by Susan Boles
I give it a doubtful look. "We need to get Vlad before he gets into trouble."
"Right." Dixie agrees, backing out of the parking spot. "Maybe we lost anyone who was following us."
My cell phone starts playing the tone I've assigned to Vlad and I motion Dixie to stop as I answer.
"Are you okay?" Vlad asks. "I heard a ruckus in the back of the restaurant and can't find you."
"I'm okay." I tell him. "I had to run out the back, but Dixie was out there and she picked me up."
"I called Ben and told him to bring the local police here. The Carpenters are here and I think they're waiting on the shady guy I saw them with before"
"I think the shady guy is following me and Dixie. He chased me out the back after they spotted me in the hallway earlier."
"Where are y'all?"
I glance around taking note of stores. "We're in a parking lot off the main drag. There's a Winn Dixie here."
"Stay put and stay out of sight. I'm going to text Ben your location to divert one of the police cars to where you are."
I put my phone back in my pocket. "Vlad's okay. I guess they haven't spotted him. Or, more than likely, they don't realize he's with us. It's probably a good thing he hasn't been hanging out with us after all."
I shift in my seat, getting more comfortable and earning another growl from the dog. She and I are going to have to come to an understanding about this.
Dixie puts a calming hand on the dog's head and she settles right down. "Are we going back to pick up Vlad?"
"No. He said to stay put. He's calling Ben to bring police to the restaurant and here."
Dixie pulls the car back between the SUVs, but just before we get fully in the spot, I see an old Toyota coming at us at a rate of speed that's too fast for someone who's cruising for a parking space.
"Back us out of here quick, Dixie. I see trouble coming."
Dixie throws the car in reverse jostling us all and backs out. Seeing the Toyota, she cuts the wheel so that we're facing away from it in the lane and floors it. The Toyota gets on our bumper and nudges us.
Dixie yelps. Then white knuckles the steering wheel. We're coming up too fast at the end of the row. I hang on to the oh-shit handle for all I'm worth.
We're going to have to turn and it may be on two wheels at this rate. Just as we reach the end of the row, a worker in a Winn Dixie vest steps off the sidewalk right into our path.
Then, everything happens at once.
Dixie stands on the brakes and smoke roils up behind us. The Dachshund is thrown to the floorboard with a howl. I hear a siren whoop a couple of times. The kid goes big-eyed and jumps back on the sidewalk. The Toyota crashes into the buggy corral to our left, front crumpling up as Big Mean Dude jumps out. With a gun in hand.
Two police officers rush Big Mean Dude. One takes his gun and the other snaps cuffs on him.
Ben rushes to us as we get out of the car on shaky legs. Grabbing us both in a bear hug, he mutters. "You two will be the death of me."
I hear a sound like water pouring and pull away from Ben to see what it could be. The little dachshund has exited the car and is relieving herself on Ben's shoes.
I can't help it. I burst out laughing and Dixie joins in. Ben looks from the dog to the two of us and I see his eyes go upward, focusing on my hat.
"Somebody owes me five grand." Says Big Mean Dude from behind us.
***
Later, as we all relax on the balcony enjoying the sunset, the ocean and some adult beverages, Ben fills us in on what the police told him after they'd picked up the Carpenters.
The Carpenters had been telling the truth about being in Destin on vacation and spotting Alex Landers by accident. What they failed to include in their information to Ben and me that morning was that they'd hired Big Mean Dude to kill Alex and promised to pay five thousand dollars. Money that they didn't have.
So, when they'd seen me hanging around with Alex they'd assumed I was his girlfriend and had no qualms about extorting money from me to pay the killer.
"How'd they get my hatpin?" I asked.
"Betsy saw a teenage girl and boy pick it up right after you stormed off the beach and took it away from them telling them she knew you and would make sure you got it back."
I traded glances with Dixie. This explained the strange questions the teenagers had asked me that day.
“I can’t believe those two fooled me with that sob story.” Ben grumbled.
“It wasn’t exactly a sob story.” I told him. “It’s true Alex took all of their money. I’m curious about how they came to hire Big Mean Dude.”
Ben shakes his head. “They went around to several places in town looking for someone to do the deed and managed to hook up with Joe Palmer a.k.a. Big Mean Dude at the Crab Cracker. He was desperate for money.”
“And what about y’alls old friend, Lynette?” Dixie asked. “What was her part in the whole thing?”
