He opted to wait until the end of the day, hoping Mayor Oakerson would be more open to a friendly chat that looked like a chance encounter, with his guard way down.
When he spotted the local politician heading across the street to the bar called Lime in the Coconut, he gave Dave a fifteen-minute head start.
As a kid, Garret remembered an exuberant young man who’d come to the Key to open up a scuba gear shop. If he’d been ten at the time, that meant Oakerson was an eager businessman of twenty-five. Dave had been a carefree, fun-loving man, who went on to become an effective diving instructor. Garret’s recollection was of a man who taught him the ins and outs of the sport in a way that made it fun and worth doing.
But even then, Garret recognized the ambitious man who itched to branch out and make money. Almost overnight, his other businesses sprang up. It didn’t take long before Dave owned a boat business that took tourists out on charters for fishing expeditions, and others that offered sunset cruises around Sugar Bay.
Before Garret had completed high school, Dave had become a full-fledged member of Royce’s inner circle. He wasn’t sure exactly when it happened. But somewhere along the way, Dave had veered off the path from happy-go-lucky guy to a money-hungry politician.
Since Anniston said she’d been able to track the large amounts of cash flowing into Dave’s campaign coffers, Garret had to accept that the mayor could be a dangerous man if provoked.
Garret intended to push that in order to test the waters.
Happy hour was in full swing when he entered the bar. He took a few minutes to get his bearings, to judge whether or not the crowd had heavy Oakerson leanings or were more in line with an opposing viewpoint.
He spotted Dave at a table near the back and was surprised to see Wendy Hollister practically wrapped around him. The two were laughing and whispering in each other’s ear.
The body language, thought Garret, said everything.
In a casual stride, he crossed over to their booth and found the couple already deep into their first round of drinks.
“Hey, Wendy, Mayor, how’s it going?”
Nathan’s wife barely took her eyes off Oakerson long enough to glance up. “Well hello, Garret. Long time no see.” Wendy grabbed Dave’s arm. “We should have a drink with our local celebrity surfer.”
Dave reached his hand out in a hand-pumping shake like a guy used to running for office. “Good to see you again. I remember teaching you how to dive along with your brothers and sister. Livvy used to see to it that your successes made every issue of the Indigo Dispatch. I was very sorry to hear about your loss.”
The mention of Livvy knocked Garret off his game. He had to remember to focus on the public figure before him, who owed his political existence and loyalty to Royce Buchanan, along with a host of others.
“Thanks, but I just have to ask. Are you concerned at all about how these murders will put a dent in the way tourists view our town? We thrive on their business. What happens if they think the island is too violent to visit?”
Dave laughed off that kind of suggestion. “I didn’t realize you were such a fussbudget. Thinking like that is a drastic overreaction if I ever heard one. I don’t think the general public has anything to worry about a crime wave here, do you?”
“Why not? The killer or killers are still out there.” Garret purposely looked around, took in the other patrons sitting nearby. He angled his body to lean in and whispered, “He could be within arm’s reach of us right now. I’ve heard rumors that residents are freaking out, locking their doors, gearing up their arsenals, staying home at night. If it’s true, that means they won’t be spending their hard-earned dollars in the business district.”
Frown lines creased Dave’s forehead. His demeanor changed from outgoing to closed off. “But what’s it to you? You don’t even live here anymore.”
“True enough. But my parents do. I want to make sure they’re safe after my brothers and I leave. And five murders should give anyone a reason to become concerned about their safety. Four of those belong to my family.”
“A tragedy for sure,” Dave said, glancing around, obviously getting bored with the conversation. “But the general public is safe enough.”
“But how can you be so sure? Ryan Connelly was a tourist, and look how that turned out.” Garret could tell his presence was beginning to annoy the mayor, so he switched gears. “I guess you must feel pretty silly since that day you stood in my parents’ living room trying to convince them that Livvy had simply left town for Santa Fe? It was Santa Fe, wasn’t it?”
