“Since you’ll be leaving soon, I want to have a small party tonight after we close the patio, just the band and our workers. Janell’s busy with customers right now, and I’ve let Hella take over the cash register while I’ve been hanging The Pelican in place on the dining room wall.”
“So that’s the surprise!” Could he see the relief on my face?
“Yes. I want everyone to get to enjoy Janell’s reaction when she sees the picture in place for the first time.”
“Wonderful, Rex!” I managed to make the two words sound sincere and I hid my previous and unfounded fright.
“Right now, I hope you’ll come on downstairs and take a look at the painting and its placement. I need a woman’s eye and viewpoint. If you think there’s a better place to hang it, I’m willing to make the change. I can fill nail holes later.”
I followed Rex downstairs and stood across the dining room to view The Pelican from a distance.
“I think it looks great right where you’ve placed it, Rex. Of course, if Janell has different ideas, you can make changes later.”
“Then for now, I’m going to leave it where it is. Thanks for your input. You ready to join us on the patio again?”
“Ready and eager.” I followed him outside, sat at the snack bar and sipped a soda, still feeling a need to calm down.
“You okay?” Janell asked. “You and your shirt?”
“Everything’s fine.”
The word had spread about my upcoming departure and it was the first thing Phud mentioned after he pulled me onto the dance floor. I didn’t resist. I’d be leaving soon. No reason I couldn’t be nice to him for another day or so.
“Sorry to hear you’ll be leaving so quickly, Kitt. We were just getting to know each other.”
“All good things must come to an end.” I repeated an old cliché, unable to think of a fresh retort. “Phud, I want to thank you for trying to rescue me from Ace earlier today.”
“Trying! Seems to me I did rescue you. I’m still not sure what Ace Brewster had in mind. I can’t believe he had your best interests at heart. You both looked so wild-eyed! I’m not convinced he wasn’t trying to harm you and that you weren’t running for your life. Care to give me the true story?”
“No. I don’t. It was all a big misunderstanding on both our parts. There’s no true story that’s more interesting than the scene you saw playing out at the lighthouse museum.” I couldn’t bear repeating the Donald-and-the-mice tale again, especially not to Phud. A murderer still walked at large in or near Key West, and in my thinking that person could live or be employed right here at The Poinsettia. In my mind, the evidence was beginning to point directly at Rex. I didn’t want that to be true. Nor did I want to discuss it with Phud.
What I really wanted from Phud tonight was his tam. I’d never seen him without it no matter how warm the weather. What kind of man wore a tam in the South Florida heat? I wondered if he wore it throughout the summer, too. Surely it was a bit of clothing Hella could use in her effort to pinpoint a killer.
“Tell me about your tam, Phud. Since you wear it all the time, it must be very special to you.”
“It is. I bought it many years ago in Paris—when I was a young man still searching for my niche in the world. At that time I was fresh out of college and my grandparents had given me a trip abroad as a graduation gift. I didn’t get much farther than Paris.”
“I’ve never been abroad. You must have had a wonderful trip.”
“Yes. Wonderful.” Phud chuckled, as if remembering pleasant pastimes. “I met artists, and one of them introduced me to his teacher, a beautiful lady who showed me the city and offered to give me some painting lessons.”
“You could paint?”
“Who was I to say I could or couldn’t? I’d never tried it before. She helped me buy the necessary supplies, and I insisted on buying this tam. Who could convince himself he was an artist without wearing a tam?”
“I don’t know. Who?”
“Certainly not I.” Again, Phud laughed. “The lady helped me find and purchase the tam and she invited me to her studio for lessons.”
“And did you produce some sketches, a painting?”
“Of, of course. She was a good teacher. But my painting turned out to be a dismal failure in the eyes of other artists. I was the only one who cared for it. I discarded it even before I left France, but I’ve kept the tam all these years to remind me of Paris and my beautiful teacher.”
“Do you still keep in touch with her?”
“No. She lives only in my memory.”
