The Riddles of Hillgate (Z&C Mysteries, #1)

by Zoey Kane

“Yeah right,” Zo said, then her eyes brightened. “But I have an idea!”

  “What?!”

  Zo opened her purse and fumbled through the mess inside until she came upon a piece of paper and a pen.

  “What are you thinking , Mother? Write him a note?”

  “Precisely!”

  “No, Mom!” she whispered loudly with embarrassment. “We aren’t going to write him a letter. I’ll just run into him by accident like you said.”

  Zo put the paper on the wall between the two stateroom’s doors and began to write.

  “Please, Mom. I was kidding about waiting outside of his room.” She tried to grab the pen, but Zo moved and quickly finished.

  “I’m writing him a letter, not you, Claire.”

  “But you are my mother and that will look ridiculous and desperate. I’m begging you.” Claire clenched her fists, pleading.

  “How are you my daughter? You have really got to loosen up, my dear.” She folded the note in half.

  “At least tell me what it said.” Claire followed her to where she was about to slide it under Belmont’s door.

  “It says, ‘Your neighbors, Zoey and Claire Kane—in room 202— are inviting you to a small midnight party in their stateroom. Hope to see you there!’” She quickly pushed it under the door.

  “How silly,” Claire said. “Do you think they’ll actually come?” Her voice became serious with hope.

  “You never know unless you ask.”

  “You said ‘party.’ Who else will be our guests?”

  Just then a group of ladies in red hats came out of two other suites across from them, promptly followed by a group of young ladies wearing pink hats.

  Zo’s golden brown eyes looked keenly at them. “Oh, ladies!” They turned to see her. “There’s going to be a midnight party in our stateroom. You’re all invited.”

  “Really?” They chirped and commented amongst themselves cheerfully.

  “Are there going to be games?” one, most elderly, woman asked.

  “Absolutely,” Zo said.

  Claire’s face became hot. She could barely look the women in their faces.

  “So, I hope to see you all tonight. Mr. Belmont and his wife are invited also; so, they may show.”

  Their expressions deepened with interest. “Oooh…”

  “Then we will definitely try to make it,” one young woman said.

  Claire buried her head in her hands and stood behind her mother, her sleek brown hair covering her face completely.

  “Oh, and if any of you see Kathryn from room 200, let her know she is invited, too!” Zo added.

  They thanked her and then quickly scurried off to go play shuffleboard on the deck.

  “Oh my goodness,” Claire exclaimed. “This has just become even more complicated.”

  “No, it hasn’t.” Zo grabbed her hand to lead her along down the hall toward the elevators. “We will just order room service. Why have money if we don’t use it?! All we have to do is figure out some games… and I’m sure they’ve got some great shops on the ship and Kinikiwiki Island. Maybe we’ll find something while we’re shopping.”

  The two went down to the elevator to get a breakfast buffet to start their day on the island with lots of energy. Then they would go back to their stateroom, get their giant beach bags, bathing suits and matching straw-yellow sun hats for the island.

  The two rented a golf cart which was customary transportation on the island. It was nothing like either of them had imagined, even though there were pictures at the customer service desk aboard the ship. It was very lush with greenery. The beach accented the fact by its white sand. They zipped around the curves of the narrow roads, feeling the wind in their loose hair. The volcanic mountain had the appearance of having aged into a tropical temple.

  They soon spotted two waterfalls. One waterfall that was very tall looked like it was coming out of the mountain where they would have rather expected to see lava bubble out from, near the top. The two took in as much of the breathtaking scenery as they could, switching places as driver along the way, giving the other moments for drinking iced mango drinks.

  “Mother, what do you say we take a dip in the bottom of the little waterfall?”

  “Sure. And I can hardly wait for our snorkeling appointment tomorrow at three o’clock.”

  “How could we forget?” Claire said. “I am so excited to do that!”

  “So am I!”

  Zo was driving this time and quickly took a turn around toward the small waterfall. She stopped their cart and they removed their wrap-arounds, revealing their swimming suits. Zo was wearing a black, draped-bosom, one-piece suit, sprinkled with a cherry pattern. Claire had on a velvety mauve two piece.

  The two both carefully pointed a toe into the water.

  “Oh! I thought it would be cold water. This is actually warm,” said Claire.

  “Probably warmed someway by that ‘dormant’ volcano there.” Zo smirked.

