Murder at the Geo-Cache...A Citrus Beach Mystery (Citrus Beach Mysteries Book 3)

by Victoria LK Williams

  Getting in her car, she threw the hat on her head and push the sunglasses up on her nose. She glanced in the rearview mirror and had to laugh. The disguise would never keep somebody from seeing who she was. In a small town everybody would recognize her by the car she was driving. But it felt good to get into the spirit of things, and she felt the tingle of excitement of trying a bit of detective work on her own.

  Lucy arrived at her destination in time to see her quarry exiting the front doors, a small bag in one hand and her car keys in the other. It was evident that she was on her way out.

  It's a pity that she doesn't smile more, she’s rather beautiful when she thinks somebody's watching her, but when she's not in the spotlight there is just a mean look about her, thought Lucy to herself.

  Lucy spied on Rita, peering over the rim of her sunglasses, as she walked to her sports car, unlocked the door, and casually threw her bag in the back-seat. But instead of getting into the driver’s seat, Rita locked the door and walked down the street to the post office. Lucy thought about following her, but then figured it would be too easy for her to be seen. Besides, if she needed any information, the postmistress would be more than happy to provide it. It was just another fact about living in a small town, everybody knew everybody else's business, and they were willing to share that information. Lucy spent the next couple of hours watching Rita go from shop to shop. Sometimes purchasing something, other times leaving with a frown on her face. Lucy figured that she was not finding shops here in town up to par with her big city department stores and boutiques.

  "Come on already, Rita, surely you're not going to spend the whole day shopping. Lead me to some clues, something juicy that I can use."

  Lucy was aware when she talked to herself, that she was getting bored. Something had better happen soon, before she gave up. She had better things to do with her day than to keep an eye on Rita as she indulged herself in a shopping spree. Finally Rita returned to her car and put the final bag of merchandise she had purchased in the trunk and got behind the wheel, pulling out into traffic. Lucy waited a few moments and followed her letting a few cars get in between. They left the shopping district, and Lucy was surprised to see her turn onto a side street. It made no sense when she pulled up in front of Aiden's office. Lucy stopped a couple doors down as Rita parked her car in one of the empty spots in front of Aiden's office, getting out and looking around to see if anybody was watching her. Now Lucy's attention was caught,, why was Rita here if Aiden was out of town? She remembered Jake was also out of the office for the day, so what possible reason would Rita have to be here?

  Rita walked up the sidewalk to the front door, only to find it locked. She looked around one more time and then pulled something out of her purse and inserted into the door lock. Within seconds she had the door open and was working her way in. Lucy smirked to herself as she waited for the alarm system to sound, but after the usual 30 seconds there was no alarm. That made no sense to Lucy, she was sure Aiden was diligent about setting the alarm, and had instructed Jake to always set it as well. She was all set to get out of her car and walk over to the office to peek in the windows when Rita came back out, carrying a manila folder in her hand.

  "What mischief have you gotten yourself into now, Rita?"

  Chapter 29

  Once Megan decided that the blue bags were important, she paced her office, debating with herself on what she should do. She was well aware that the smart thing to do would be to contact Sheriff Green with the information. Or, at the very least, wait to talk to Aiden when he returned from Jacksonville. As she paced, the dogs watched her, their heads following her movements as she walked back and forth in front of her desk, circling the conference table. She stopped in front of a picture that caught her eye, and picked it up, shook her head, put it down, and continued to pace.

  Barney’s bark at her new game brought her to action. As she looked at her watch, Megan decided it was time for an early dinner, and to ask Susie a few questions. She picked up a couple of the photos off the table, and she stuffed them in her purse. She put food down for the dog’s dinner, ignoring their disappointed looks when they realized that they were not invited to join her, and left her office to head to town.

