Killer Tied

by Lesley A. Diehl

  Family—family on both sides, mine and Sammy’s—was becoming a problem.

  And of course, Madeleine weighed in. “Aren’t you going after her, Eve?”

  “I’m going to ….”

  What was I going to do? I had no idea. A disturbance at the door distracted me from considering my actions.

  “Eve Appel Egret. What the hell did you do to my office?” Crusty McNabb yelled from the entrance of the shop. “It looks and smells like a girl’s room.”

  I managed to settle Crusty down a bit, promising I would never use room deodorizer in his office again if he promised not to smoke his smelly cigars in there. He’d made that promise before and hadn’t kept it, but I think I convinced him that paying clients would be put off by the smell if they knew a woman PI occupied the space with him.

  “Damn nuisance, having a girl, er, gal, uh, woman on the payroll,” he muttered as he strode around the office, waving his arms like a windmill. He was so short he looked like a fat elf on speed. He and I made quite a team of detectives.

  After he calmed down a bit, I ran back to the shop and asked Nappi if he had any properties in Sabal Bay.

  He gave an elaborate shrug. “I have properties everywhere. Why not here?”

  I introduced him to Eleanor, told him her story, and asked if he would put her up in a rental, if he had one.

  He looked a little exasperated with me for not being more specific. “I have one, two, and three-bedroom units. What area of town are you looking for?”

  “Somewhere near my place, so I can look in on her,” I said. “And on the bus route so she can get into town to buy groceries.”

  “Maybe she shouldn’t be taking public transportation. I’ll have Jerry give her a ride when she needs one,” Nappi offered.

  Jerry was my ex-husband, not one of my favorite people, but he was a gofer for Nappi, so I tolerated his presence in my life. He was a lot easier to take now that we weren’t married.

  As if the sound of his name had been shouted out the door, Jerry popped into the shop.

  “Hiya, Ev …” he started to say. I knew he was about to call me “Evie”—a name I hated and he knew it—but he couldn’t seem to help himself. When he saw Eleanor, he stopped mid word and stared.

  “Wow, she looks just like you. You could be—”

  “I know. Please don’t say it.”

  Nappi gave Jerry his marching orders, and Jerry seemed pleased with the duties he was assigned. Eleanor seemed just as pleased. Oh, please, I prayed to whatever gods favored me at the moment, please, please don’t let them have a thing for each other. That would be just too, too creepy.

  Chapter 5

  I thanked Nappi for letting Eleanor move into one of his rentals. He didn’t ask who would be paying the rent. I assumed it would be me, and I hoped she wouldn’t be staying there long. For a gal who prided herself on being savvy about others, I was a little at sea here. Was taking on Eleanor’s problems wise? I dismissed the thought, and true to my impulsive nature, plunged in.

  After Jerry left with Eleanor, I warned Nappi that he should keep an eye on the two of them. “He thinks he’s getting a younger version of me. Eleanor’s very vulnerable, and I don’t want Jerry taking advantage of her.”

  “Your problem, Eve, is that you think all young women on their own are vulnerable. Maybe she’ll surprise you,” Nappi said.

  “Do you know something about her that I don’t?” I never like it when others see something I missed.

  Nappi shrugged. “She seems a little, uh, on the edge.”

  “Yeah, on the edge of sanity,” said Madeleine. “Grandy just stormed out of here when Eve insulted her by saying she wondered if Grandy told her the whole truth about her parents. Bad form, Eve.”

  Madeleine was peeved at me too. Great. Just great. At this rate I wouldn’t have a friend or relative who would speak to me.

  Nappi laid a hand on my shoulder. “I think you could use some of Nappi’s fine Italian cuisine. Perhaps tonight? Linguine with calm sauce? That should smooth over things between you and Grandy.”

  I was enough of a coward when it came to Grandy that having Nappi run food interference for me tonight seemed better than a confrontation. I said yes, and then remembered all the fish in our freezer and our recent diet of fish from the lake. “How about something that isn’t related to fish—fresh water or salt water?” I asked. We agreed on Bolognese sauce.

