Sabotage on Solitude Bay

by M. J. Mandrake

  Elaine settled on one of the lounge chairs and called Jack to her. He obediently trotted forward, dropping his nose into her outstretched hands. She took him by the face and rubbed his ears. He closed his eyes and smiled hugely, as if he hadn’t been scratched for a very long time. Penny brought Toto forward, and the two dogs gave each other a thorough examination. Chica gave a soft whooooffff of welcome, as if she understood what was taking place.

  Kitty watched the little family embracing their unexpected new member and felt her eyes burn. “You two never go anywhere alone,” she said. “You were just hoping they’d give him to you.”

  “Of course,” Penny said. “Jack, this is your Aunt Kitty.”

  Laughing, Kitty gave Jack the best ear scratch she could muster half-blinded with tears. When she’d gotten control of her emotions, she whispered, “Welcome home, Jack. I can’t wait to spend my vacation with you.”

  The loud blare of the ship’s horn made all three dogs sit up straight. Jack looked around for a moment, then bumped Penny’s leg.

  “See? He’s so well-trained,” Elaine said. “Such a good boy. Beautiful, too.”

  The two older women took turns praising Jack and giving him treats from Toto’s stash. Another blast of the horn pulled Kitty’s attention back to the clear turquoise waters and white sands of Key West, and she felt an unfamiliar lurch around her navel. With Jack’s sudden adoption, she’d forgotten her nerves for a few minutes, but now they were back in force.

  Picking up her book, she clutched it to her chest, as if to ward off the negative thoughts flashing through her mind. After her fiancé had run away with her best friend, she’d spent ten years avoiding any kind of attachment, romantic or otherwise. Leander had come into her life and she’d been forced to make a choice: never love again, or live with the possibility of being hurt. Kitty had chosen him.

  Penny touched her arm. “They’re going to love you.”

  “Yes, we were only teasing about being an acquired taste. They won’t be able to resist you. Even his mom.”

  Kitty managed a smile but her stomach was in knots. Looking out at the dock, she spotted Leander waving with both arms. She returned the wave, unable to keep from grinning. Seeing him made all her fears fade away. Mostly.

  ***

  “My flight was delayed. I barely got here in time,” Leander said, jogging up to them. He grabbed Kitty in a tight hug, gave her a kiss, and whispered in her ear, “I missed you. I’m glad you’re here.”

  Kitty tried to think of something to say, but ended up grinning wordlessly. Leander knew that Chica was on duty and shouldn’t be touched, but that didn’t keep Chica from rushing forward, tail wagging, to give Leander a few good licks on the face. Kitty didn’t bother to correct her. Sometimes the rules just didn’t matter and greeting old friends was one of those times.

  They moved back to let Penny, Elaine, and Jorge have their turn to say hello as the cruise passengers streamed onto the dock. Now that Leander was here in front of her, she felt much less nervous. There was something about him that put her at ease, which was probably the opposite reaction for people who met him for the first time.

  Leander had endured a lifetime of stares and it seemed that Key West tourists were no exception. A young woman in a bright yellow tank top walked by and gave him a classic double take. It wasn’t because he was over six feet tall and wearing a nice suit, but because his shock of white hair and mismatched eyes made him look a little otherworldly. Leander noticed her staring and smiled, but she hurriedly turned away, clearly embarrassed to be caught in the act.

  Kitty had always thought Leander was very handsome, and his gracious response to the stares just added to the effect. He’d never mentioned it, but Kitty knew it must have been hard growing up with Waardenburg’s Syndrome. Children were notoriously cruel.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks like Toto has managed to clone herself.” Leander spoke as he signed. Growing up in a deaf family made him as fluent in American Sign Language as Kitty.

  “And changed her gender,” Penny said.

  He leaned down for a better look. “Ah, you’re right. That would be even more impressive.”

  “Those people, they did not deserve this dog,” Jorge said.

  Kitty put a finger to her lips, glancing around. “They’re around here somewhere.”

