Radical Regatta!

by Anna Celeste Burke

  ‘I’m sure,’ huh? That sounded more like supposition than fact, to me. Maybe the subject hadn’t come up. Wrong!

  “Angela Mason is delighted Nicky Nizenski is hosting a party to honor your heroism, Brien.”

  “He’s doing what?” I asked. Mayor Buckley appeared slightly perturbed.

  “Didn’t you read the invitation?” Brien and I both shook our heads—he nodded yes as I shook my head no.

  “I’d just passed the card to Kim when the doorbell rang. She hasn’t had a chance to read it.” I did now! A big zap passed through me from head to toe. This was an invitation that we couldn’t refuse.

  “You’re the Guest of Honor at a Tribute to a Hometown Hero on the 4th of July!”

  “Isn’t it exciting?” Stella asked. “We’re going to be allowed to bring a corporate photographer on board. We can take a photo as Mayor Buckley presents you with a plaque and you receive a gift from Mr. Nizenski that’s a secret for now.”

  “The party on the Blazing Star will be small, but Nicky has added special fireworks to the display, and has very generously offered to pay for the entire event this year.”

  I glanced nervously at Brien wondering what Nizenski might mean by special fireworks. Brien wasn’t smiling, but he didn’t seem to be worried either. I took a deep breath. Nicky wouldn’t want to smudge his precious mega-yacht, so if he meant to do us harm, he’d use a more insidious method.

  “I’ve come along to tell you that we’ve rearranged the schedule. You have tomorrow off, so you can go to the party.” Big Al smiled. When he patted Brien on the back, the zap went through me again. Al was wearing one of those watches Angela Mason had distributed to the men when the meeting ended on the Blazing Star.

  I suddenly felt as if cult members had invaded our home. If they started chanting “Nicky knows best” or “Nicky loves you too,” I was running for the patio and siccing Pepe on them. Then, temptation came for me.

  “In fact, the resort wants you both to have the entire week off!” Stella added. “We reserve the right, however, to call upon you should the national media pick up the story and run with it.” That last bit could have been uttered by a spokesmodel on a game show. Brien’s story had to be a PR dream come true.

  A week off was the perfect bribe. It would give our inner knuckleheads time to figure out what pet owners do when they leave pets home alone. That was just the beginning, however, as the cult induction ceremony continued.

  “Nicky sends his regards.” That sounded eerily close to “Nicky loves you” in my hyper-anxious frame of mind. “He has asked us to deliver tokens of his admiration for you and your wife, who offered shelter to the poor, unfortunate dog you saved from drowning.” Archie woofed when Mayor Buckley said the word “dog.”

  When Stella dashed to the door, Archie followed her as if he’d received an invitation to play. She returned with a large shopping bag. It must have been hanging on the door handle since she’d retrieved it so quickly. Brien and I moved a bit closer to each other, not certain what to expect next.

  “Okay, so since the party was arranged at the last minute, Nicky asked me to shop for you at the resort. Nothing too fancy—as you can see on the invitation dress is “resort casual.” I had no trouble at all since your measurements were already on file from clothes you bought during your honeymoon.” She handed each of us a large box. “You can try these on later. If you need to exchange anything, you can do that tomorrow, now that you have the day off.”

  “Where are the shoes?” Mayor Buckley asked.

  “Right here! Comfy, elegant, and casual—my orders from your new benefactor.” Stella gushed as she continued. “He has such good taste.”

  The Topsiders were perfect for Brien, although he prefers sneakers and flip-flops. A pair of strappy sandals were just my speed. Still, I cannot be bought for a pair of sandals and a designer outfit. Then, Mayor Buckley pulled two small packages from her purse.

  “These are to accessorize your outfits for the remarkable event tomorrow night.” She handed a box to each of us. Pitter-patter went my heart. The weak, craven creature that I am, I gasped when I saw the gorgeous pendant. A Faberge egg, about the size of my thumb, hung from a gold chain. A diamond was centered above the pendant, linking it to the chain.

  “Awesome!” Brien said as he removed a watch from its case and put it on. The famous music producer I worked for had a collection of expensive watches, so I could tell the watch on Brien’s arm was an amazing timepiece.