  At home that might, I didn’t have to apologize to Grandy at all. She left me a sweet note saying she and Max had gone back to Key Largo, to the boat. She said she’d be in touch. When I called her cell, it went to voicemail. I didn’t know what to say, so I left no message.

  After dinner, with the boys in bed, Nappi, Jerry—who crashed the event, saying he was just checking in with Nappi—Sammy and I settled into the living room with our coffees. Nappi told me to let Grandy cool off. “She’ll soon see how difficult it was for you trying to deal with this story about your parents. And she’ll understand how frightened Eleanor is.”

  “I like Eleanor,” said Jerry.

  “You do not,” I said.

  Jerry looked hurt. “It’s more than her looks. Ellie is a smart gal, and she has class.”

  “Don’t call her Ellie.”

  “That’s what she said.”

  “ ‘Evie,’ ‘Ellie.’ It makes us sound like children.”

  “Sorry.” Jerry leaned back into the couch and sipped his coffee.

  “Are you certain you want to get involved in her problems?” asked Nappi.

  “Oh, I do,” Jerry replied.

  “I think he meant me,” I said.

  “I understand Eve wanting to get involved. It’s about her parents. I understand about losing a parent,” said Sammy.

  I reached out and grabbed his hand. “I don’t really think my parents could be alive, but how could I live with myself if I don’t look into her story? I would always wonder. My curiosity over this young woman and her parents is also part of why I am looking into this situation.”

  After everyone left that night, Sammy and I lay back in each other’s arms in bed and gazed out my sliding glass door into the branches of a live oak at the edge of my property. A herd of cows grazed in the adjacent field, and although we couldn’t see them because the night was so dark, we could hear them crunching the cattails at the edge of a small pond.

  “Will you mind moving from here when we build our house out by the airboat business?” Sammy asked.

  “Not at all. It’s quiet now that it’s so late, but I prefer listening to the frogs and the gators in the canal out by Grandfather Egret’s to the sound of cars on the road here.”

  “Good,” he said, kissing me lightly on the lips.

  “I assume your father will move into your room in Grandfather Egret’s house.”

  “He’s there most of the time now because we’ve chosen to live here with the kids. There’s no room in Grandfather’s place for them.” He hesitated a moment before adding, “Or my father could move in with us when we build the house.”

  That was something I had not considered and definitely did not want. I laughed and said, “That would mean a mighty big house to build. Think of all those bedrooms.”

  If I thought my clever reply would cover my feelings, I was wrong.

  “You don’t want him there, do you?” asked Sammy.

  Were we going to have yet another fight? I felt too overwhelmed to argue tonight.

  “I want what’s best for the family,” I said.

  “You’re right. We have to consider the boys and how to help them bond with us as their parents. It’s best if it’s just them and us in the house. Besides, their grandfather and great grandfather will be close by.”

  I was relieved he understood, even if our agreement was based upon misinterpretations of what we’d said to each other.

  I snuggled closer into his arms, and the next thing I was aware of was the light coming through the slider. Sammy’s side of the bed was empty, b
ut still warm. I heard the shower running, and I hurried to slip off my nightgown and join him. By the time the boys were up and looking for breakfast, Sammy and I were pruny from the water and making silly google eyes at each other over our coffees.

  “Why do you two look at each other like that?” asked our youngest.

  “It’s because we’re in love,” Sammy said. “Someday you’ll look at a woman that way.”

  The boys snickered and rolled their eyes.

  I packed their camping clothes into backpacks, which I promised to deliver to Grandfather Egret’s so Sammy’s father and the boys could leave from there for their weekend jaunt into the swamps. Mr. Egret knew the swamps like he owned them, yet I was uncomfortable having the boys out there with him.