  The afternoon heat was gone and the breeze coming through the open windows felt cool on Megan’s skin. This time of year was perfect. The mornings and evenings were cool, a pleasure to be out in, and the afternoons warmed up enough that a day on the water could be enjoyed without threat of heat stroke. Even though it got dark early, thanks to day-light-savings, there was still plenty of activity along the public beaches. Megan could easily pick out seasonal visitors from the year-round residents just from the clothing they wore. Lightweight sweaters and long sleeve shirts were worn by those used to Citrus Beach’s fall weather while visitors were still walking the boardwalk in shorts and tank tops.

  As Megan drove into the diner’s parking lot, she called Lucy to see if she and Paul wanted to join her for dinner. Lucy said she wasn’t home, and they would take a rain-check, which surprised her. Her vague answer was unusual, but Megan figured that she was out tracking down materials for her jewelry order. She was almost right. Lucy was out tracking, but it wasn't supplies. She told Lucy to enjoy her evening, Megan disconnected the call and headed into the diner.

  Maybe this is better, anyways. There’s no sense in getting Lucy and Paul involved if this is just going to lead to a dead end. Better it’s my time that gets wasted, she thought to herself.

  When she entered the diner, Megan found it almost empty, the dinner crowd had yet to make their appearance. With a wave to a couple of older men in a booth towards the front, Megan made her way to the counter at the bar. If she sat near her, she could talk to Susie while she folded silverware into cloth napkins for the dinner service. She pulled out a stool to sit on and said hello to her friend.

  “You’re here early today, Megan. You ordering dinner, or just a drink?”

  “Dinner, please. I’m on my own, so I figured I’d eat a little early.”

  “Yeah, I saw Lucy at lunchtime. Gotta to tell you, she was acting weird. She sat all by herself, in a back booth, only ordering a drink. And of all things, she kept her sunglasses the whole time she was inside. Oh well, I guess she was just having a weird day. So what can I get for you?"

  "That does sound odd. I'm just going to order a salad and sweet tea for dinner, thanks."

  "No problem. I'll get that order in for you right away."

  Susie didn't even bother to write the order down, she simply walked to the back kitchen and yelled the order to her father, who was cooking in the back. When she returned, she poured Megan's sweet tea and grabbed a bottle of water herself. Placing Megan's tea in front of her, she leaned against the counter and waited. She’d been friends with Megan long enough to know when she wanted to talk. And Megan had known Susie long enough that she didn't have to bother with every day pleasantries, so she got right into the reasons she wanted to talk to her.

  "Susie, I've got a couple pictures I would like you to look at, maybe there will be a spark of recognition when you see them."

  The other woman nodded her head in agreement and waited for Megan to pull out the pictures from her purse. She laid them side-by-side on the counter, then turned them so that Susie could look at them and waited for her response. It didn't take long before that spark kicked in and Susie was nodding her head.

  "Okay, I've seen these two women before. But they're not strangers, they’re seasonal residents. They've been coming here for the last three or four years. I think they own a condo a little further down the coast, heading south. They seem to wander into town every couple of weeks during season."

  Megan couldn't believe how easy it was to find an answer with pictures to help identify the women. She tried to contain her excitement as she asked Susie if she remembered their names or had any other details she could share.

  "Can't say I know their names, I only know them by sight, enough to wave hello. They
are always dressed casually almost always in beachwear. But, you know, I would say more resort beachwear than the type of beachwear you expect from somebody just wandering the shore line, looking for shells or playing with their kids in the sand. These two always wear fancy hats, expensive sunglasses, sandals with heels, and have makeup on. That's what makes me think of a resort stay rather than a true beach day. That makes sense to you?"

  Megan slowly nodded her head as she visualized the description Susie had just given her. She was thinking models for a swim wear photo shoot rather than a serious beachcomber. Ruefully, she thought to herself that if she had asked one of the men who frequented the diner if they had seen these women, she would've gotten an immediate reaction. She could have save herself a couple of days of investigating. Megan sat staring at the pictures as she contemplated her next move. Susie reached across the pictures and picked up Megan's glass to fill it with more sweet tea. Her movement broke Megan's musing, and she smiled at her friend before asking one of the many questions racing around in her head.

