Sabotage on Solitude Bay

by M. J. Mandrake

The other feeling was an acid wash of jealousy that swept through her, searing everything in its path. Of course doe-eyed Tiffany, the unrequited childhood love, had shown up for an afternoon of casual fishing in a bikini. That’s what women did when they were after a man who hadn’t quite committed to another woman.

  For just a moment, Kitty cast her suspicions on Leander’s mother and sisters, too. They’d invited Tiffany/Bambi on purpose. They didn’t want Leander to date someone who was as plain and ordinary as Kitty. She was an outsider, a nobody. She would never fit into their Key West life with her Indiana roots.

  They’d reached the Adirondack chairs. “What are you two scowling about?” Penny asked. Then she followed their gazes toward the pier and sighed.

  “But don’t you worry,” Elaine was saying. “You have a real nice figure, too. Just because you don’t show it off like that doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

  “Did you bring a bikini?” Penny asked. “Maybe you should go put it on. Two can play at this game.”

  “No, I didn’t bring one and I’m not playing any games,” Kitty said, forcing back the negative thoughts. It wasn’t fair to judge his family harshly when they’d been so kind to her. The suspicion she felt was all due to the people who let her down a long time ago, and nothing to do with the people in front of her now.

  “Suit yourself, dear. Just remember we’re always here to give advice.”

  “Thank you,” Kitty managed. Advice from these two would probably include seduction, scheming, or possible criminal complaint brought by Leander’s mother. Penny and Elaine really did mean well, but it was just a fishing expedition, not a marriage proposal. “Wish me luck.”

  “Luck!” they both signed.

  Kitty was halfway to the pier before she realized they probably thought she’d asked for luck about Leander, not the fishing. “Oh, well,” she muttered to Chica. “I’ll probably need a lot of that, too.”

  Kitty stepped onto the weathered wooden pier and took in the scene. Seven little sailboats and two larger boats were docked and waited to be boarded. The water sparkled in the sunshine, children and adults bustled around carrying fishing gear, and everyone was signing. It was lovely. Or would have been if a certain brunette weren’t heading in her direction.

  Putting on her brightest smile, she held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Kitty. This is Chica.”

  Tiffany didn’t glance at Chica, and shook Kitty’s just long enough to give the impression that she was a germaphobe. “Have you seen Leander? He said for me to come down here.”

  And nice to meet you, too. Apparently Kitty was supposed to know who Tiffany was. Although true that she didn’t really need to hear her name, but it was the lack of niceties that made Kitty sigh. It was going to be a very long vacation now that Leander’s ex had joined the party. “No, I don’t. I thought he was here at the pier.”

  Tiffany put her fists on her hips and stared around. “He better not have left without me. I’m his lucky charm. I just sit there and the fish practically jump into the boat.”

  “Ah,” Kitty said. She couldn’t think of a thing to say to that.

  “We’ve known each other since we were ten years old. I was his first crush. We dated all through high school, but I had to end it for his own good. He needed to grow and spread his wings.” She smiled beatifically, her large brown eyes shining. “I was right. It was just what he needed. He’s so much more confident now. He’s ready to live his best life. No more practice runs.”

  “Oh?” She didn’t know how long she could keep up the non-word answers.

  “Sure. Now that he’s spent all that time helping poor people in Mexico, he can really succeed in whatever he puts his mind to. My dad says he’d be willing to give him a chance if Leander applied with our family company.”

  Grasping at the last few words, Kitty asked, “And― and what does your family do?”

  “We’re in plastics,” Tiffany said and waited for a response.

  “Ah,” Kitty said. She wasn’t sure what that ‘plastics’ meant but it seemed rather perfect for Bambi/Tiffani in the bikini.

  “I’m the marketing director and travel all over the world. Conferences, networking. It’s amazing how much business is about simply linking up with people.” She flipped her hair over one shoulder. “Poor Leander has spent all that time in nasty little places, dealing with screwed up people. He’s done his time. Now he can join the good life with me.”

  “Hm.” Kitty had the terrible feeling she’d missed part of the conversation. Maybe Tiffany always talked that way, but she couldn’t see how Leander’s current position with the Embassy was ‘nasty’ in any way. True, he had spent a bit of time in local police precincts but there was no shame in that. It’s not like he’d been arrested.

  Glancing around, she saw Luisa and Cat both loading poles onto a small boat. Maybe she could join them. Or she could go back and sit with Penny and Elaine. Anything would be better than hearing Tiffany’s rendition of their relationship. Kitty had wanted to know more about Leander’s past, but this wasn’t exactly what she’d been thinking.

  “There you are,” Tiffany called, waving bother arms over her head and hopping up and down.

  Chica backed up, pressing against Kitty, moving her out of the way of Tiffany’s elbows.

  Leander jogged toward them, looking as if he’d just run several miles. “Hey,” he panted.