  Frida and I hadn’t connected for lunch yesterday because something came up, so we’d rescheduled for today. Shelley was tending the store until noon, when Madeleine was to come in for the afternoon. I was on RV duty for the weekend. Grandy worked the store here in Sabal Bay on Saturday, but now that she and Max had returned to the Keys, I had to find a replacement for her. Shelley had a Saturday day-long seminar, and Madeleine needed time with her twins. I wanted to work up a mad over how Grandy left us high and dry, but I knew it was as much my fault as hers that she left in a huff. My choices for who to handle the store were few: Grandfather Egret or Jerry. It looked like a busy weekend for the airboat business, so I got in touch with Jerry on his cell and asked him to mind the shop. He was delighted to help. He liked hanging around wealthy women, and I knew Saturdays were the days the matrons from West Palm chose to “slum” in the swamps of rural Florida. This weekend I liked the idea of getting him away from Eleanor before he could put the moves on her. And I knew he’d do just that. Jerry couldn’t resist coming on to women. He’d done it to all my friends when we were married. Seduction was like a drug he was addicted to. He wasn’t good at it, either. He had no smooth lines, no finesse. His best was “How do you like me, babe?” followed by a goofy grin. It was so bad that no woman took him seriously and he was so bumbling that no one got mad at his attempts, not even me. It took me years to divorce the guy, and I still felt responsible for him when he got into trouble. I’d felt more like his mother than his wife. I still did.

  I spent the morning in the shop, then left for my lunch engagement with Frida. Shelley came in to do alterations and assured me she could also handle the customers until Madeleine arrived.

  Frida slid into the booth I’d nabbed for the two of us at the diner. I checked my watch. “You’re late. You’re never late. Something big must be afoot at the station.”

  “We’ve hired a new officer who served with the West Palm Police Department for a number of years. The captain is thinking of moving him off patrol into Linc Tooney’s place as my partner.”

  Linc had been with Frida for years. The two of them had a good working relationship, so I was surprised he was being replaced.

  “What’s happened to Linc?”

  “He’s been wanting to move to a larger department, so he’s taken a job on the coast. I’ll miss him.”

  The waitress bought us water, and we ordered. Frida continued, “I’m mentoring the new guy. His name is Reginald Butler. I’m not sure this is going to be a good match. He’s pretty arrogant about his experiences in West Palm. He seems to think all of us here are country hicks, and he calls me a ‘girl.’ I was talking to the captain about my reservations. The guy may not work out, and if he doesn’t, we’ll have to hire someone else.”

  A tiny smile lifted one corner of her mouth.

  “Wanna be a cop?” she asked.

  “Good God, no,” I said. “I’m not even certain I want to be a PI.”

  “Still having trouble keeping your eyes open when you fire your pistol, are you?”

  “How’d you know about that?”

  “Word gets around.” She mouthed the name “Crusty.”

  “So what’s up other than having hired a sexist cop?” I asked.

  “This guy came into the station the other day. He said he’d talked to you, and you thought he should talk with the police. Thanks for that, Eve. He’s kind of squirrelly.”

  I held up my hand. “Say no more. I know who you’re talking about. His name is Henry Montrose. I kind of know his daughter.”

  “He’s the one. He’s looking for her. I had no idea where she might be because she hasn’t come to our attention. You solved my problem for me, Eve. I’ll get him on his cell and tell him you know her.”

  “You’d better let me call him. The story about his daughter is kind of complicated.”

  “Anything I should know about?” asked Frida. Our food had arrived and Frida took a big bite of her cheeseburger.

  “I don’t think so. But here’s her story.” I shared what I knew about Eleanor Montrose.

  “Odd. The missing piece here seems to be the mother. Well, keep me posted. I gotta run back to the station. My new partner awaits me.” Frida wrinkled her nose in distaste, then grabbed a handful of fries and ran out the door. I looked at the uneaten fries she’d left, reached over and dumped them onto my plate. I’ve always had a giant appetite and never gained weight, although I’ve been warned it will catch up with me someday. I was still skinny and still waiting for that first pound.

