Tequila for Two: An Althea Rose Mystery (The Althea Rose Series Book 2)

by Tricia O'Malley

  The restaurant that had originally been Luca’s Deli had transformed from a small deli with a long counter and glass food case on one wall to a sleek, elegant, and slightly edgy restaurant. Beau had removed the counters, knocked out the back wall and added a second-floor kitchen. What had once been the back stockroom was now a wall of windows, opening the entire room to a view of cerulean blue waves crashing against a rocky beach.

  “Beau, this is fantastic,” I breathed, walking around to look at the newly added second floor. “The second floor doesn’t even cut into the space at all.”

  “Right? I really wanted to add that view. Plus, with moving the kitchen upstairs, I was able to get the view and add a small eating area outside as well,” Beau said.

  “So will the waiters have to run up and downstairs with trays of food?” I asked, knowing that if I was tasked with that job, I’d be dropping trays left and right.

  I may be a wee bit klutzy.

  “Nope, get this,” Beau said, leading me back to where a wall, about a foot taller than my head, separated an area of the room. Behind it, I found a serving station for drinks and a huge dumbwaiter tucked into the wall.

  “A dumbwaiter! Makes total sense,” I said, approving it.

  “I can’t wait to get into the design palette, but first the construction needed to be finished. I meant to ask you…could I commission you for the art? I want only your underwater photographs on the wall. But like huge…going all the way up the wall.”

  I brought my hand to my mouth, surprised and flattered that he would want my photographs in his elegant restaurant.

  “Really? You want my pictures in here? I don’t know if they’re good enough,” I began and Beau hushed me with a finger on my lips.

  “They’re stunning. I just am going to have to decide if I want to do all black and white or if I want to do color,” Beau mused as we walked around the wall and back towards where the rest of the group was standing.

  “Color what?” Cash asked.

  “I want Althea’s underwater photography on the walls. Huge,” Beau said, gesturing at the walls.

  “That’s a great idea, she has a fantastic eye,” Cash agreed and I turned to him, surprised.

  “Really?”

  “Really. I was going to commission a few of your pieces for a club in Miami too, but haven’t had a chance to bring it up. We’ve been a little distracted today,” Cash reminded me.

  Oh crap. Luna.

  “Yeah, so, uh, what was that all about this morning, if you don’t mind me asking?” There was a slightly aggressive edge to Dylan’s tone, and Beau immediately planted his hand on his hips.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Chief Thomas pulled me in for questioning on those murders,” I quickly explained to Beau before he got snarky with Dylan. I didn’t want him to ruin a potential love match because of me.

  “Why did he pull you in?” Beau asked, swinging back to me.

  “Because Luna and I had been at the beach the night before they found the dead body,” I admitted and I saw Dylan shake his head.

  “Well, that doesn’t mean squat,” Beau said, always on my side.

  “I know. Which is why I’m here and not under arrest. At least this sheriff is better than our last one,” I pointed out. Beau rolled his eyes and nodded in agreement.

  “We’ve got a major problem though,” I began, shooting a glance at Dylan before turning back to Beau.

  “What’s wrong?” Beau asked, immediately running his hands up and down my arms to soothe me.

  “They found another body over in the same area this morning, and Luna’s missing now too.” The words rushed out and Beau stiffened.

  “How do you know she’s missing?”

  “Her phone’s turned off.”

  “That never happens,” Beau said immediately and I nodded.

  “Who’s Luna?” Dylan asked, looking between us.

  “Our best friend,” Beau and I answered simultaneously.

  My phone beeped from my purse, and I raced across the room to where I had dropped it on a small table.

  “This is probably her now, and we’ll have been worried over nothing,” I called over my shoulder.

  Pulling my phone from my bag, I swiped to read the text.

  Chills raced through me and I almost dropped the phone. Horrified, I looked up helplessly at Cash.

  “Luna’s been taken.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  THE ROOM EXPLODED with questions from everyone and I held up my hand to stop them.