  "Susie, do you remember seeing either one of these women since the day of Mary's murder?"

  She paused in the middle of pouring the sweet tea into Megan's glass while she considered the question. With the pitcher of the cold drink still tipped at an alarming angle, Megan was sure for a second she would be wearing the drink. She cleared her throat to get Susie’s' attention, and the other woman gave her a rueful look as she realized how close Megan had come to having the cold liquid spilled on her.

  "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen them here in the diner. But I do remember Rachel over at the donut shop making a comment about going to the beach with their faces all painted. That had to be the day after you and Aiden found Mary's body. I haven't really given it much thought, with everything else going on plus the start of the busy season, I just haven't paid much attention."

  "And you think they were going to the beach?"

  "Yeah, that's the part of Rachel’s comment I remember. I mean, how many people come to the ocean to swim wearing tons of makeup?

  Whether Susie realized it or not, her comment convinced Megan she would need to go to the lighthouse to look things over. Figuring out the purpose of those bags put in the drop box was an important part of the investigation. Megan thanked Susie for her help as she picked up the two pictures and stuffed them back into her purse. She let the matter of Mary's murder and the two pictures drop for the moment. The less Susie knew, the better. Megan did not want to plant anymore suspicion in Susie's mind, just in case the two women came back to the diner before Megan could find out more information about their movements.

  While Megan was stuffing the pictures in her purse, one of the newspaper clippings she’d photocopied about the DeChante jewels fell out. Susie reached down and grabbed it for her, and couldn't help but look at the picture.

  "Wow. That is quite the set of jewelry. The lady in the picture wears it well. The weaselly looking guy next to her can't keep his eyes away. He is either enamored with the woman or fascinated by the jewels. You know he looks kind of familiar to me, I think he might have been in town at some point this season."

  Megan squinted at the picture and saw that the man Susie was talking about was none other than Henry DeChante himself. The woman in the picture had to be his wife. She couldn't help but grin at Susie calling the man weaselly, he was thin and had a long sharp nose. With a laugh, she took the picture from Susie and changed the subject. As Megan finished her meal, they talked about how things were going out at the farm for Emma and Taylor. By the time Megan had finished, the diner was filling up and Susie left her to get back to work.

  She happened to look at the clock over the cash register and was surprised to find she had spent more time talking with Susie than she had planned. No wonder the diner was filling up, the dinner crowd were making their way in. If she left now, she would have enough time to run out to the lighthouse and check the area out before it got dark. She left money by her plate to pay for her meal and Megan pushed herself off the stool and waved good bye to Susie as she made her way to the exit.

  A short while later, Megan pulled into the parking lot for the lighthouse. There wasn’t another car parked in the lot, it seemed deserted and she was thankful. That meant she should be able to get in and check out the box and get out. She opened the door to get out of her car and hesitated for a moment. She reached between the two seats and pulled out a small flashlight she kept there for emergencies. Hopefully she wouldn't have to use it, but just in case it was dark when she returned to her car she wanted to make sure she would have a safe passage.

  It was a beautiful evening, the sounds of birds getting their last meal for the evening filled the air. The sun was low on the horizon, almost ready to set, and soon the moon would be rising over that same horizon. As she walked down the path to lighthouse, Megan sighed with sadness, wishing Aiden was next to her as she walked down towards the beach. It was a perfect night for a romantic walk and she would've loved to share that with him.

  She came out of the clearing along the pathway onto the beach where the lighthouse and small playground stood. She saw no one around. The only movement she could see was the swings moving in the wind as if an invisible parents hands were pushing a small child. She could see many small footprints in the sand, evidence that children had been there earlier in the day enjoying themselves on the old playground equipment the town was raising money to replace. Megan knew that this was a favorite spot for parents to bring small children. The coral reef just off the shore created a small pool between the shore and the reef that was safe for young children to play in. There had been many happy afternoons she had enjoyed with Emma when her daughter had been a toddler here in these very waters.