“That was just an innocent remark. Why don’t you move along now? Go find someone else to pester. There ought to be a surfboard somewhere around here for you to use. Go catch yourself a wave.”
Garret smiled at the brushoff, then he locked gazes with Wendy. “I’m sorry to hear about Nathan.”
“What about Nathan? Oh, that. He probably went off to be alone for a few days. He does that sometimes.”
Garret was troubled by Wendy’s indifferent attitude. But then she seemed a lot more interested in her boss. “How’s that golf course project and resort thing coming, Mr. Mayor?”
Dave’s face flushed a bright red. “You know damn well how it’s coming, since it’s your father putting a dent in the whole thing. Look, boy, I’m doing my best here to unwind after a long stressful day. Some of us work for a living. I think I want you to leave now.”
As if he’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity, Jessup appeared to Garret’s right. “You really shouldn’t bother the mayor during his downtime.”
“Since when? He’s sitting in a public place, a bar no less, and I’m not allowed to come over to start a conversation? I shouldn’t have to remind you that Dave’s an elected official,” Garret pointed out.
“Yes, he is. But, as the mayor already pointed out to you, you’re no longer a resident here. You’re not one of us. You don’t vote in Indigo Key. Not anymore. You cast your ballot someplace else. Oahu, isn’t it? Fancy name for a fancy place and a fancy boy like you.”
In a show of force, using the uniform to display his might, Jessup blocked Garret’s way to the door. “Why don’t you apologize to the mayor before you leave?”
“I don’t think so. But what I will do is ask him if he knows Hugo Reiner.”
Dave’s face, less red now, broke out in a sweat. “That old sailor who hangs around the docks? Why would I know a transient like him? Why would I care?”
“I guess if he doesn’t vote, what’s the point, right?” Garret said sarcastically as Jessup pushed him closer to the exit.
While Garret’s brief confrontation ended at one bar, Jackson and Tessa waited inside Mattito’s for Baskin to walk in. They took a pub table near the window that was still considered to be in the busy bar area. They ordered beers and nursed them until the brews grew too warm to drink. They munched on fries and chicken wings covered in spicy pineapple sauce—a specialty of the house—to make it look as though they’d come in for happy hour like everyone else in the place. Tessa had worn one of the sexy dresses she’d brought back with her from Nags Head. It was a pale green number that sparkled and showed off her hair.
“I hope this isn’t a waste of time,” Tessa grumbled.
Jackson picked up her hand. “It’s never a hardship to spend time with you.” He pressed his lips to hers to prove it.
“I didn’t mean it that way. Sometimes I wonder when our lives will even out and get back to normal and we won’t be dealing with all this…sadness hanging over us.”
“We just have to hang in there. Think of it as play-acting in order to catch a snake in the grass.”
“I know. I know.” Jittery, she used two fingers to rub her aching head.
He took the hand that was so busy and kissed the palm. “You look beat.”
“I am tired. I hope I don’t make a mistake and blow this whole thing. There’s so much riding on it. We may never have a better opportunity to talk to Baskin than cornering
him tonight.”
He patted her hand. “You’ll do fine. We rehearsed this little scene three times before we got here.” Jackson cut his eyes toward the front door and watched Baskin stroll in and head straight to a seat at the bar. “Show time. We let him order, get settled, and then act like we’re heading out the door when we bump into him.”
They waited an unnerving fifteen minutes before getting up to leave. Jackson crossed over to the bartender to hand him the little tray with their tab and the money to cover it. He sandwiched himself in between Baskin and another guy, leaning as far to the right as he could, bumping into Roger.
“Hey there, how’s it going?” Jackson asked, friendly-like.
“I’m okay. What are you doing here?”
Jackson sent him an odd look. “Eating, drinking, trying to forget our troubles.”
“Oh, right. Sorry to hear about Livvy and Walker.”
“And the kids,” Jackson added. “It’s been a horrible few weeks.”
“I bet.”
About that time, Tessa joined him, tugging on his arm. She acted harried, shoving her hair out of her face. “I forgot to call my dad about Thanksgiving weekend. With everything that’s been happening I haven’t had time to look for a place.”