  The waitress brought the check. I was wrong. Lunch wasn’t on Frida. It was on me.

  Next, I dropped the boys’ camping gear at the airboat business. Grandfather Egret offered me a cup of tea.

  “A quick one,” I said. “I know Madeleine has to bring the babies into the store with her this afternoon because David’s cutting brush on the reserve.” Madeleine’s husband David owned the game reserve and hunting ranch Sammy worked on as part-time manager. David had inherited the ranch from his father, but was no longer interested in hunting and was trying to sell. So far the only bite had been several years ago from someone now in prison for murder.

  Again I wondered how I could fit in my PI apprenticeship with work in the shop without inconveniencing everybody.

  “Take a deep breath,” Father Egret said to me. “Grandy will rethink what was said. The two of you are too close for one argument to destroy your relationship.”

  I felt a presence behind me and turned quickly with a smile on my face, thinking it was Sammy. Instead it was his father who stared down at me.

  “She is like all white women. She thinks only of herself, when she should be respecting her elders and considering how her words can hurt them. Is this how you will raise my grandsons, with angry words and insolence? It would be better if they were with their own people.”

  The man seemed to know how to get under my skin. I wanted to lash out at him, but that would be buying into what he accused me of. Instead, I held my tongue for a moment before I spoke. “Sammy and I want our sons to feel at home in both worlds. We want them to know both worlds. That’s why we’re pleased you are taking them into the swamps this weekend.”

  He looked at me with his black, angry eyes, and his expression never softened.

  Grandfather stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. “This woman’s spirit is large, of this place and of her own home. She will lead your grandsons down a path of love and of acceptance. Do you not feel that?”

  Sammy’s father lowered his gaze, not out of shame, I guessed, but to keep his thoughts veiled. “I don’t think I feel anything.” He grabbed the camping gear and walked off toward the canoe, which was beached in the reeds near the airboat landing.

  “It must be hard for you, Grandfather, to see the swamps return such an unhappy son.”

  “He was unhappy when he entered the swamps. That has not changed.”

  “While I have you alone, do you have Renata’s telephone number?” I asked Grandfather.

  Renata was Sammy’s mother and Mr. Egret’s white wife. She now lived in Las Vegas. I had met her once and liked her. The engagement ring Sammy gave me came from her.

  “She might be helpful to you, but you’re right not t
o mention her name around my son. I’ll get you her number.”

  I thanked him and said goodbye, waving a greeting to Sammy, who was returning to the dock with an airboat full of passengers.

  “I’ll see the boys off this afternoon with Father. Don’t worry about them. I’ll make certain they have everything they need for this weekend,” he called to me.

  I reminded myself that Sammy’s father was master of the swamps, but I still felt anxious about the trip. Was I becoming an overprotective mother?

  Back at the consignment shop, I noticed a familiar car parked out front. I walked through the front door and saw Grandy at the cash register. Madeleine, assuming we might have things to say to each other, made herself scarce in the back office.

  I ignored Grandy’s and my recent unpleasant exchange. “How’s business today?” I asked, slinging my purse underneath the back counter.

  “Good. I understand I missed a great supper last night. Nappi cooked?”

  “Yup. I’m sorry you weren’t here, but there are leftovers in the fridge.” Our conversation was strained. We were avoiding what needed to be said.

  I sighed. I might as well get to it. “I’m sorry for doubting your word. You’re my rock, Grandy.”

  She threw her arms around me. “These people coming into our lives … why now? Why does it have to be when everything is going so well?”

  “At least it’s not another dead body,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

  She nodded. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Eve, not about my own daughter, your mother. She is gone, and so is your father. I was so furious at that man and his daughter bringing up painful memories for both of us.”

  Uh-oh. I’d have to tell her I’d taken Eleanor under my wing, and that would upset the peace we’d just established.

  We continued hugging each other until we heard the bell on the front door jingle, announcing a customer.