  “I do not care. They treated Jack like an animal.” Jorge didn’t seem to notice the irony of his statement. For a man who didn’t particularly like dogs, he’d been quite offended by Jack’s cold existence. Kitty was learning several new things about Jorge, including what he wore when he wasn’t in uniform. Penny and Elaine had almost fainted when he’d walked out in tailored trousers, Italian leather shoes, and a form-fitting T-shirt. Kitty wasn’t going to assume she knew Jorge anymore. It was clear their assistant activities director had a number surprises up his sleeve, including a style that matched his model looks.

  “Who are we talking about?” Leander asked, leading them toward the parking lot.

  Kitty quickly filled him in with the barest details, deciding to leave the more critical comments for a moment when they were alone. Penny and Elaine didn’t need any encouragement.

  “They’re also spending Christmas at The Golden Pelican. Strange coincidence, right?” Kitty asked.

  He nodded. “That is strange. What are the odds? I mean, Christmas is a popular time to visit Solitude Bay, but to go from a tour of the Yucatan, to another vacation in Florida?”

  “I can’t stand them,” Penny said. “I don’t care if tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Santa’s going to put me on the naughty list.”

  “Now, don’t go making a fuss. It’s not hard to be polite,” Elaine said.

  “You walked away in the middle of their conversation yesterday, remember?”

  Elaine shrugged. “Yes, but they were boring me to death and my survival instincts kicked in. You can’t blame me for saving myself.”

  Kitty translated for Jorge and he shook his head at Elaine’s comment. “You must learn from me. Walk away before the talking. Not during. Is much easier.”

  “I’d better warn my parents,” Leander said. “It’s always good to have a heads up before any really difficult guests arrive.”

  “Probably for the best,” Kitty said. “But I feel a little guilty. I don’t like to gossip.”

  “That’s our car,” he said, pointing out the dark blue SUV ahead. “It’s not gossip if you’re saving everybody a lot of aggravation.”

  “But you see, knowing about it in advance doesn’t mean you’ll be able to make them happy.” Kitty hated to be a downer but she had spent enough time as a tour guide to know there were some people who just couldn’t be placated, no matter how much special attention you gave to making them comfortable.

  Leander hit the key fob and the car beeped, unlocking the doors. “True,” he conceded.

  Penny the passenger side door. “Here, Kitty. You ride in front.”

  “What? No. Jorge will be in front. I’ll ride in the back with Chica.” Kitty motioned for Jorge to take her spot and he hopped forward, looking like a kid getting on a carnival ride.

  “Sí, I will ride with Leander and help read the maps.”

  Leander lifted their bags into the back, then helped Elaine and Penny settle into the back seat with Kitty. Chica, Jack, and Toto sat in the third row, looking for all the world like they were ready to be chauffeured around on their doggy vacation.

  “Maybe we should help them out,” Penny leaned over and signed to Kitty. “I’ve seen Jorge get lost in a ballroom full of people. I’ve heard traffic down here is terrible and I’m too young to die.”

  “You should always be ready for death,” Elaine said. “Live each day as if it were your last.”

  “And one day you’ll get it right,” Penny quipped.

  Elaine laughed. “Someday our death is going to be caused by being mouthy at the wrong time. We should always be prepared.” Glancing into the front row, she said, “I w
onder how many other guests there are besides us.”

  “I’m not sure, but I can ask,” Kitty said. In a car full of hearing impaired people, the conversation got confusing when not everyone was in a line of sight.

  As Leander paid the parking fee and pulled out of the lot, Kitty couldn’t help but notice how clean and tidy the area seemed. There was a very big difference between Key West and the Yucatan, despite having the same aquamarine sea and sunny sky.

  When he turned onto the main road, Kitty asked, “Is your parents’ inn usually booked for the holidays?”

  In the rear view mirror, Kitty saw his brows draw together. “That’s the strange part. They don’t usually book guests over the holidays, but I know they make exceptions for old friends. They certainly don’t sound familiar, but the Webers must have some connection to us, or someone we know.”

  After Kitty translated, Penny asked, “It’s wonderful of you to let us visit for Christmas if it’s usually just you and your parents and your sister?”

