Death of a Hot Chick

by Norma Huss

“Then I really was in the water.” After I nodded, she leaned back and pulled her cover up. “I wish I could remember. I’d get that....are you allowed to swear in the hospital?”

  I swooped to hug her. “Oh, Lizzie,” I said. “I’ll bring your clothes tomorrow. That is, later today, since it must be tomorrow already. In the meantime, you may see a police person or one of us guarding you.”

  “A guard? What for?”

  “Just in case the killer tries again.”

  “You’re telling me the truth? I really was in the water?” she asked again.

  I nodded. Back in the lobby, I walked over to the group, waiting anxiously. I shook my head. “She doesn’t remember anything. Not since staying at Kaye’s last night.”

  “Then she didn’t tell you who tried to drown her?”

  “That’s a rhetorical question, I hope.”

  Teddy said, “At the boat, she was unconscious? Or did she wake up? She didn’t say anything then?”

  “No, nothing. She blinked her eyes, that was all.”

  “And Cyd, you didn’t see anything?”

  “A couple of blobs going off the boat. Then I was under water. I felt someone’s head.” I turned on Kaye. “You got the best view, of him running away.”

  “I have to admit, he didn’t look like Mr. Joline.” She hesitated. “It’s possible...it must have been Rolf.” She shook her head.

  “Rolf threatened me this morning. That is, yesterday morning,” I added.

  “He did? We didn’t tell Doug that.” She started punching numbers, then did a bunch of yakking I couldn’t concentrate on.

  After she hung up, she said, “They traced the license plate number and found the car abandoned. It belongs to an elderly couple on a cruise. It was parked in front of their house, but it disappeared on Sunday. Neighbors noticed but didn’t report it.”

  Chapter 28

  Late Tuesday morning, August 1

  I knew I’d bounce back with three, maybe four hours of sleep. When Kaye said, “You’ll come to my house for the rest of the night,” I didn’t argue. When I woke some time later, the sun was glowing at the corners of the drapes in her spare bedroom, and my mouth felt like it was full of seaweed. Probably the smell from my unwashed body. Right after I flushed the toilet, Kaye popped in.

  “You had two visitors already, but I told them to come back later. One was Gregory. The other one was Arthur Estep. You know who....”

  “Pop. Why? How’d he know I was here?”

  “Who knows? He probably followed Gregory. Anyway, he came about the title to Snapdragon. He has your check ready. I alerted your lawyer, but naturally, he’ll hold up for your personal instructions.”

  “Oh.”

  “And Gregory came by three times, actually.”

  “I was sleeping that hard?”

  “They did give you a sedative at the hospital. Don’t you remember? They wanted you to sleep for hours, and you did.”

  “But it’s still today, isn’t it?”

  “Did you just listen to what you said?”

  “Tuesday. It’s still Tuesday?”

  “Yes.”

  “And they still don’t know who killed Nicole, right?”

  “Come have breakfast. Or, in this case, a late brunch.”

  I didn’t bother with a shower, or do anything more than brush my teeth, stick my feet into a pair of Kaye’s slippers, and push the hair out of my face with my hand.

  Kaye put food in front of me. I ate. When I’d finished my breakfast, I still felt groggy. I put my elbow on the table, leaned my chin on one fist, and closed my eyes.

  In the distance, I heard bells, but didn’t connect it until Kaye said, “Oops, there’s the doorbell.” I didn’t open my eyes.

  So, it was a surprise when someone kissed me on the cheek. I opened my eyes and looked up.

  “Hi, CeeCee,” Gregory said. “They must have given you some kind of knock-out medicine. Don’t tell me you didn’t get enough sleep yet.”

  “Um,” I said as he sat beside me. I didn’t feel at all kissable—not in my borrowed PJs, my hair a mess, and reeking of tidal flats. “Where’s Kaye?”

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” Gregory said. I shook my head. Gregory continued. “You’re not all dolled up, you have sleep in your eyes, and you’re not too alert, and I turn up, right?”

  “No,” I said, although that was precisely what I was thinking.

  “Okay, how about, your boat is sunk, and you need a job.”

  That was even closer. I shook my head. “Nothing.”

  “And you’re mad because I called you CeeCee again.”