  “Awesome is a good word for it, Brien. It’s a fine watch,” Al said as he held his arm next to Brien’s. “Let me show you what it can do.”

  “Open your egg,” Stella urged me. “Let’s see what’s inside.” I fiddled with it, worried that I’d break it. She was ready to intervene when it opened. I laughed. Hidden inside the egg was a tiny golden dog with diamonds for eyes. “Now that’s perfect, isn’t it? We have hearts inside ours, see?” I nodded. I was so close to mumbling, “Nicky knows best,” when Mayor Buckley picked up where Stella left off.

  “His generosity of spirit is especially touching coming from a man who’s recovering from a near-death experience.” Zap! The arc that passed through me this time made me take a step back. I stumbled and plopped down onto the couch.

  “Aw, you’re overcome, aren’t you?” Stella asked as she sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulder.

  “Wow! That’s too much!” Brien wore an expression that made me believe he needed a seat, too. “Did he tell you what he meant by that?”

  “You’re as bad as Detective Mitchum, who wrangled an invitation to the party out of Nicky Nizenski! He probably just invited him to the party so he could have more time to recover before the detective questions him about that awful event. Not the accident, but the mishap in his boat slip. Anyway, he told us it was a water-skiing accident. I didn’t ask him for details because that’s ghoulish! It was related, somehow, to the incident in which the dog fell into the water.”

  “That was Friday morning. He sure made a quick recovery from his brush with death, didn’t he?” I asked. Two days later and he’s entertaining local guests while working on an even bigger Fourth of July party. Oh, yeah, and when he thought none of his guests could see him, he walked away—no wheelchair or assistance required.

  “Now you’re acting like Mitchum, too! That was one of his first questions, almost verbatim.” Brien turned on the boyish charm, and the mayor was smiling again in seconds.

  “We’re not being nosy. It’s just that when we brought Archie ashore, we were worried there’d been a boating accident. Al checked, but no one reported one,” Brien added. “Isn’t that right, Al?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Nicky didn’t tell us much more about the accident, but his Skipper or First Mate said it happened very early on Friday morning. The crew members on the ski boat rushed Nicky back to his yacht. No one realized the dog had fallen off the boat or that Nicky had been injured so badly. When a family member grew concerned, they called upon Dr. Mason, Nicky’s old friend, to step in and help.” What Stella said made sense. That could explain why Earl Gardner had gone into the suite Friday morning to get Dr. Mason’s medical kit.

  “Nicky raved about Dr. Mason. That’s another reason he wants to thank you in person. He felt bad about the disappearance of his old friend’s dog. He’s doubly in your debt since you not only saved the life of an innocent animal, but you’ve spared his old friend so much grief.”

  Now that was going too far. Given what we’d learned, I didn’t buy a word of what Nizenski said about his old friend’s grief. There wasn’t anything in the way Angela Mason had interacted with Nizenski that was the least bit friendly. For very good reason, according to Bede.

  “He trusts the doctor a great deal to have put himself into his hands,” I said trying to keep the sarcasm from my voice. “Dr. Mason must have been blushing at such praise from his old friend.”

  “We didn’t see Dr. Mason, although his incredibly beautiful w
ife was with us,” Stella gushed. “Nicky told us she was a beauty queen before she went to Hollywood or married Dr. Mason.”

  “I heard something like that, too. Dr. Mason must have been disappointed that he couldn’t join you. He’s not ill, is he?”

  “That didn’t even occur to me. It would explain why Angela Mason was so preoccupied, wouldn’t it, Marilyn?” Stella asked. Aha! I’d been wracking my brain trying to remember the mayor’s first name. I was going to look it up later. One of the things I dislike about parties is being caught in one of those situations where you’ve got to introduce someone you barely know.

  “I hope that’s not it. They’re a remarkable couple, and now they’re going to get back their dog. That’s a happy ending to a situation that could have been such a sad one. If it weren’t for the man of the hour! Brien, we’ll see you tomorrow night. You, too, Kim.”

