you okay down there?” Irma asked.

  “Yes, I slipped.”

  I knelt and picked through the splintered pieces of wood until I had made an opening. I gingerly reached inside, not sure what I’d find but eager all the same. I pulled out boxes of varying sizes with tears in my eyes. I opened them one by one, revealing sparkling jewelry even beneath the minimal beam of the flashlight. I didn’t recognize any of the pieces from the jewelry store, but the last box looked so familiar to me. It was a pewter box engraved with fighting dragons. It was the display case of the Imperial Ruby from the museum.

  I lifted the lid, my heart in my throat. I picked up the large ruby from the antique velvet bed and hugged it to my chest.

  “Are you sure you’re okay down there?” Irma asked.

  “I’ll be up in a minute.” I pocketed the ruby in the pocket of my shorts, wishing I could conceal the pewter box as easily. I wasn’t ready to hand over the ruby to the FBI. I had more important things to think about, like finding the person who murdered Bev. I had a feeling not enough importance would be placed on her death once the ruby was in the hands of the feds.

  When I climbed back up, Irma’s worried face came into view.

  “Did you find anything?”

  “No,” I said as I held the box behind my back until we’d walked outside and handed it to Irma. “Ramon stashed his jewelry here. I found this box and hoped to find the ruby, but he must have it locked up somewhere else.”

  “I’ll call my grandson. He’ll want to know about this development.”

  “But how are we going to catch up with Ramon at the Crab Claw if the feds show up?”

  “I said I’d call my grandson, not the feds.”

  “Still, we can’t afford to tip off Ramon.”

  Irma raised an eyebrow. “Where exactly did you find it?”

  “In a heavy box hidden in the rafters. I managed to remove it, and it smashed to bits on the floor.”

  “The thud I heard?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you found something?”

  “Because I wasn’t sure what I’d find, but I suppose Taney should get involved. All Ramon’s jewelry is still downstairs.”

  “His stolen jewelry,” Irma said.

  “Ramon didn’t steal the jewelry, he only fenced it.”

  “Then how did Bev come into it?”

  “Ramon double-crossed her.”

  “Do you think Blake is a double agent?”

  “Something like that. We better go to the restaurant now.”

  “You’re not in any shape to go anywhere. I can secure a seat at the restaurant. Meet me there after you get cleaned up.”

  “Sounds good to me. Do you want to keep the box or have me take it?”

  “Is the box important to you?”

  “If it was, would I really have handed it off to you?”

  Irma shrugged. “I suppose not.”

  She handed me the box, and I hurried up the beach and scaled the back steps of the hotel. I meandered my way into my room and deposited the pewter box on the nightstand in case Irma came back here while I was in the bathroom.

  I hopped in the shower and suds up the bar of soap, driving a blade into the underside of the soap. I cut out a wedge and slipped the ruby inside, covering it back up with a sliver of soap from another bar and pressed it tightly together to seal.

  I rinsed off in a hurry and tugged a brush through my wet hair as I dressed. I’ve been known to multitask.

  I pulled on a flirty dress and walked out the door.

  Irma glanced up at my arrival and swallowed hard as I moved to the table.

  “Hello, Katherine.”

  My eyes cut to the waiter walking over.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m here to join my friend.”

  I sat down with a frown as the waiter strolled into the back.

  “Why did you call me Katherine?” I asked. “You know that’s not my name.”

  Irma’s pupils darted to the right and stars flashed inside my head as I slumped to the floor.

  Thirteen

  My eyelashes fluttered as I opened first one eye and then the next, staring into blackness. Where was I and what happened? I felt blood on the side of my head and realized someone hit me in the restaurant, but who? It couldn’t have been Irma because she was seated across from me. Oh, but her eyes indicated something was about to happen, I just didn’t react in time. Maybe that’s why she called me Katherine. She was trying to warn me and I was too stupid to pick up on the cues.

  I sat cross-legged on the floor, a mere sliver of light beneath a heavy door. I crawled over there and felt for the knob and pulled myself up and slowly turned the doorknob. It didn’t budge. Of course it’s locked, you fool, I told myself.

  “Irma, are you here?” I asked even though my senses should have felt her presence. I rattled the doorknob and then pounded on the door. “Let me out!” I screamed. When nobody answered, I kicked the door for emphasis. I wanted a reaction even if it was for someone to come in the door to beat me senseless.

  I hated the darkness and always slept with at least a nightlight on.

  I searched every square inch of the room until I felt the edge of the wallboard and pulled a jagged piece loose. I might not be able to get myself out of this room, but at least I found a way to protect myself.

  Knocking from the room next to me had me putting my ear to the wall. All I could hear were muffled voices, but in my heart I felt it was Irma, and she needed my help.

  The door swung open and a shapely female filled the doorway. My eyes still hadn’t adjusted to the light when I was yanked from the room and pushed outside. I held up a hand to stop the sun from blinding me when Irma was dragged out to join me.