Jackson introduced Tessa to Baskin as the bartender brought over his change. “This is Tessa Connelly. Her folks live back in Nags Head. We just got back from her brother’s funeral. Ryan Connelly, the tourist who died here, that was Tessa’s brother.”
Baskin shook his head. “Heard about that, too. Nasty business with them finding the head yesterday. Makes you wonder. What’s this place turning into? Never thought the Key could be such a mean part of the world. Nothing happens in this town for years and then all hell breaks loose. You ask me, it’s a downright shame.”
“It is. Royce mentioned yesterday that you’re just the man who might be able to help us out. We’re interested in getting a rental here for Tessa’s parents over the Thanksgiving weekend.”
Tessa was delighted at the look on Baskin’s face. He took the bait, thinking about his commission. His closed-off demeanor almost morphed into chummy. “Sure. You guys leaving already? It isn’t even nine o’clock yet. Sit down. Have another drink and we can go over the specifics of what you’re looking for.”
Jackson turned to Tessa. “What do you say? I know it’s been a long day…”
“It is getting late, but sure, why not? We’re here now.”
Jackson dragged up a barstool and Tessa squeezed in next to Baskin. He ordered another two beers and turned to the dependable right-hand man. “How about another one for you? Looks like you’re drinking a margarita on the rocks with a tequila chaser.”
Baskin leaned over and laughed. “I’m fond of tequila, not the rotgut crap either, but the smooth stuff made from blue agave.”
Tessa forced out a giggle like a schoolgirl. “If I hadn’t already had too many beers with my chicken wings, I’d try it.”
“Beer, never touch the stuff. Now tell me, little lady, how big a house you need for your kinfolk and for how long? I have several to pick from, a beauty at three thousand square feet down to a little cottage.”
“Hmm,” Tessa said, her brow creasing. “Nothing quite so large as that. I’d say something in between. And they’ll only be in town for ten days. Is it possible to get something for such a short amount of time?”
“Honey, we rent them by the week, the month, or long-term, usually charge the tourists through the nose. I’ve got a nice waterfront cottage that’s two-story, three bedrooms, about two thousand square feet.”
“That sounds perfect. Could I look at it?”
“Absolutely. You just let me know when.”
Jackson sipped his beer, but noticed Baskin was indulging faster than anyone could possibly keep up. Biding his time, he played out the scenario—Tessa’s folks coming down—until he thought Baskin was enjoying a happy buzz. “Garret said Royce was really upset this morning.”
“Oh, he was. Took him a while to calm down, too. Old man is heartbroken.”
“Will you miss Walker?”
Baskin grunted into his drink. “Man was a putz with too much money on his hands. We should all have had Walker’s problems.”
“Did Royce know how you felt about his darling son?”
“Royce was well aware of his boy’s shortcomings. No doubt about it.”
Jackson acted like he’d had too much to drink when he tilted over toward Baskin. “Tell me the truth, did Livvy really tell you she wanted to fly out to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge?”
Roger’s eyes glistened with humor. “What do you think? I felt silly saying it that day. But Boone suggested we should make your parents understand that she and Walker just took off, it’d make them feel better.”
“That day at the house, it was like you guys had formed a club or something—you, Oakerson, Boone, and Carson—the four musketeers singing the same song. All that, and the whole time, Livvy and the kids were in a drum dumped in the Gulf. We didn’t see that coming.”
“No way you could have. Hey, it’s no secret. The guys that day—all have a hefty stake in the resort coming to town.”
“You mean the casino?”
“That too. Make us a pile of money if your dad would stay out of it. Boone decided we should downplay the missing family, not make a big deal out of it.” Baskin lifted a shoulder. “It sounded good to me because I thought they’d just gone off for the weekend.”
“Ever heard of a guy named Hugo Reiner?”
“Sure. Ask anyone in this place. Buy Hugo a drink and he’ll tell you some fantastical tale about where the Nazi war chest ended up.”
“Walker thought it was possible.”