  Tiffany threw herself into his arms and squealed. “It’s so great to have you back!”

  “Yes, thanks.” He pulled her off his neck, his face beet red. “It’s great to see you, too. I think you’ve met Kitty?”

  “Who?” Tiffany looked confused. “Oh, right. Sure. And where have you been? You said you’d meet me here.”

  “I… No, I didn’t. My mother invited you.” He turned to Kitty. “I was looking all over for you.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you in the house so I thought you’d left already.” Kitty’s head was starting to hurt. This really wasn’t what she signed up for when she’d agreed to visit his family. She hated love triangles more than murder. Suddenly, she missed her bookstore and cats and old, drafty colonial home. Christmas alone wasn’t so bad. She’d celebrated it that way for years and years.

  “I wouldn’t have left you,” he said.

  She felt her spirits rise. “Well, no harm, no foul. It’s all right. I didn’t get lost. Penny and Elaine walked down with me.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad. Let’s hurry up and get you a good pole so we can head out.”

  “Well, I don’t need one, remember,” Tiffany said, squeezing his arm. “I’m your lucky charm.”

  Kitty could see the moment that Leander realized Tiffany wanted to come on the sailboat with him. She wasn’t sure what exactly went through his head, but he took a few seconds to process the new plan. “I’m not sure there’s room…”

  “She doesn’t have to take the dog, right?” Tiffany pointed at Chica.

  Chica responded with a barely audible growl and Kitty almost laughed. What a mess. “Listen, we don’t have to all be on the same boat. You and your ‘lucky charm’,” she smiled at Tiffany, “take one, and you just throw me on another, okay? It’s just fishing..”

  Leander looked out at the bay. “It’s not just fishing. It’s a Christmas tradition. It’s really special. Tonight we’ll decorate the boats with Christmas lights, and tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, we take the boats out at sunset to watch the sun go down. When it’s dark, we light candles and the kids play with sparklers.”

  “That sounds beautiful,” Kitty said softly. She didn’t want to fight Bambi/Tiffani, but she wanted to be there, at that moment, with Leander.

  At that moment Jorge wandered over. “Ready, amor? The Webers are already on board.”

  Tiffany’s pupils dilated. “And who is this?” she purred.

  Jorge introduced himself in his usual flamboyant fashion, taking her hand and brushing the back of it with the lightest of air kisses.

  Tiffany turned to
Leander and said, “You’re right. There’s really not room for all four of us. I’ll have to join someone else.” She pushed out her lower lip. “But who?”

  “With us, of course,” Jorge said, motioning to one of the larger boats. “There is plenty of room.”

  “Well, I suppose…” Tiffany made it seem as if she were settling for second best, but her true intentions were betrayed by the speed in which she disappeared with Jorge.

  Leander sighed. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know―”

  “Hey, not a big deal. I’m just sorry I got the dress code wrong.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “So am I.”

  “Don’t let your mom know that,” she teased.

  “Never.” He covered a yawn. “Sorry. I had to get up at dawn to make my flight so I’m running entirely on caffeine and inappropriate thoughts.”

  Kitty snickered and followed him down the pier. Cat waved from where she was loading gear into a small boat with a red strip around the hull. The edges gleamed with polished wood and the deck reflected the sun like a mirror. On the bow, Caterina shone in red letters. Agustí, Lidia and Julia knelt at the railing, peering into the water. They all wore matching like green life jackets and were being watched over by a tall man with dark hair. He nodded at Kitty and smiled.

  A little blonde girl ran straight into Chica and fell backward onto her bottom. She stared up and looked like she might cry. Kitty moved Chica back a few steps and signed, “Are you okay?”

  She crouched down, holding out one hand. The little girl stopped scowling and signed back, “Is that your dog?”

  “Yes.”

  “Boy or girl?”

  “She’s a girl,” Kitty said.

  The little girl got to her feet and asked, “Can I pet her?”

  “Well, she’s usually on duty but we’re on vacation right now so it’s okay, go ahead.” Kitty didn’t really mind of children asked to pet Chica during cruises, but she also made sure they learned that service dogs were at work.

  “Kitty, this is my niece, Sara.” Leander signed.

  She shook her head. “I’m Ariel.”

  “Really?” Leander grinned. “Nice to meet you, Ariel.”

  “Bye.” She ran back along the pier.

  “It’s probably hard to keep track of your nieces and nephews,” Kitty said.

  “No, that’s Sara,” Leander said. “She loves The Little mermaid, though.”

  Jorge and Tiffani boarded Michael’s boat, and Kitty could see the Webers seated on the padded benches. They looked less than thrilled.

  They stopped in front of the last boat. It was white with blue trim like all the others, but this one had a yellow stripe around the hull and Leander written on the side. Like Cat’s it gleamed with polished wood and was clearly loved. Even the brass fixtures shone in the sunlight as if they’d been freshly cleaned. Leander hopped aboard and then held out a hand for Kitty. When she was in, she turned to Chica.