  “Listen, it says – I have Luna. Meet us at North Beach at sundown. Bring the voodoo priestess. Come alone or I’ll snap Luna’s neck.” I shivered at the words and looked helplessly at Beau.

  “What number did it come from?” Miss Elva asked, shaking her head.

  “Luna’s,” I said.

  “Can we trace it? If it’s on?” Miss Elva asked.

  Cash thought about it and then instructed me to call Luna. It went straight to voicemail and I just shook my head helplessly.

  “You are not going to that beach,” Cash ordered, testosterone oozing off of him as he looked at me, hands clenched.

  “Oh, I most certainly am going,” I seethed, squaring off with him.

  “You are not. If you think I’m going to let you go alone to a beach to face some psychopath, you’re insane,” Cash argued.

  “If you think I’ll just sit around and let my best friend be held captive by said psychopath, then you’re the crazy one,” I argued right back.

  “You’re not going, and that’s final,” Cash ordered.

  My phone rang and I turned my attention back to it, shooting a death glare at Cash.

  “Hello?”

  “Thea, it’s Trace. What’s going on?” His worried voice sounded through the phone and I realized I’d forgotten to call him like I’d promised.

  “It’s Trace,” I said to the group, then turned away, not caring if I was annoying Cash.

  “They found another dead body. And now Luna’s been kidnapped.” I explained things as briefly as possible, as recounting the story made my stomach turn.

  “What do you need me to do?” Trace asked immediately.

  “They asked that Miss Elva and I come to the beach alone tonight. Cash says he won’t let me,” I raised my voice and saw Cash shoot me a glare.

  “That guy,” Trace complained.

  “I can’t leave Luna,” I explained.

  I heard Trace sigh on the other end of the line. There was a moment of silence, then he asked me something that made my mouth drop open. Holding the phone away from me, I turned to Cash.

  “He wants to speak with you,” I said, handing the phone out and moving to stand by Beau.

  “Well, well, well. This gets more and more interesting,” Beau whispered in my ear and I elbowed him in the gut, trying to listen to what Cash was saying into the phone.

  “Sounds like a plan. See you at sunset. I’ll call Chief Thomas,” Cash said and then hung up the phone, handing it back to me wordlessly.

  “Well?” I demanded, refusing to be cut out of the situation.

  Cash sighed and ran his hand through his hair, looking sexy and frustrated, momentarily distracting me as I watched the muscles in his arm ripple.

  “Stay on point, girl,” Beau whispered to me.

  Right, focus.

  I shook my head and waited for Cash to speak.

  “You and Miss Elva will drive to the beach. Trace, Chief Thomas, and I will take Trace’s boat with no running lights and approach the beach from the water using the electric motor.”

  “I’m coming too,” Beau said at the same time as Dylan. The two men looked at each other appreciatively for a moment.

  “Stay on point, girl,” I whispered to Beau, and he smacked my arm.

  “Fine, whatever, I don’t care. You go by land, we’ll go by water, and that’s it,” Cash declared.

  “Okay.” Miss Elva finally spoke and then turned to meet my eyes
. “Althea, you’re coming home with me. We’ve got some planning to do.”

  “Four hours until sunset,” Cash said, looking at the time on his phone.

  “Go team?” I said weakly, and Beau just shook his head at me as Cash’s brow furrowed even more deeply.

  Well, Sunday evening was sure looking up. So much for those cuddles on the couch with Cash I had been looking forward to.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  CASH DROPPED US off at my house, pulling me in for a fierce kiss before letting me go.

  “Don’t do anything stupid tonight,” Cash ordered, pressing his forehead against mine as he looked in my eyes.

  “I would never do anything stupid,” I insisted, and Miss Elva snorted behind me.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Cash grumbled.

  “Hey, it’ll be okay. We can handle this,” I said softly pulling away from Cash and running my hand down his cheek. “Just, well, take whatever happens tonight with a grain of salt.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Cash asked, clearly annoyed with me.

  I pointed between Miss Elva and myself, raising an eyebrow at Cash.