“She came down here looking for Alex to try and extort some money from him. She’s run up a lot of debt and believed he had plenty to go around. She was going to threaten to turn over information to the Securities and Exchange Commission if he didn’t shell out.”
Dixie’s eyes went round as marbles. “Does she really have information like that?”
Ben shook his head. “No. She doesn’t. It would have been extortion if she’d done it. But she didn’t get the chance to try. Alex as dead when she got here. She latched onto Lily Gayle as her attorney in order to get inside information about him.”
“Well. I can’t complain.” I told them. “She did good work for me getting me released instead of having to sit in a jail cell while an investigation happened. I can’t be mad at her.”
“She’ll be okay.” Ben said. “She hasn’t done anything illegal so she won’t lose her license to practice law. But she’s going to have to shape up and do some things different.”
“Will you stay in contact with her?” Dixie asked.
“No. I don’t need another problem in my life. You two are enough.”
A soft, warning growl sounds at my feet and I glance down. The dachshund Dixie picked up behind the Crab Cracker is giving me the stink eye. I turn to Dixie.
“You need to have a chat with this dog. She needs to know who’s in charge around here.”
Dixie reaches down and snaps her fingers softly. The dog moves slowly away from me, never taking her eyes off me.
“Come, Destiny.” Dixie says.
“Destiny?” I ask.
“Because I found her in Destin. And she’s going home with us, so you might as well get used to the idea.” Dixie says, cuddled the dog in her lap.
Destiny and I give each other resigned looks. I guess we both know who’s really in charge here.
Ben stretches and clinks glasses with Vlad, then turns to Dixie and me to clink glasses. "Here's to all's well that ends well."
We all sip as the red-orange sun sank into the ocean.
Books By Susan Boles
Lily Gayle Lambert mystery series
Death in Mercy (Prequel Novella)
Death of a Wolfman
Cherry Cake and a Cadaver
Death at the Midnight Dragonfly
Death said the Gypsy Queen
Death on the Beach
Romantic Suspense
Fated Love
Persuading Piper
Handling Harley Ann
Guarding Holly Grace
Historical
Sins of the Mother
About the Author
Susan is the award-winning author of the Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery Series and a contributing author to the Brotherhood Protectors World.
A lifelong long love of all things mysterious led Susan to write cozy mysteries. Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden were the first to show her that girls can be crime solvers. Agatha Christie showed her that even small towns have big secrets. And Phryne Fisher showed her lady detectives can be outrageously individual. She lives in Mississippi with h
er rescue mini dachshund, Lucy, and her rescue cat of no particular breed, Zimba. She currently writes the Lily Gayle Lambert mystery series set in the fictional town of Mercy, Mississippi featuring a multi-generational cast of female sleuths and romantic suspense in the Brotherhood Protectors World.
Susan writes mysteries and set in the big city of Memphis, TN and the fictional small town of Mercy, Mississippi.
CONTACT SUSAN:
Susan loves to hear from readers and book lovers! Visit her website at www.susanbolesbooks.com
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Did you love Death on the Beach? Then you should read Death said the Gypsy Queen by Susan Boles!
"Beware the sign of the vampire blood," said the fortune teller. "It brings madness and turmoil."Lily Gayle knows what that means, but, for the life of her, can't figure out how the fortune teller does. A quick road trip with Dixie. An unplanned stop at a roadside park. And, an hour later a dead body. Lily Gayle, Dixie and Miss Edna find themselves knee deep in another homicide investigation when the local vet assistant turns up dead behind an outbuilding at the farmers market.Lily Gayle believes the words of the fortune teller will have a major impact on the investigation but can't bring herself to tell the other ladies. To reveal what she believes the words mean might bring trouble to another old friend. And would betray a trust. Only Ben knows and he, as usual, advises Lily Gayle to stay out of his investigation – which she isn't about to do.When the secret is revealed, the townspeople go mad and the fortune tellers words come true. Can Lily Gayle, Dixie and Miss Edna solve the murder before more people are harmed?
Read more at Susan Boles’s site.
Also by Susan Boles
Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery
Death in Mercy
Death of a Wolfman
Cherry Cake and a Cadaver
Death at the Midnight Dragonfly
Death said the Gypsy Queen
Death on the Beach (Coming Soon)
Standalone
Sins of the Mother
Watch for more at Susan Boles’s site.
About the Author
Susan Boles is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of romance, historical fiction and cozy mysteries. She lives in North Mississippi with her rescue mini dachshund, Lucy.
Read more at Susan Boles’s site.