  He was right about everything, but I didn’t admit it. “The killer got away.”

  “I was so sure it was Mr. Joline,” Kaye said. She added, “I’ll be in the next room if anyone wants me,” and left.

  Now I was worried. My sister and chaperone had left me to Gregory. “I’d better go get a shower, and all that stuff you said about being dolled up.” I started to rise, but Gregory put his hand on my arm.

  “You know, I wouldn’t mind waking up every morning to see you looking exactly like you look this minute.”

  “Gregory,” I said shaking my head.

  “Okay, I didn’t say that. Forgive me. I...I don’t know, but...just accept that I’m trying to remember that I lost, and that’s the end of it. But I am waiting for you to take your test and start working for me as a certified captain. I think you need to add CPR yet. Am I right?”

  “Maybe later,” I wanted to say, but I didn’t. “I can’t.... You know, things are still awfully confused right now. I don’t think I can handle it.”

  “You aren’t signing on with anyone else, are you? You will work for Norris Charter?”

  “That’s...not what I mean.” What did I mean? I had to change the subject, but quick. “Right now, I have to prove who killed Nicole. She knows but....”

  “That’s the second time you’ve done that.”

  “Done what?” I should have said, but I didn’t. I stared at Gregory. He’d definitely gone with the subject switch. And, he still knew me too well. He wouldn’t accept that answer. “Okay, Nicole finally knows who killed her because her ghost told me, right after you hauled Lizzie out of the water.” I paused to see if he was still with me. I couldn’t tell. He nodded with raised eyebrows. I continued. “Except she didn’t tell me who it was. She just said I’d found him and she should have known.”

  He stopped nodding, leaned forward, and took my hand. “You’re seeing ghosts now? Since when?”

  “Not ghosts in the plural. Just Nicole. Just since she was killed,” I said as he rubbed my palm with his thumb. I didn’t pull away, but kept talking. “In fact, I heard her even before I knew she was dead.”

  “Hey,” he said, which made no sense at all.

  “Are you listening?” I jumped up. “I have to find out and prove who killed Nicole, and I don’t know how to do it. Right now I’m getting that shower.”

  “I’ve got a letter for you from Finley,” Gregory said. Before I could say, “What?” or, “Why?” or even think, he added. “She’s gone.”

  “Finley? Gone? Where?”

  He shrugged, dug into a pocket and handed me an envelope.

  “Kaye,” I called. “Gregory brought a letter from Finley. She’s gone.” Carefully, I slipped a finger under the flap and unsealed the envelope. There were two sheets and a photograph inside. One of the sheets was completely blank.

  Kaye, who must have been awfully close, came in. “What’s she say? Where is she?”

  “Just a minute.” I read the few lines. “All it says is, ‘I’ve gone to the islands to be married. He has a business there. Sorry to bug out on you. The picture is one of two I kept. Finley.’ ”

  “What island?”

  “There’s a P.S. ‘Too bad Nicole wasn’t able to give you that gold ring. Could be under water now.’ “

  The ring thing confused me, but, Finley, getting married? I scanned b
oth sides of the two papers. “That’s it. That’s all she said.”

  “What about the photo?”

  I turned it over. On the back was printed in wobbly block letters, “Michelle and Nicole forever.” I stroked the surface. Did I get any vibes?

  “No address?”

  “And no name, because she sure won’t be Finley Swent after she’s married.”

  Gregory said, “Well, look at it this way. Finley is not your average gal. She probably didn’t think to add anything else. Just wanted you to know she’d be gone.”

  “Now she’ll never know who killed Nicole,” I said. “Except, maybe she was right.”

  “What’s on that second sheet of paper?” Kaye asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Look at it carefully.”

  “I looked carefully. I can’t see nothing, can I?”

  “Why would she send a blank sheet?”

  An idea tried to force its way to the top of my sleepy brain, but it didn’t quite.... “A secret message!” I said.

  Gregory spoke up. “Don’t go overboard on this detective bit. That is so Hardy Boys, if not the Bobbsey Twins. No, the blank paper is so the writing wouldn’t show through the envelope. After all, it isn’t a security envelope.”