  “I’d get new locks put on the doors—new doors would be even better. These watches and the jewelry are worth more than everything else you own—combined.” After another hug from Stella, the mini delegation departed.

  “I’m not sure new doors and locks will keep our valuables safe from Pepe. What do you want to do first? Clean up the patio or call Mitchum?”

  “Pepe’s still sleeping, so I say we have a conversation with Mitchum. We can make sure Bede shared all the details we gave him and tell him that Nizenski walks! I feel better about going to the party knowing the police are going to be there.” Somehow, I wasn’t as certain as Brien or Bede were that Nicky would behave himself with Mitchum and a couple of uniformed officers on board. I’d feel much better if Mitchum brought the army we’d speculated about when we first saw them loading goods onto the Blazing Star.

  16 Let the Party Begin

  I was as nervous as the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof. Brien was, too. After the invitation committee left, we tried to reach Mitchum, but my call went to his voicemail. We hung up the snazzy outfits Stella had chosen for us and hid our newly acquired riches in a shoebox! Then we kept busy cleaning up the mess Pepe had made. Brien let him out so he and Archie could play while we watched to make sure they didn’t cause more trouble. Despite my best efforts, my mind still raced from one odd moment to another. Brien was obsessing, too.

  “Do people really walk around wearing a watch on their arm that costs as much as an Escalade? It seems to me that you’re asking for trouble.”

  “Your boss, who’s the head of security at a high-end resort, seemed delighted to wear it. The women with him weren’t worried either. Mr. P made sure everyone saw his Rolex as if it gave him street cred—a symbol of the great wealth his vast talent had brought him.”

  “We’ve had too many close calls. I’m going to take Al’s advice about installing better doors since I’ve got the week off. Not just to protect the jewelry, but us. Can we afford it?”

  “After dinner, let’s check the prices and see how soon the doors can be delivered. Can we do it ourselves if I help you?”

  “It’s worth a try. You’re little but you’re strong! If we can’t do it, I’ll get Mick to give me a hand. He’ll do anything we ask if you bake him more of those brownies.”

  “I’m already in debt to him for two dozen brownies. How many can he eat?” Brien cocked one eyebrow in response. “Never mind—as many as he can get. Here’s another idea, though. He’s going to want to see that new watch of yours. If you promise to let him wear it after the doors are hung, he’ll help you get it done fast!”

  “That’s an awesome idea!”

  We’d finally restored order on the patio when Bernie Mitchum returned my call. I didn’t let him get in a single word until I’d explained what had gone on during our spying on the ship and the mayor’s visit.

  “I don’t like the fact that you and Brien will be dead center while we investigate what’s happening on the Blazing Star. It’s obvious that you’re not going to stop poking your nose into this unfortunate business, and you’ve already become a target for one reason or another.”

  “I don’t like your choice of words—dead center, target—but we’re not dumb. We know better than to believe Nicky Nizenski is a model citizen who intends to honor Brien as a Hometown Hero. Even after his emissaries dropped off more than fifty-grand in gifts. I hope they’re not parting gifts if he’s planning to rid us from the planet.”

  “He really wants you on the yacht, doesn’t he?” Mitchum asked after he issued a low whistle. “It’s a good sign that he considers you to be people he can get to do his bidding with gifts.”

  “Let’s hope so. Has anyone given you an inkling of what it is he might want us to do for him?” I asked, even though I was certain the detective would already have told us if he had important information like that.

  “No. If he’d asked you to bring the dog or the collar to the party, that would have been helpful.”

  “If it’s the collar he’s after, you’d better come to the party bearing arms. We don’t have it and haven’t got a clue about where it is.”

  “We may have to check the guns at the door, but we’ll have backup nearby if the party turns ugly. I also got the mayor to pop for more overtime, so we can keep the Blazing Star under surveillance, and pick up the pace on the open investigations into the murder of Uri Popov and Earl Gardner.”

  “You’ve determined that Gardner was murdered?”

  “Yes. He was dead before he was thrown from the car. I’m sure he was supposed to burn up in the explosion and fire, but under pressure that didn’t happen.”