  “You may see something unusual. We don’t really accomplish things in a normal way, get what I’m saying?”

  Cash eyes flitted over to where Miss Elva stood watching us and back to my face.

  “I see.”

  Cash was going to have to get used to the weird things that happened when I was around. Plain and simple.

  I think he realized that as he nodded and dropped another kiss on my lips.

  “Just add a layer of magick or whatever to make bullets bounce off of you, okay? I’d like for us to get back to my original evening plans,” Cash said.

  “Me too,” I breathed, feeling my heart pick up its pace as I lost myself for a second in his eyes.

  “Althea. Focus,” Miss Elva ordered and I shook my head.

  “Sorry, sorry. Go, you need to leave,” I all but shoved Cash into the car, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment and lust.

  “Stay in contact,” Cash ordered.

  “Aye, aye, Captain,” I said, saluting smartly before rolling my eyes at myself and turning back to Miss Elva.

  She just shook her head at me, her curls bouncing around her shoulders.

  “Child, you gonna have to learn how to keep it cool around that man of yours.”

  “It’s hard. Have you seen him?”

  “I have two eyes in my head now, don’t I?”

  I stopped on my porch and thought about what we needed to do for the rest of the day, anxiety already creeping up my spine as I though about Luna being held by a lunatic.

  “Do you want to stay here or go to your house?” I asked Miss Elva.

  “My house. I have more tools there,” Miss Elva said.

  “Let me let Hank out and then we’ll go.”

  Hank had already seen us; his ears were bouncing up and down below the front windowsill. I knew I’d break his heart if I just left again without coming in to see him.

  We stepped inside and Hank danced around my feet before catching wind of Miss Elva. He immediately stopped his bouncing and sniffed at the hem of her caftan before rolling over on his back, his paws in the air.

  “Whoa, what did you do to him?” I asked, amazed at the complacency that Hank was displaying.

  Miss Elva just smiled and bent over to scratch Hank’s tummy, and if that dog could have died of bliss right there, he would have. I actually felt a little jealous, but wasn’t going to admit it.

  “Nothing, child. Animals love me.”

  “Is that so? Are you like a dog whisperer?” I asked, moving across the room to slide the back door open.

  “Something like that. Child, I’d change into something darker than what you’re wearing now,” Miss Elva said and I glanced down at my white dress.

  “You’re absolutely right. I don’t even know what I was thinking buying a white dress to begin with,” I grumbled, taking the stairs two at a time to my bedroom.

  “It looks nice against your skin tone, though,” Miss Elva called up the steps.

  It wouldn’t look that nice with blood on it, I thought, worried about what would happen that evening. I pulled the dress off over my head and threw it on my bed, and tugged a serviceable black maxi dress from my closet and tugged it on over my head.

  I like maxi dresses, okay?

  Taking my earrings out as well, I tossed them on top of the dress on the bed and pulled my curls into a loose bun on the top of my head.

  It was time to kick a little ass.

  Sliding my feet back in my Toms, I all but ran downstairs, knowing that time was at a premium if Miss Elva was to get one of her potions or powders ready. I stopped by my dive bag and dug out the pouch that Miss Elva had given me earlier, tucking it in my bra for safekeeping. I’d already learned how quickly you could be divested of your purse or other belongings, so bra it was for safekeeping.

  “Is this okay?” I asked Miss Elva, who sat on the back porch throwing a ball for Hank. “Black dress, no jewelry, and shoes I can run in?”

  “I don’t know who you think is going to be doing any running, child, but it sho ain’t gonna be me,” Miss Elva said, heaving herself off the couch and whistling once to Hank, who immediately dropped his ball and ran to her side.

  “Who is this dog of mine? Usually I have to battle with him to get him to drop that damn ball,” I asked, side-eying Hank as we went inside. That little traitor’d known how to drop all along.

  “You just gotta talk to him in a language he knows,” Miss Elva said, bending to pat Hank once on the head while he sat, his boxy head tilted, his tongue lolling out as he looked at Miss Elva with adoration.