  “Nancy Drew, not Hardy Boys,” I said. “Hey, she and I talked about secret messages.”

  “You did?” Kaye reached for a lamp, turned it on and took off the shade. “We’ll let it warm up for a couple of minutes.”

  “I can’t believe it,” Gregory said. “Now, Cyd, she’d.... But Kaye?”

  “She had a bag of lemons in her refrigerator. Nothing else!”

  “And that proves?”

  “Yes, that proves it.”

  After an anxious two minutes, I said, “It’s hot enough right now.” Kaye reached for the paper, but I said, “It’s my letter.” I held the paper against the light bulb while the other two looked over my shoulders.

  “It’s working!” Kaye said.

  Slowly, words came into view, brightening and disappearing as I moved the paper. I read the strange combination of letters. “BuRN tHis. KeeP leTTer. Nikky FoUnd it. TuRn in For RewArd. MY name.”

  “That’s it?” Kaye asked.

  “What does it mean?” Gregory said.

  “Pop’s loot,” I said, looking at Kaye for agreement.

  “Oh, yes,” Kaye said. “Nicole found Pop’s loot.” She added, “Oh, my god. He’ll think you took it, Cyd.”

  Did I want a mobster after me for his loot? I dropped my face into my hands. “Oh, no.”

  “Maybe not,” Gregory said. “I couldn’t figure out what Finley meant, but maybe this explains what she told me.”

  “What, what?”

  “She kept saying, ‘Cyd’s in the clear.’ And, ‘I’m right about Brandon.’ But then she said, ‘New subject. Tell them another suspect wouldn’t take the ring.’ She didn’t tell me anything about, ‘what ring.’ Didn’t make any sense at the time. Still doesn’t.”

  “I’d better burn this,” Kaye said.

  “Wait,” Gregory said. “That proves Cyd didn’t get any loot off that boat. Just in case the mobster comes after you.”

  “Burn it,” I said.

  “You could always....” Gregory started. He glanced at Kaye.

  “You want me to leave again?” she asked.

  “No,” I said as I felt my face heat. I remembered something else. Slowly, I said, “Finley mentioned a ring? I forgot, but Nicole did have a ring on a chain around her neck.” She’d held it up, made a promise on it. Kaye and Gregory faded as I remembered that day on Snapdragon. I felt my own throat, remembered the times I’d sensed Nicole and sometimes even felt a flash of pain in my throat.

  I picked up the photograph, closed my eyes, and waited for a scene that I could only imagine. “Nicole, show me,” I thought. “I did what you wanted. Show me what happened.”

  But nothing came. I rubbed my ears and forehead, pushed my finger tips into my hair. Did I see anything? Children? Two little girls? Did I hear giggles?

  “Cyd,” I heard. “Cyd!”

  No, no. I slipped my head lower. What had I seen? Or remembered? Nicole told me about the friendship ring, but....

  “Cyd, snap out of it,” Gregory said. He shook me. When I opened my eyes, Kaye stood over me.

  “You’re so white and still. Are you okay?” she asked.

  “No, I’m not okay. I almost had it, but she’s gone now.”

  Chapter 29

  Kaye insisted on accompanying me to the lawyer while I signed over Snapdragon and received a most welcome check. She oversaw my deposit, she took me shopping for essentials, she filled me with delicious meals. Not that I wasn’t completely appreciative, but I had to escape from my sister. I needed to find Nicole.

  Smith Harbor Marina was busier than I’d ever seen it after sunset. Way too many people hovered around the sunken Snapdragon where slings and cranes filled all available space. My suspect Chester wasn’t there, but his Uncle Pop was, supervising the work. Had Chester killed, then run away? Kaye’s suspect, Mr. Joline wasn’t there, but his shadow Rolf was. Had he killed Nicole on her father’s orders? And Finley’s suspect Brandon was there in person. Did they all know each other?

  Everybody wanted to be in on the excitement—to watch while they discovered the hidden loot. If there was hidden loot. I wanted to be far, far away, because there was no loot. I avoided my old finger pier and returned to the spot, just off the marina property, where I’d found Nicole’s body. The sun was long gone. The moon hung just over the horizon.

  “Nicole, are you here?” I asked.

  She didn’t answer.