  It was nice and warm; perfect on the skin. Claire went down to submerge herself completely, feeling the water wrap around her hair and against her scalp. She opened her eyes for a moment seeing her mom’s legs extend down to the bottom where there were many pebbles among large stone-like rocks. She came back up, taking in a deep refreshing breath and slicking her straight wet hair off her face. “It’s perfect. Let’s swim a little.”

  “Oh, that’s ok, dear. I don’t want to get my hair wet.” Zo’s hair was wrapped up into a high thick bun. “I want it to look nice for tonight’s party. You know how difficult long hair can be. Yours was once long.”

  “Yeah, when I was in the sixth grade,” Claire said. “What about snorkeling?”

  “I have a special swim cap saved for that.”

  “Okay, and it can’t be used now?”

  “No,” she said simply with a smile.

  Claire continued swimming in the rocky pool and even went right under the water that was falling down like a ribbon into it. Zo piddled around, walking around up to her chest in the water, having simple fun.

  It wasn’t long before a couple with two children, about eight and ten, came into the pool, taking away the luxury of having the place to themselves.

  Zo looked at Claire. “It’s more children from the cruise, who should be at home playing on their tricycles,” she commented quietly.

  “Mom, what has gotten into you? I was a child once.”

  “But I took you out to Chuck-E-Cheese for fun, not an island resort.”

  “Mom…” She eyed her with that look that meant don’t be ridiculous.

  The kids brought with them a football, that they could soak in the water to make it heavy and wet for some fun throwing. Zo and Claire watched as the youngsters walked further and further apart from each other, to catch the ball from more exciting distances. The parents sat on the rocks watching them play with smiles on their faces and a basket of goodies.

  “Hi…” The parents waved to Zo and Claire to acknowledge their sole presence.

  “Hello,” Claire said and Zo added, “Hi.”

  “Go long!” the older boy called for his sibling to get ready for a super throw.

  The younger one went right up next to the other side of the rocks, as far as he could go.

  “I’m ready,” the little one called.

  His brother threw the ball with full force. It spun in the air. The little one jumped and missed as the ball was too high over his head.

  “Oh no!” the mom called out as they all saw the ball go up and above some rocks out of sight.

  Claire looked at the boys’ fallen, sad faces. “It’s ok. I’ll get it,” she said.

  Zo just stood there in the water, watching every moment of her daughter exiting the pool and climbing up some rocks.

  Claire reached a plateau of dirt at the top. She was sure the football flew up there in that direction, but could not see it on the very flat and exposed ground. She saw a rocky wall to the right, and shrugging her shoulders, she thought, May
be it could have gone behind there.

  She walked toward the wall. Hearing some flirtatious laughter between a man and woman, she froze in her steps. Taking a moment to think, she decided to slowly take a peek, just in case she could spot the football at all.

  Claire saw a back of a woman with blond hair, wearing a white bikini and floral wrap-around. “No, you’re so smart,” she said in a syrupy voice.

  They were holding each other and they suddenly started to kiss. Oh dear, Claire thought. Should I be watching this? …No. I just need to look on the ground for the ball.

  “You’re just so perfect, darling. Who could resist?” the man said.

  Claire listened in, her ears like radars, after that comment. Her brown eyes tried to see what the man looked like, but a large-leafed bush spread itself beside his face. She waited a moment, and to her great surprise, he stepped aside, revealing who they were. Her jaw dropped. Quietly, she walked back over to the edge of the rocks to wave her mother to come on up and see.

  “Did you find the football?” the father called out to Claire.

  “No,” she whispered, shaking her head and moving her arms. Honestly, the football could have been a cow patty at that moment, for all she cared.

  “Where’s our ball?” the boys called.

  “Shhh!” Claire put a finger up to her mouth.

  “Where is it?!” they called again.

  Zo quickly got out of the water, seeing the urgency in Claire’s movements and eyes.

  “Where’s our ball?” the older one asked again.

  “It’s gone forever,” Zo blurted out, upset at their obliviousness to her daughter’s request to stay quiet. She then trotted toward the rocks to climb up.

  “Hey,” the little one said and started to cry.

  “Oh, they were just asking,” the father said.

  “Oh, now Junior’s crying,” the mother added. “Come here, baby.” She called him over.

  Zo huffed, speechless, then continued until she reached the top where it leveled out.

  “Come on, kids, let’s go to the big waterfall,” they heard the father add loud enough for Claire and Zo to hear on purpose.