  “It’s like he doesn’t even know me,” I grumbled, pulling a toy out and tossing it across the room. Hank didn’t even move, just continued to sit and stare up at Miss Elva. “This is ridiculous. Let’s go.”

  I was more than a little miffed that my dog had chosen Miss Elva over me and I stayed silent as I left the house, carefully locking the door and controlling my urge to stomp to the car.

  “Child, no need to get jealous. All dogs are like that with me. Not just Hank. They just know I love them.”

  “Hank knows I love him,” I pointed out as we pulled onto the street.

  “Of course he does. It’s just the newness of me. You have to understand that I’m old magick. I’m more than Voodoo. I’m all connected, child. I’m in tune with this earth and all its animals. Hank can’t help but love me,” Miss Elva said.

  Huh. Well, that was certainly some food for thought.

  “I’m sorry. I think I just have a lot of anxiety right now. I’m worried about Luna. I’m worried about rescuing her tonight. I’m not the best at covert operations, if you didn’t know,” I pointed out as I pulled my car to a stop in front of Miss Elva’s house.

  The late afternoon sun warmed the street, casting its glow against the brightly colored houses, while puffy clouds wafted through a blue sky. It was another perfect day in paradise and I was about to go track a killer.

  How could things get any worse?

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  “I’VE ALWAYS WANTED to spend some time in your house,” I admitted as Miss Elva ushered me through her main living room and back to her gleamingly clean kitchen, where a butcher block island sat in the middle.

  “Sit,” Miss Elva ordered, immediately moving to where an apron hung on a hook and pulling it over her head.

  Miss Elva didn’t talk to me – instead she opened a door and stepped into a pantry while I looked around her kitchen. It was fairly small as kitchens go, but unless you’re a millionaire you aren’t getting a huge kitchen in houses in the Florida Keys. It’s just the way it works down here. You pay a high price for square footage, but nobody complains because you spend most of your time outside anyway.

  Miss Elva’s kitchen was done up in a soothing buttercup yellow and cream motif, with pots and pans hanging from hooks ove
rhead and a Haitian-style art piece in dramatic colors on the wall. Overall, by the kitchen you’d never know that a Voodoo priestess lived here, as opposed to the craziness that existed in her front room. I wondered at the dichotomy of it.

  “Miss Elva, why does your kitchen not look like your living room?” I asked, and Miss Elva poked her head at of the pantry.

  “The kitchen is where I work. You don’t see a surgeon going into a messy operating room, do you?”

  Hard to argue with that logic.

  Miss Elva came out of the panty carrying a brown wicker basket with jars piled high and several small burlap bags.

  “What are you going to make?”

  “I’m not quite sure what I’m going to use yet, so we’re going in fully stocked,” Miss Elva said.

  She opened another cabinet and pulled out a mortar and pestle, sliding it across the butcher-block island at me. She rooted around in her basket for a while before pulling out a jar of red flakes.

  “Grind this. Counter-clockwise. Breathe through your mouth,” Miss Elva ordered.

  “All of it?” I asked, holding the jar up to the light and shaking it gently.

  “All of it; now hush, child, I need to focus,” Miss Elva said, hefting her weight onto a stool as she began to pull items from the basket and lay them in front of her. I noticed pieces of straw, small Popsicle sticks, twine, scraps of fabric, and a variety of jars full of roots and leaves.

  “What are you making?” I asked and Miss Elva sighed dramatically.

  “Did I stutter? Is there something making you unable to understand the words ‘hush, child’? Do I need to repeat myself?”

  “No, ma’am,” I said, turning back to my task. Now I was even more curious but, knowing she’d kick me off my stool if I said another word, I opened my jar and poured the contents gently into the small stone bowl, being careful to breath through my mouth as Miss Elva had instructed. Picking up the pestle, I began to grind the red flakes counter-clockwise, losing myself in the hypnotic rhythm of the grinding motion and trying not to let my worries for Luna consume me.