  She smiled to herself as she remembered some of the happy times she had spent with her daughter, playing in the sand, looking for shells, and cooling off in the water. Yes, Citrus Beach had been the perfect place to raise her child, and she was grateful she had decided to move here after her husband’s fatal heart attack all those years ago. She loved the town and was more than willing to do what she could to give back to the community to ensure that future generations would enjoy the same lifestyle she had.

  The sound of a night owl brought her attention back into focus, and she glanced around the area one more time to be sure that no one would watch her next moves. She saw no one except two pelicans sitting on the posts of the ropes that fenced off the base of the lighthouse on the ocean side. Megan walked to the lighthouse stairs, hoping to find some answers.

  Chapter 30

  The lighthouse was simple in design, its base was wider for support and housed two small rooms that the light keeper lived in the before the lighthouse became automated with modern technology. After the first floor, the lighthouse narrowed considerably and then flared out at the top to house the working components of the lifesaving light that would guide ships past Neptune's Trident safely. There was a walkway around the top of the lighthouse for maintenance of the light. You could enter the main lighthouse through the inside or take the spiral staircase along the outside. The staircase had three separate landings and it was that first landing that the public walked up to enjoy to the ocean view. They could not go any farther up. Here, tourists could also find the comment box.

  Megan made her way to the second landing, glad she had her deck shoes on. Sand on the bottom of her shoes made the metal rungs of the staircase slippery, and if it had been at the height of the afternoon hours the metal would burn the bottom of her barefoot. Megan had learned this lesson from experience.

  Megan climbed the stairs, her shoes making little-to-no noise. As she climbed, she listened to the evening noises, becoming familiar with the sounds normal to the area and on the alert for any sound out of the ordinary. When she reached the first platform, she stopped and looked around the area below her as well as out over the ocean waves breaking against the rocks. Not seeing anything but seagulls and the occasional pelican, she hurried
over to the drop box, eager to find out what was inside.

  The padlock was in place, but was not closed, allowing Megan to slide the lock off and open the top of the box. She started to put her hand in the box, but the last second thought better of it. Instead, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out the small flashlight. Megan wasn't sure what made her bring, but it she was glad she had. She’d lived in Florida long enough to know that the small, dark box was the perfect hiding spot for all kinds of animals. It was best to check out what was inside before she put her hand in the box, the last thing she needed was to get bit by a Brown Recluse spider or scorpion.

  As she shined the light into the box, Megan jumped back at the glowing eyes that glared back at her. It took a second, but Megan quickly discerned it was a tree frog that had taken a nap inside the box. She shined her light into all the corners of the box, disturbing the poor frog until he decided he had had enough. He hopped out of the box, landing on Megan's arms for a quick second before taking the second leap to freedom. She laughed at her involuntary start when the wet, slippery frog landed on her, Megan shook her head and went back to the task at hand.

  The beam of the flashlight showed the season had begun. There were numerous comment cards scattered inside the box and underneath a few of them she saw the color blue. She had lucked out, and one bag was in the box. Megan hesitated for a second, knowing she was disturbing evidence that might be needed when Mary's murderer went to trial. There were two options facing her: contact the sheriff and do the right thing, or she could look and see what was in the bag for herself. She fought with her conscious for a few moments, even going so far as to taking out her phone from her pocket. But then the side of Megan that always seemed to get her in trouble kicked in. The curious side, and the impatient side. She did however compromise, at least in her mind, and took multiple pictures of how the bag lay in the box with her phone. She reached her hand in and pulled it out to examine it closer. She put the small flashlight in her mouth, using her teeth to hold it in place, and then Megan untied the string holding the bag closed.