“Maybe Key West with all its art and artists will inspire you to try painting again. Maybe you were too hard on yourself with your criticisms of your initial effort.”
“No. I’m no artist. I’m a botanist. My passion lies in working with living plants.”
I wanted to reach up and snatch the tam from his head and run to Hella with it. I quashed that ridiculous idea, wondering if it might be possible to find a way to get him to willingly part with it for a short time.
I put my thoughts about Phud’s tam on a back burner, danced the final theme song with Ace, then helped Janell and Rex douse the torches and close the patio for the evening. The combo members were packing their music folders and stands when Rex clapped his hands for attention.
“Okay, gang. You’ve all heard by now that Kitt will be leaving soon. Before that happens I want you all to join Janell and me inside for a short farewell party. It’s hard to find a party time when we have day jobs and work here every night. Do come on inside. I have a surprise for you.”
Chapter 26
Once everyone stepped inside, crowding the kitchen, Rex led the way into the dining room and invited the seven of us to sit at the table. He stood before us, holding everyone’s attention when he lifted a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket. Playing his role to the hilt, he took his time wrapping the dripping bottle in a towel.
“What’s going on here, Rex?” Janell asked, but without waiting for his answer, she hurried to the corner cupboard, brought out crystal champagne flutes, and set one before each guest. Then she disappeared into the kitchen, returning in moments with paper napkins.
“Wow!” Ace exclaimed. “Champagne! Some great farewell party! I like it. I like it.”
“I hope it doesn’t mean you’re glad to see me go,” I said.
“Kitt,” Rex said, “in all honesty, the champagne isn’t meant to celebrate your departure. That’s just happenstance.”
“I’m relieved.” I laughed.
“Who’s good at opening champagne bottles?” Rex asked.
Phud reached for the champagne. “I’ll do it, but I better take it to the kitchen.” He carried the bottle and his glass to the kitchen sink, grabbed another towel, and worked with the cork while everyone craned their necks to watch. At the sound of a resounding ‘pop,’ the sparkling liquid frothed into the glass which he had at the ready, half filling it with the golden treat.
Returning to the table with the bottle still wrapped in the towel, Phud handed it to Rex. “The honor is all yours.”
“Thanks, Phud.” Rex walked behind his guests, reaching over their shoulders to fill each glass. “First a toast to Kitt who has given us the joy and pleasure of her company for the past few days.”
We clinked glasses and everyone took a sip of the champagne before Rex spoke again. “Now hear ye, hear ye! A toast to another important occasion.”
Rex’s guests looked at each other in surprise.
“A toast to The Pelican.” Rex raised his glass and nodded to the wall. “My gift to Janell for her upcoming birthday.”
Everyone turned to peer at the wall, and when Janell saw the painting, she rushed to Rex and gave him a lingering kiss.
“How long has that painting been hanging there, Rex? If you tell me I’ve walked past it a dozen times without noticing it, I’ll feel terrible.”
“Then don’t bother to feel terrible. It’s only been in place a few hours.
I slipped inside and hung it while you were making more sandwiches and while Hella took over the cash register for me.”
“Beautiful painting,” Ace said. “It’s a scene I see almost every morning of my life. That bird looks like Old Bigmouth. The same pelican hangs around The Ace every A.M. waiting for a handout.”
“It’s hanging crooked.” Teach rose, walked to the painting and tilted it slightly toward the ceiling. “There. Isn’t that better?”
“Looks perfect to me,” Janell said. “I thank you all for coming inside to make the hanging so special. There’s a long story behind this painting, but you can hear it another time. Right now, I know you’ve all had a busy day. Again, let me thank you for your good wishes. You’ve all made my birthday celebration a very happy one, although a bit bittersweet because Kitt will be leaving us soon.”
“Thanks for inviting us in, Rex,” Hella said. “The new painting enhances your home.”
When everyone began shoving their chairs away from the table, Mama G thumped on her champagne flute, catching their attention.
“Wait. Wait,” she said. “I have a suggestion.”