“Yeah, well, Walker thought a lot of things that weren’t true.”
“Do you think Royce knew about Walker’s plans to find the gold?”
“Hell no. And I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. Besides, Walker was never gonna find that gold.”
“You mean because Werner Dietrich’s outfit wanted it more?”
Baskin narrowed his eyes. “Damn straight. You don’t mess with a man like Dietrich.” He threw back his glass of tequila, and in one gulp, drained the glass. “I gotta go. Nice talking to y’all. Now you be sure to call me about that rental, hear? Ol’ Baskin’ll fix you up.”
Chapter Twelve - Heat
It was late when the group got together to compare notes. They sat around the Indigo dining room table grazing on sweets dropped off by the neighbors and listening to the voices on the recorder. When the last comment from Baskin finished, Anniston hit the stop button, munched on a soft chocolate chip cookie, and came to one conclusion.
“I’m no expert in voice matters but even I can tell they all come off as very anxious. This isn’t just a normal tone to a casual conversation you’d have bumping into someone at the coffee shop or bar.”
Raine paced in front of the window. She wasn’t pleased with the way her encounter had turned out. “It was difficult to tell with Carson, because he’d been drinking for more than an hour when I walked in. He’s usually more gregarious than that, doesn’t take himself so serious.”
“Which is my point,” Anniston said. “It should’ve been easier for Carson to talk to you, but the conversation sounded forced and strained. He came off as a little irritated at you.”
“It might’ve gone better if I’d gotten him to talk when he was sober. Although I doubt he’d have been as free with some of his statements.”
“Yours was a lot more successful than mine,” Garret complained. “Confronting Oakerson was a total bust. He was more of a jerk than I remembered. He was arrogant, basically a prick, and then Sinclair showed up to run me out of there. I didn’t even get a chance to hit all the high points.”
Jackson couldn’t believe his ears. “And I thought the tougher nut to crack would be Baskin. Yet he turned out to open up more, which probably meant he was lying. At the mention of Dietrich,
he certainly clammed up and was ready to get out of there.”
“I thought your mother and I did okay,” Tanner said quietly.
Anniston patted him on the arm. “You were both great. You handled Dandridge like pros.”
“Because Boone seemed off-balance to me. More so than my getting in his face that day at the church. Which is odd. Plus, he got on his cell phone two seconds after we left,” Tanner revealed. “That has to mean something.”
Garret’s spine straightened in his chair. “There’s something bothering me about Boone grabbing his phone like that. Dandridge doesn’t hesitate to send out an SOS to somebody. Think about it. Boone didn’t call Carson, because Carson would’ve said something to Raine, right?”
“I think so.” Raine turned to Mitch. “What do you think? You were there.”
“I got to the bar before Carson did. He didn’t once get on his cell phone. Nor did he take any notice of me sitting in the back. When Raine walked in, he appeared genuinely surprised to see her. So much that it was a little awkward.”
Garret went on, “And as far as I’m concerned, I took Oakerson completely by surprise, too. He was initially into his charming mayor role, maybe somewhat distracted, what with trying to impress Wendy. So Oakerson wasn’t the one Boone called to warn. And it seemed Baskin bought into the rental scam like he didn’t expect it.”
Jackson nodded. “Baskin was a little uncomfortable at first, but then he became downright talkative. If Dandridge had cautioned him to be on the lookout for us, he didn’t act like it. I doubt Roger would’ve been so buzzed and chatty.”
“What’s your point? You’re thinking those four played us after all and this was a complete waste of time?” Mitch speculated.
Garret cut his eyes to meet Mitch’s. “I didn’t say that. But…if Boone called to alert someone that we were on the attack, he didn’t call the four we talked to.”
Jackson took a peach tart from the platter in the center of the table, and bit into one of the corners. “Baskin would never have said anything against Walker if he’d decided to play us. He called Walker a putz. These guys are smart, I’ll give you that much. But they aren’t genius enough to outthink us.”
The Indigo Brothers Trilogy Boxed Set Page 47