  “Sisters,” he corrected. Kitty saw his eyes crinkle in a smile. “And their husbands and kids. There’s another house on the property where family usually stays. Lots of bunkbeds for the kids, big kitchen. My father built it about twenty years ago, thinking ahead to all the Christmases we’d spend here.”

  “How― how many sisters?” Kitty managed to ask. Her voice sounded reedy and panicked to her own ears. She’d imagined a small group and she adjusted her mental image to include a crowd of strangers jostling around a long table filled with food.

  Leander didn’t answer for a moment. He slowed down and stopped at a red light, then mumbled something and accelerated as the light turned green.

  Jorge let out a loud hoot of laughter. “Poor Kitty,” he said.

  “How many? I didn’t quite catch that.” Her heart was pounding in her ears.

  Leander turned his head and spoke clearly, “I have six sisters.”

  Kitty translated for Penny and Elaine, her hands feeling suddenly numb like she’d been out in the cold. Six sisters. Heaven help her, she’d been worried about his mother.

  Penny’s eyes went wide. “Now there’s a real handicap. I can see why you’re just now mentioning it.”

  “Really not fair, is it? Sort of a bait and switch.” Elaine looked angry. “How is the poor girl supposed to win over that many sisters? It’s impossible.”

  “Hey, nobody has to win anybody over.” Leander looked serious now. “They’re all very nice.”

  “To you,” Penny added, rolling her eyes. “Are they younger or older?”

  “I’m the youngest,” Leander said.

  Kitty translated for Penny and then slowly slouched back in her seat. Maybe she could fake a sudden emergency. She’d stay one night, and then be called away to… what? All of the books in her store were perfectly content to sit there collecting dust while she was gone, and her cats certainly didn’t need anything. Nancy, a graduate student, that looked after her old colonial while she was traveling. Kitty contemplated calling the cruise ship captain, Edward Tavish. He’d pulled through for her during dire emergencies before.

  “Have you ever brought a girl home for Christmas?” Penny asked.

  Kitty gasped. She really didn’t want to translate for Leander and Jorge in the front seat. Penny gave Kitty an exasperated look and simply raised her hands over the seat and asked again.

  “No, I’ve never brought anyone home for Christmas, or any other holiday,” he said, and he seemed perfectly happy with the situation. He glanced around at their matching expressions and said, “What’s wrong? That should make it better, right? It’s not like I bring a woman home to meet them every Christmas. It’s something special, just like Kitty. That’s a good thing.”

  No, it really wasn’t. Kitty wanted to become one with the seat, fade into nothingness and rematerialize back by her fireplace in her old bookstore. A small part of her was fluffing with happiness at the compliment, but the rest of her was sure she had just committed to being grilled by all of his relatives.

  “Okay, I have a solution.” Elaine asked. “If you haven’t told them anything about her yet, we’ll say she’s with Jorge. They’ll still meet her, but the pressure’s off.” She held on to the back of the seat as Leander took a sharp curve and headed down a narrow, well paved road toward the ocean.

  “Oh, good idea,” Penny said, jumping in. “We’re just your friends, looking for a cozy Christmas in The Keys.”

  As Kitty translated for Jorge, she considered that plan for about one second, and then discarded it. She liked him, but the man could be overwhelming as a friend. She couldn’t imagine how smothering he would be as a paramour. Plus, she didn’t think she could hide her feelings for Leander. She knew she sometimes had a goofy expression when he was around, and she worked hard to keep it under control. No, she and Jorge would fool nobody, especially with six older sisters watching them like hawks.

  “Too late for scheming, ladies. We’re already here,” Leander said with a smile, pulling into a circular driveway and parking in front of an enormous, gabled Victorian.

  Chapter Three

  “I don’t mind dying. The problem is you feel so stiff the next day.”

  ― George Axelrod

  The Golden Pelican’s wrap-around porch was dotted with comfortable looking rockers and potted plants. Large flowering hibiscus bushes lined the walkways and the manicured grass cushioned the slate footpath that wound around the building. Three small, dark-haired children were sitting on the porch swing and they sat up straight, all their attention focused on the newcomers.

  As they stepped out of the car, Kitty could see into the large back yard where people were playing in the pool. Beyond that, she saw the white sand and sparkling sea. It was a truly magical setting, and for a moment, Kitty dreamed that she and Leander were there alone.