  This could be hard. Nicole had her answer. Why would she come back to give me an answer? I opened the envelope and took out the picture. Nicole and her friend Michelle. Sweet little girls, maybe eight or ten, or even younger?

  I didn’t want to think that Kaye, Gregory, and even Officer Doug were right. There was nothing I could do, they’d said. I didn’t know who killed her. Brandon Bates? It wasn’t his car they’d found abandoned. He’d had an alibi—a party at his house with twenty friends who swore he was there. His hair had been wet because they’d been pouring beer on each other. It could have been Rolf, or even Chester Foltz. Kaye saw a tall man who wasn’t Mr. Joline. But with the unexpected sight of a mostly bare body, how could she be sure? Almost anyone would look tall with skinny legs. I kept thinking about the ring, the friendship ring Nicole had shown me, the ring Finley mentioned. I hadn’t seen it on the body, but would I have noticed?

  Did Nicole die right here, where I’d found her? “Is this the spot, Nicole?”

  Somehow, I knew it wasn’t. Without thinking, I followed a breeze. I walked along the shore, past Lizzie’s pier, past the second dock, then followed the breeze to the dock farthest out into the water. The closest marina light was two docks away. Here I could watch the moon and its silver path. I took everything out of my pockets—my cell phone, the two plastic bags, one with the washed out paper note, the other with the single strand of long, blond hair, and the picture. I put the phone aside. I opened the bag with the strand of hair and coiled it on top of the picture of two little girls.

  “Nicole, are you here?”

  I heard nothing but the lap of waves against the pilings.

  “Nicole, it’s just you and me. No one else cares who killed you. The police are watching over Lizzie. You said you know, but no one else does. You wanted me to find out. Tell me who it is.”

  I saw nothing but the ripple of waves along the silver path and an outline of trees barely touching the moon.

  Would she come back? She had her answer, she didn’t care about Lizzie. Finally, I thought it. Nicole, I need you. Who is your killer?

  As if I’d said the words aloud, I heard steps behind me. A voice. “Who’s there?” A man’s voice. Which one? Then, after a light flashed momentarily, “That you Cyd?”

  I didn’t turn toward Brandon. Without conscious tho
ught, I said, “Nicole should have been buried with that ring, you know.”

  He didn’t say anything until I looked at him. “You mean like my sister was buried with her ring?”

  Oops, shouldn’t have mentioned that. However, I said, “Yes. Like that.”

  Damn, this was supposed to be just between me and Nicole. I watched as he got closer. Why didn’t he stay with the others? I wound the strand of hair around my finger and sent a mental plea to Nicole. I listened as Brandon said, “I had nothing from my sister. She had everything—the memories and the ring.”

  I clutched the picture, brought my clenched hands to my mouth. Whispered, “Nicole, he’s here.”

  He stood over me. Did I dare move and push the instant dial to Kaye or the other to 911? I moved my hand toward it.

  And screamed as he stamped on my wrist.

  Suddenly he grabbed my throat with one hand. “You’re dead,” he said. “You and that bitch—both dead.”

  I tore myself away, kicked, rolled toward the side of the dock. My big mouth. I’d misjudged him. Nicole had too. Frantically, I reached....

  “You are dead, you know,” he said and grabbed my foot. He twisted and I twisted too, kicking. I reached for my phone, but I couldn’t see it. My foot was free. I sidled away, like a crab.

  “Oh, you won’t make it,” he said. “You’ll be deader than Nicole. She deserved to die. And that old biddy should have died too. Maybe she still will.”

  A sudden wind blew me backward. Nicole! Had she come? The wind blew. Lightning flashed. Buckets and tools flew through the air. I ducked.

  So did Brandon. He grabbed my throat with both hands. I clawed at them, but I felt myself fading. I heard ringing, saw blinding lights. Heard voices.

  “Give me the ring, you louse. You killed me for a ring?”

  Suddenly I fell away—freed from his hands. Brandon turned away, toward Nicole, toward her voice. “Who are you? Where are you?”

  Nicole floated out over the water. “I’m here, sweetheart. I love you. Will you marry me? I’m all yours.”

  “You’re dead, you bitch. I killed you. Stay dead.”

  She’d come.