When Ace and Teach kept moving toward the door, I blocked their way.
“Listen, guys. Mama Gomez has something to say.”
“Mama G to you from now on, Kitt. Only strangers call me Mama Gomez. For those who come to me for help, my name is Mama G, and I never saw anyone in more need of help than you were this morning, Kitt.”
“You’re right, Mama G. I needed you and I thank you again for being there for me. Now what suggestion were you going to offer?”
“Our Kitt, she walk into The Poinsettia in aftermath of murder. It’s likely that she go away to Iowa without that murderer being found. But hear me. There’s one thing we can do.”
“Oh, come on!” Ace growled. “There’s nothing we can do to solve a murder. It’s a police thing—has been a police thing right from the beginning.”
Mama G glared at him. “You’re probably right. But we can do one thing—with Hella’s help. We can prove to ourselves, if not to the police, that nobody connected with The Poinsettia is guilty.”
“Forget it.” Teach drew himself up to his full height and took a step toward the door. “There’s no way we can do that.”
“There is a way and you will listen to me. Now! Hella has a great gift. She can see things the rest of us cannot see.”
“Okay, Hella,” Ace said. “Tell us who done it.”
If Hella hadn’t looked as surprised as I felt, I’d have suspected that Janell and Mama G had been talking over the plan Janell, Hella, and I had already been trying to put in place.
Teach took another step toward the door. “Since when have you become such a Hella-the-Psychic fan, Mama G? Since when?”
“That be a personal matter between me and Hella. It be none of your business. You will listen to me now if you want to continue playing your big fat fiddle in my combo.”
“Your combo!”
Ace and Teach spoke in unison.
“Okay, guys.” Rex urged both of them back from the doorway as he spoke. “Let’s give Mama G a hearing.” A nod along with sweeping arm gesture signaled Mama G to speak again.
“I want each of us to give Hella something we use every day of our lives. I want Hella to hold each item. I want her to agree to use her second sight to determine the innocence of each of us.”
For a moment everyone greeted this idea with total silence. Then Teach spoke up and would have left the room had Rex not blocked his way.
“You’re not getting anything from me.”
“Your reluctance might lead us to suspect you’re hiding something from everyone, Teach.” Phud said. “Like you, I remain unconvinced that Hella has such a special talent, but I find no harm in playing this little game with her if it makes everyone happy.”
Ace gave a deep sigh and shook his head. “Count me in to cooperate. Mama G’s idea can’t hurt anyone. And it might help.” He sighed again.
“Don’t see what it could hurt,” Rex said. Janell nodded her agreement.
“What do you say, Hella?” Janell asked the question as if we hadn’t already talked it over with Hella.
“With reservations, I’m willing to try your idea, but I promise nothing.”
“We know, Hella,” I said. “Seeing into the future is a sometime thing, a thing you can’t depend on.” I presented her negative comment before she had a chance to say it herself.
“Okay, so it’s decided.” Rex stepped into the kitchen and returned with a small box. “I’ll start the contributions with…”
Rex hesitated, thinking, and I held my breath, fearing he would suggest contributing his gloves and thus make Hella refuse to cooperate.
“I’ll let Hella work with my shirt.” He unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off, and dropped it into the box. “I’ve worn this shirt all evening and it’s one you’ve all seen me wear many times.”
Good, I thought. The shirt’s even better than the apron Janell had suggested.
Janell took the box, stepped into the laundry room and returned with her yellow caftan. “My contribution,” she said, dropping it into the box.
Ace scowled at Mama G, but he slipped from his t-shirt and tossed it on top of Janell’s caftan. When the box reached Phud, he removed his tam and dropped it in. At first Teach backed away from the box, then he relented and added a pair of his sunglasses.
“I have others at home. But I want this pair back when you’re finished with this crazy experiment. And what about you, Mama G? What do you plan to add to this mix?”