  Her hands were tied behind her back, but she kicked her handler in the most sensitive of places. The man crumpled to the floor as he held himself, and Irma grinned.

  “Teach you to beat up an old lady.”

  I searched Irma’s face. “They better not have.”

  “Not to worry. I can handle myself. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them from hurting you.”

  I rubbed the side of my head. “I should have been more aware.”

  “How could you?”

  “You were motioning to me with your eyes.”

  “I’m glad you picked up on that.”

  “Would you both shut up?” a woman’s voice said.

  I turned to face down the shapely blonde and gasped. “Anna Burnett, what are you trying to do to us? I can understand you’re not happy that Taney’s grandmother hates that you’re dating her grandson, but this is going too far.”

  “I don’t care about Taney… I mean Adam. I’ve been waiting for a huge payday, and thanks to Bev it’s happened.”

  My eyes widened. “You’re Rico?”

  “Why do you look so surprised? Did you really think Rico was a man?”

  “Actually, yes.”

  “Women are much more vicious than any male crime boss. Men don’t understand how to keep their eyes on the prize.”

  “Why are we here?” I asked.

  “Isn’t it obvious? I want the ruby.”

  “Then maybe you shouldn’t have killed Bev.”

  “Didn’t plan on doing that, but she made me angry when she wouldn’t give me the stone.”r />
  “At least you were able to retrieve the ruby.”

  Anna clucked her tongue. “I couldn’t find it, but I had high hopes when you were given a deal to recover the ruby.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I’m not an idiot. I received some Intel that a deal was in the works, so all I had to do was have you followed here and watch your movements.”

  “How long have you actually been dating Taney?”

  “A few months, but Adam isn’t a detective, he’s a fed.”

  I sighed. “Of course he is, and I suppose he’s assigned to jewel theft cases primarily.”

  She nodded. “You’d be surprised how many cases like that happen.”

  “You might be right, but why did you hire Bev, and how did my name come into it?”

  “You have quite the reputation and were the perfect candidate not to mention that Bev was greedy enough to accept you as a partner. You can hand over the ruby now. I’d hate to hurt Irma.”

  “Come over here and see who gets hurt,” Irma said.

  “I bet your partner Sarah here isn’t aware of who you really are now is she, Irma.” Anna glanced back at me. “Irma is a former agent herself.”

  I glared at Irma. “I knew something was off about you.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m proud of my years as a special agent.”

  “I wish you had told me.”

  “Now isn’t the time.”

  “You’ve been telling me that since I’ve met you whenever I asked you about your past.”

  “My past means nothing. All I care about is my grandson, and obviously I was given the wrong information about Anna.”

  “What about Bev’s brother? Is he part of this?”

  “Unfortunately, Bev’s brother was involved in a boating accident a week ago. He didn’t make it.” Anna smirked.

  I clenched my hands into fists. “How could you do something like that, especially after he helped make the heist happen?”

  “I had to tie up all the loose ends. Where is the ruby?”

  I clamped my mouth shut and glanced away. Ramon sat on a chair in the corner.

  “How could you?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I’m sorry for all the problems I’ve caused, but this wasn’t my idea.”

  “Does Anna know you had the ruby all along?”

  Anna’s lips came apart in a sneer. “Is this true?”

  “I had the ruby, but it’s gone now with my other jewelry. Someone found out where I stashed my jewelry.”

  “Where is your partner?”

  “I don’t have a partner.”

  “Fine, your doorman then.”

  “He was murdered by Anna’s father a few hours ago.”

  Anna nodded. “Blake was an undercover agent, so he had to go.”

  “What?” I gasped. “That’s not possible. I spoke to him this morning. Is it true your father is involved?”

  “Who is your father exactly?” Irma asked.

  Maxwell Weller strolled forward. “Hello again, ladies. You really should have gone on my yacht tonight, but it’s quite impossible now.”

  “You told your daughter who I was,” I said.

  “The heist couldn’t have happened without you. I told my daughter you were the perfect partner for Bev. I’m disappointed that you were arrested. It made this harder than it needed to be.” He laughed. “I really would have liked to speak to you about your grandfather. I almost hoped you weren’t given the chance to come here to set things right.”

  “This is about me, not you, Father. I’m the one who planned the heist and I’m the one who will profit when I sell the ruby.”

  “Do you even have it?” Maxwell asked.

  Anna walked over to Irma and pressed a handgun to her head. “The ruby if you please.”

  “I-I don’t have it. I mean I did, but I’m not stupid enough to keep it with me,” I said.

  “It’s too bad I have to kill Irma.”

  “You’re not killing anyone, or you’ll never find the ruby,” I said. “I hid it in my hotel room.”

  “Thanks.” Anna motioned Ramon over. “Find the ruby and bring it back here and maybe I’ll let you live.”

  Ramon quickly scuffled away and I laughed. “If I were him I’d never come back.”