  Claire shook her head and Zo rolled her eyes and whispered, “What?”

  “Just come here.” She motioned quickly.

  The two went to the rock wall and slowly peeked around it.

  “What?” Zo asked.

  “It’s Mr. Belmont.” She pointed to some figures in the distance walking by what appeared to be a path. “They must have heard all of us and took off for privacy. He was with someone other than his wife.”

  “And you were being a Peeping Tim?”

  “Peeping Tom?”

  “Are you sure it wasn’t his wife? Isn’t that her same cut and color hair?”

  “I’m sure. This woman was well-endowed.”

  “Dear, you saw Mrs. Belmont briefly on stage last night, and you think you are an expert on her cup size?”

  Claire sighed. “…Okay, maybe it could have been his wife. I don’t know. If we see her tonight, then I will know for sure.”

  “Give it no thought, dear. I’m sure it was his wife. Come on, let’s go find something good to eat and buy some games. We can just wear our beach shirts and dry as we go.”

  “Okay,” Claire exhaled.

  From the snorkel and swim excursion, Zo and Claire went shopping in the “tourist trap” of the island. But they both agreed they loved tourist traps! The shops were filled with so many colorful crafts, clothes and jewelry that they could never get back home in Riverside. After that, they decided to attend a feast that included pit-barbecued ham with a sweet fruity glaze that fell apart in tender bits on their forks.

  Claire got only mildly sunburned from their day of fun. Zo was slathered up with SPF 100 sun block to protect against damaging, wrinkle-promoting rays. The evening was comfortable outside in the soft, warm breath of the ever-so-slight breeze.

  Claire was sipping the last of a coconut drink, when big drums intruded her thoughts with a rhythm that promised exotic excitement.

  Sure enough, out leaped six lean men—except for one, who was broad-shouldered with a bit of a paunch. They were all tan and wearing loin cloths. Arms swung aggressively from sturdy stances, and thighs and calves—that Zo imagined bulged in strength from running up palm trees—kicked in warrior moves.

  “Heeegh Huuu-ho!” they chanted.

  Fiery spears, twirling like batons, were tossed to the contenders. Thwang! One of the warriors had thrown his flaming spear into the sand next to Zo and Claire’s table. The pole vibrated back and forth.

  The bigger man strode, beating his chest with each step—kick-stamp, kick-stamp, kick-stamp. He then stopped in a straddle-squat in front of Zo and Claire. “Hah!” His black striped face broadened with a wide smile of pearls for teeth. “Hello, ladies.”

  He looked at Zo with eyes that looked like black marbles to her, all shiny, and said, “Especially you, with hair like soft fire.” He backed up, raising fists above his head, accentuating a large ribcage while minimizing the paunch.

  Younger native men ran from either side of the show with fire extinguishers. They smiled at the audience and doused the flames. It got a chuckle.

  “Good heavens!” Zo exclaimed, having an amazed look to her eyes.

  “Oh, you loved it and you know it, Mom.” Claire chewed on a bit of sweet pineapple. “I think we ought to go down to the water, take a little walk and look around.”

  “Okay, I’ll leave the tip.”

  As they enjoyed the wet sand between their toes, having left their sandals safe from murmuring waves, they enjoyed the huge expanse of ocean and sky. “That moon is almost scary it is so large.” Zo went on to say, “It almost looks like it is in a collision course with the earth.”

  “I know,” said Claire. “No need for a flashlight. It’s plenty bright.”

  “I’d love to find shells. Do you see any, sweetie?”

  “I think, Mom, that these beaches are pretty well picked over. Consider all the thousands of tourists from everywhere.”

  “Well, I think I will wade out a little then.”

  “Okay.” Claire joined in the salty water. “Everything is so clean-looking. You can see down the beach for miles.”

  Zo continued in a little deeper. “Yeah, but there is always going to be kelp or seaweed of some kind.”

  “Why is it called sea weed? How does anyone know what are weeds or what are sea flowers?”

  “I don’t know, but I do have some seaweed—or sea flowers—wrapping around my ankles,” Zo said, walking back toward shore, to more shallow water, to get it off.

  Claire was shocked to see a bloated hand and wrist emerge out from the water behind her mother, like a ridged shark fin following after her.

  *

  END OF SAMPLE

  To buy Cruise to Murder, visit its Amazon.com product page: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007408GMI/

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Reviews

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Excerpt From Cruise to Murder Raves:

 

 

 
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