“This towel.” She dropped the towel she’d used to cover her sandwich mix on top of Teach’s glasses. “And that does it.” She gave the box to Hella. “See what you can do with these things. Tell us what you can learn about their owners.”
“How soon can you do this, Hella?” Janell asked. “Kitt and I plan to go to Searstown tomorrow to have a mechanic check over her car before she leaves on that long drive to Iowa.”
“Please don’t give me a deadline. I don’t work at all well when there’s a time limit involved.”
“Of course,” Janell said. “We don’t want to rush you. We’d much rather you took your time and gave this project your best effort. If you could tell us about just one item tomorrow at breakfast, it would be a strong start.”
“I make no promises about when, where—or who.” Hella picked up the box and we watched her pick her way across the stepping stones to her apartment.
Chapter 27
The next morning after I’d dressed for the day, I went downstairs when I heard Janell and Rex moving about in the kitchen. Rex had carried in a basket of oranges from their tree, and I pulled the electric juicer from the cupboard and began juicing them. Janell made coffee and warmed sweet rolls in the microwave. Except for the whir of the juicer, we worked in silence.
“Do you suppose Hella’s up yet?” I peered in the direction of the B&B and asked the question uppermost in our minds.
“Not yet,” Rex said. “We’re going to have to be patient and bide our time. No point in risking upsetting her by rushing her.”
“How can you be so sure she’s not up?” Janell asked. “On an ordinary day she’s usually out and about before we are.”
“But this is no ordinary day.” I added a few ice cubes to the orange juice. “She knows we’re eager to hear any opinion she may have about the items we gave her last night.
“I know she’s not up yet because Voodoo’s still hanging around her doorway waiting for a handout.” Rex broke off a piece of sweet roll and popped it into his mouth. “She may tell Phud she doesn’t feed that cat, but I’ve seen her do it. Not that I care. Its presence around here helps discourage the tree rats.”
“Tree rats?” I stopped juicing oranges.
“Guess we didn’t tell you about that little glitch in paradise. They’re pests to us and we’d like to get rid of them, but some species are endangered, protected by law. It’s illega
l to try to eliminate them no matter how much we’d like to. But cats can’t read so I’m guessing Voodoo manages to catch one now and then.”
“Hella likes to torment Phud. Don’t know why, but it’s like a game they play.” I readied a tray for the orange juice and glasses.
“And he likes to torment her about her psychic abilities,” Janell said. “Sometimes I think they’re jealous of each other.”
After Janell finished slicing fresh avocado and papaya into a bowl, we carried our breakfast to poolside. Two geckos were playing tag in the morning dew that coated the picnic table until Rex scared them away and found a towel to wipe the table and chairs dry. In the distance gulls screamed their greeting to the morning, and closer at hand a mourning dove cooed, letting us know we had disturbed its day.
We spoke in ordinary tones as we ate, hoping our presence, our voices, might draw Hella outside. But her window shades remained drawn, and Voodoo had the nerve to come to poolside to beg for tidbits, winding himself around our ankles and mewing for attention.
“Maybe she stayed up late last night working on the items we gave her,” Janell said. “Maybe she overslept.”
“Or maybe she didn’t see anything special about them.” Rex helped himself to another sweet roll. “That’s probably what happened. Maybe Phud’s right about her. Maybe her psychic ability is a figment of her imagination.”
“Shhh.” I raised an eyebrow. “She’ll hear you.”
Janell looked at her watch. “Rex, do you want me to call the Sears store and ask if they have a mechanic available today? It’s one of the few automotive places open on Saturdays, you know.”
“No, don’t call. Kitt, why don’t we drive there and talk to whoever’s on duty? Sometimes eye-to-eye contact is more effective in getting attention than a telephone call.”
“Right.” I agreed with Rex. “It’s harder to say no to an in-your-face person than to drop a telephone receiver back into its cradle. And maybe, since it’s early morning, they’ll have time to look the car over while we wait. It’s been running fine. I don’t think there’s any problem that needs attention, but I’d like someone to take a look-see before I start out on a long drive.”
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