  “Not to worry, I’m not sending him alone.” Anna nodded at the man from the hotel who was watching me since I arrived.

  “No hard feelings I hope,” he said.

  “I knew something was up with you following me,” I spat out. “Taney should have listened to me when I told him about you.”

  The man simply grinned as he walked past.

  “What are you going to do with us if you get the ruby back?”

  “I have a few interesting ideas. I have a friend who has a swimming pool full of alligators.”

  “Why would anyone help you?” I said.

  “Besides not wanting to be fed to their alligators, you mean.”

  I put my head in my hands and trembled. I couldn’t face the truth that Irma and I would be murdered. I wasn’t angry anymore that Irma wouldn’t tell me about her past. Irma didn’t so much as lie to me as kept the truth from me. Not that it matters right now, but I wish she had the time to tell me about what had happened to her husband.

  The sound of helicopters had me snapping my eyes open as men wearing camouflage slid down ropes from the copters and pointed automatic rifles at the group. Anna ran to the only exit, but she was quickly cornered by a man who slapped cuffs on her and handed her off to another man. He lifted his helmet and Taney’s face came into view.

  “Sorry I took so long.”

  “If you don’t hurry, Ramon will be making off with the ruby. I hid it in my hotel room.” I pointed at Maxwell. “He’s part of the plot too!”

  Maxwell held up his hands. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

  “Yes, she does,” Agent Flynn said. “We’ve been watching you since your yacht arrived at the pier.”

  “Get a unit over to the hotel,” Taney said into a small microphone attached to his jacket.

  “How did you find the ruby?”

  I smiled. “Ramon was double-crossing Anna and hid it with his other jewelry at the abandoned boathouse?”

  “You stayed on top of this investigation.”

  “Actually I missed a lot of cues.”

  Irma, now untied, hugged me tightly. “I’m so proud of you, Sarah. You really stuck your neck out for me, and I won’t ever forget it.”

  Epilogue

  “I wasn’t upset about you making yourself out to be a normal grandmother as I was about you not telling me about your late husband. I hope you’ll finally be able to talk about it now.” I sighed. “So what really happened to your husband?”

  Irma shifted in her chair in their hotel room.

  Taney cleared his throat. “Would you like me to leave, Grandmother?”

  Irma pursed her lips. “No, but I already told you, Sarah, my husband’s mother murdered him.”

  “Yes, but I wasn’t sure if there was any truth to it.”

  “His mother was involved with a man I was investigating, a drug lord. When I finally made the arrest, my mother-in-law vowed to get revenge on me, but I didn’t understand how serious it was.”

  “How could she murder her own son?”

  “She didn’t bat an eyelash when she put a hit out on my husband.”

  “Oh, so she didn’t shoot him herself?”

  “She might as well have, not that it matters anymore. She was killed a few days after my husband’s funeral.”

  My brow rose. “What happened?”

  “We believe she reneged on the deal with the killer. She didn’t have access to any cash after her boyfriend’s arrest.”

  “I’m so sorry for you,” I said. “I imagined all kinds of reasons you might have wanted your husband dead.”

  “You and the upper reaches of the FBI. I resigned after my husband’s death; my heart was no
longer in it.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I wish Taney hadn’t decided to apply for the FBI.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me, Grandmother.”

  “Yes I do because everyone you love is in jeopardy when you’re a special agent.”

  “Did you realize you were investigating your mother-in-law’s boyfriend?”

  “Not until much later, but by then I couldn’t exclude myself, I was too close to an arrest.”

  I nodded and turned my attention to Taney. “I’m sorry about Anna. It must have been a huge blow to learn that your girlfriend was behind the theft of the ruby. You probably didn’t imagine she’d murder anyone. Poor Bev didn’t know what she had gotten herself into until it was too late. I’m glad she left me behind.”

  “Thank you, Katherine, for everything.” Taney smiled. “What are your plans for the future now that this case has concluded?”

  “I don’t know, get a boring job with an equally boring boyfriend at some point. I have no intention of going back to a life of crime, just so you know.”

  “We’re happy to hear that,” Irma said. “You can come stay with me for a few months if you like. I have a huge house in the mountains.”

  “That sounds like a breath of fresh air. It would be hard to refuse that offer.”

  I hugged Irma tight. My heart had lightened since we met. I hadn’t been sure that I wanted to put my life of crime behind me for good at first, but thanks to Irma, my eyes were opened. I still can’t believe she used to be an FBI agent, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my life. My only hope is that Irma remains in my life. It’s time for me to lower the walls of my heart.

  About the Author

  USA Today Bestseller Madison Johns is most known for her Agnes Barton Senior sleuths mystery series featuring lively and zany senior citizen sleuths — Agnes Barton and Eleanor Mason. Her time working at a nursing home was all the inspiration she needed to portray realistic characters that readers have gone on to love. Her first book Armed and Outrageous have solidified her in the publishing world, and her series has been well received.