  “Aw, that’s too bad you outfoxed the dirtbags who killed him.”

  “Yep! The small-town yokels and the bumbling local gendarme have knocked them off their game. If you and Brien hadn’t thrown a monkey wrench into Earl Gardner’s little plan to grab Archie, he’d probably still be dead, but we wouldn’t have been on his heels. It would have only taken a few minutes to toss his dead body into the raging fire if the sirens hadn’t been ringing in the killers’ ears.”

  “So, I say, let the party begin. Nicky will show his cards, we’ll play our hand, and it’ll be game over!”

  “Just leave the endgame to me, please? I don’t want Nicky’s bribes to be ‘parting gifts’ any more than you do. I’ve gotten used to having Gidget and Moondoggie around.” Then he said goodbye.

  “Hey, Brien, get this. Mitchum’s used to us.” I filled in Brien on the rest of my conversation with the detective while we fixed dinner. Pulling dinner together was a little like being on a scavenger hunt. Who’d had time for grocery shopping given the way our crazy week had unfolded? Now that Nicky had lured us into his lair, it would probably be safe to go to the grocery store tomorrow.

  Somehow, I managed to fall asleep although I dreamed Brien and I were driving away from a man pursuing us in a golf cart wearing a warmup suit and ski mask made of bandages. I didn’t need any help interpreting the meaning of that dream. Plus, it had ended well when we’d caught the loser off guard by slamming on the brakes, and then backing into his cart. When it overturned, Archie had grabbed the man by a pant leg. I woke up laughing after the bad guy tripped trying to run away with his pants around his ankles.

  “Local yokels do it again!” I said as I woke up, bounded out of bed, and switched off the alarm before it blared at us.

  “What? Where are they?” Brien asked, as he stood up, still half asleep.

  “Right here. We’re the local yokels, otherwise known as the Hometown Hero and his Wonder Dog!”

  “And his ‘Wonder Woman,’” Brien added as he climbed over the bed to where I was standing. Archie was up on the bed in a flash, and bounced from one end to the other, so we joined him.

  Let the partying begin, I thought, inspired by the fun we were having and the prospect that the murder and mayhem might soon be over.

  As we rode into town to do our grocery shopping, my good mood rapidly fled. What if Nizenski wasn’t the only one gunning for us? I stayed on alert for anyone bearing down on us. Bede’s words about an unconceal
ed weapon pointed at us haunted me, and my dream about trouncing a buffoonish adversary no longer seemed funny.

  It’s too bad the new doors we’d bought online last night weren’t going to be delivered until tomorrow. We’d left Archie at home, for the first time, and I wished we’d already installed the new doors. At least, he’d have company tonight while we went to the party. Willow had been delighted to babysit, and Mick had readily agreed when I told him those brownies would be waiting for him.

  When we arrived at the grocery store, the parking lot was jammed. The store was packed inside, too, as shoppers filled their carts with items for a picnic or a party at home. Not only was this the Fourth of July, but the first day of what Mick hailed as “a totally radical regatta!”

  When we saw the crowd we were up against, Brien ran around to the next aisle to grab a few items while I peered at the brownie recipe making sure I didn’t miss anything. Seconds after Brien disappeared, I felt the barrel of a gun in my ribs.

  “Don’t say a word or make a sound. I mean you no harm.” The voice was heavily accented.

  “Excuse me if I don’t believe you. Get that thing out of my ribs if you don’t intend to shoot me. Otherwise, I’m going to scream bloody murder, and you’re going to have to reckon with our local Hometown Hero.” The guy laughed but did as I asked.

  “For your own protection, please don’t turn around. I’m here to explain that we’re not after you or your husband. We want Nicolai Nizenski. He’s a brutal killer responsible for murdering dozens of innocent Ukrainian citizens. Don’t believe him if he says he’s a Russian Nationalist or a patriot. He’s a gangster who’s used politics and political connections to cover for crimes against humanity. We’ve hunted him for years and want to grab him no matter what he looks like when those bandages are removed. We need the red, white, and blue collar the dog was wearing when he went overboard. If your Hometown Hero hadn’t intervened, we would have rescued him.”