  The children jumped off the porch swing, ran down the steps and crowded around Leander, all signing at once. Kitty swallowed back her surprise. She’d assumed there would be a few deaf people and the rest would be hearing.

  “Uncle Leander,” a boy about ten said, wrapping his arms around his waist. “Did you bring me anything?”

  “And us?” A younger girl that must have been his sister looked hopeful. She held a smaller child by the hand. Standing together in a line, they looked like stair steps.

  “Ah, such refreshing honesty,” Penny said. “Another reason I love children.”

  “Now, that’s not how you greet your guests, is it?” Leander pretended to frown at them.

  They looked chastened. The oldest approached Penny and spoke as he signed, “My name is Agustí. Call me Gus. These are my sisters, Lidia and Julia.”

  Kitty almost laughed as Penny and Elaine seemed to melt inwardly. She’d always thought of the two older women as being more comfortable around adults than children, but then, she hadn’t seen them around children that often.

  Each of the three shyly shook hands with the group. Even the youngest reluctantly offered her chubby hand, retracting it almost immediately after Kitty had grasped it.

  “Now, you can have the candy,” Leander said, and opened his carry on, offering them several handfuls of brightly wrapped treats.

  “I didn’t know kids still got excited about candy,” Elaine said. “Aren’t they all playing with iPads in their cribs now? They can probably order a box or two of their own off Amazon.”

  “Well, their mother is a dentist so they don’t get much sugar.” He handed Penny’s bag to Agustí, Elaine’s to Lidia, and turned to take Kitty’s carry-on. “But I wouldn’t try it if I were you. I think she’d put her foot down if it was anyone else.”

  Kitty tried to take her bag from Leander. “No, no. They’ll think I’m helpless.”

  He smiled but didn’t let it go. “If I let you walk in holding your own bag, my mother will have my head. Have mercy on a poor Catalan boy.”

  She reluctantly handed it over, but then felt awkwardly empty-handed. She suddenly rememb
ered the flowers she’d intended to get and felt her stomach drop. “I― I only have a little hostess gift I picked up on the ship. I should have had you stop in town.”

  Leander looked like he wanted to hug her, but settled with an elbow bump instead. “You’re fine. She doesn’t need anything. You’ll see.”

  An old man appeared around the corner of the house carrying pruning shears in one hand and several small branches in the other. He was stooped with age and his clothes were dirty. He glanced at them, and reversed course, heading back the way he’d come.

  “Welcome party?” Penny signed.

  “Oh, that reminds me,” Leander said. “Old Mr. Candlewick has worked the grounds of The Golden Pelican for almost fifty years but he doesn’t particularly like people.”

  “You mean guests?” Elaine asked.

  “Everybody.” He shrugged. “Family, friends, guests. Adults, children, dogs. There’s not a living being that Mr. Candlewick likes. But he does his job and doesn’t hurt anyone. Just don’t try to talk to him.”

  Jorge made a noise in his throat. “Maybe he and the Webers will become good friends.” He shouldered his bag and nodded at the neighboring house. “Is that other building where the rest of your family stays?”

  The children, mouths stuffed with chocolates, followed his gaze. Agustí stopped chewing. He put a hand out to the youngest and started to guide her back to the house.

  Beyond the hedges, Kitty could see another Victorian painted in a similar color scheme. Side by side, they would be mirror images of each other, except one was rather run down. The paint was flaking, there were loose shingles here and there, and the hedge was overgrown to the point that the only the top two floors of the house was visible.

  “No, there’s a house down nearer the beach. This house was once part of The Golden Pelican resort. Fifty years ago, my grandfather bought the property with his best friend, a man named John Perkins. They ran both houses as connected inns, sharing costs and profits. They were pretty famous for a while, featured in some magazines and a few morning TV shows. Between my grandmother’s Catalan cooking, Mr. Perkin’s fishing tours, and being a place where the deaf community could feel at home, they did really well.” Leander shifted Kitty’s bag a little, looking over at the colorful Victorian. “Then, about ten years ago, he died and his only son demanded the property be split.”