  “Come,” she signed.

  Chica just stared at her.

  “She doesn’t like small boats?”

  Kitty shook her head. “She loves all boats. We’ve gone everywhere on the water. She even loves to swim.”

  There was a tense silence and Leander said, “Stay here. Don’t move.”

  “Not moving,” Kitty whispered.

  Chica watched Leander moving around the boat and decided she needed to be on board. Leaping up in one powerful move, she trotted after him.

  Kitty decided she wasn’t going to be left standing around and peered inside, too.

  There, stuck to the wall with a large fishhook, was another note with the same cut out letters and thick yellow glue.

  gO AwAY

  oR wE WIlL kIL U

  Chapter Eight

  “Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing

  whatever to do with it.”

  ―Somerset Maugham

  “Do we raise the alarm?” Kitty asked. She watched Chica walk over and sniff the floor and the small bench below the note.

  Leander was silent for a moment. “We’ll have to mention it no matter what. It’s not something we can hide. But unless the boat’s been sabotaged, it might just upset everybody to bring it out right now.”

  “I agree. It says ‘will kill you’.” Kitty frowned. “Or maybe death threats are usually in the future tense no matter how close the violence is to you. We could be seconds away from blowing up.”

  They both looked around the little cabin. Everything seemed to be in order. “I’ll go check the engine.”

  “I’ll peek under the cushions and in cabinets,” Kitty said, reaching for drawers.

  Minutes later, he returned. “Everything looks okay. People are starting to head out into the bay.”

  Kitty held up a sun-faded photo. “Well, I need some explanation for this.” The photo showed Leander standing on the prow of the boat, one foot on the edge, gazing out to sea in a dramatic manner.

  “Junior high. That’s all I have to say.”

  “Seriously though, I don’t know if we should let everyone go out tonight. This note is a threat, but maybe the sicko has already done something to the boats.”

  Nodding, he said, “I got my dad’s attention and waved him over. He should be here in a second. He’s on the larger of the two big boats.”

  “Let me guess. The other big boat is your mom’s? It’s like Goldilocks out here, but with boats.”

  “Pretty close.” He looked out the cabin door toward the pier. “When we turned ten, my grandfather gave us a twenty foot daysailer. Traditional sloop-rigged daysailers have a pivotal lightweight mast, and a furling headsail for a simple set up. A reefing main makes her single-hand, and novice capable, though she’s…” He paused. “Don’t get me going. I’ll bore you to tears.”

  “What?” Kitty said, shocked. “I was listening closely. Nothing boring at all. Just because I spend my time on a thousand foot ship that carries six thousand people doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the beauty of this boat.”

  He grinned at her. “Well, just say the word and I’ll shut up. Anyway, my grandfather had them made identical, but some of us added a few modifications. Cat’s husband put in a nice cooler, and Angelica’s converted her little cabin into some sleeping spaces. Anyway, the other sixty footer out there is my brother-in-law, Michael’s. He already had it when he married my sister Liliana and he didn’t like the idea of hanging out on her little sailboat.”

  Kitty glanced over at the largest boat and could see Leander’s father making his way down the ladder and onto the pier. “I don’t understand why the note is here, on your boat. Tiffani was planning to come on board, too. But would McCrazypants have known that? It’s more likely it was meant for me than her.”

  “McCrazypants?”

  “Have anything better?”

  “You have a point.”

  The sound of the lapping of the water against the boat mingled with the sound of footsteps on the pier as they waited for Mr. Estornell. “But why would the Webers be targeted, and then you?” Kitty asked.

  “I don’t know. That doesn’t make sense.”

  “Ohhh,” he said, his face going pale. “I did mention that you might like a bay view and that room has a nice place for Chica to sleep.”

  Kitty swallowed hard. Had she managed to make an enemy before she even came to The Golden Pelican? Had she brought trouble and mayhem to Leander’s Christmas vacation after all?

  “But,” he held up a finger, “I also asked the Webers if they wanted to come on the boat with me tonight. It can carry up to four but I figured they’d choose one of the bigger boats. He’d already mentioned that he couldn’t swim and didn’t feel comfortable so close to the water. I was just being polite, but maybe this person heard my invitation… Wait, I was signing. So he must have―”

  “Seen me.”

  “Seen you.” They both spoke at once.

  “So they know sign language,” he said softly.


  Kitty shook her head. “OK, let’s back up. There are a lot of assumptions here. All of that hinges on whether McCrazypants is targeting one person or just anybody he can reach.”

  Leander’s father appeared on deck and he peered into the little cabin. As soon as he spotted the note, his face went hard.

  After a few minutes of discussion, he agreed that there wasn’t a lot of use to bringing it to everyone’s attention at the moment. Half the boats had left the pier and none of them had reported anything amiss aboard.

  “You’ve checked the engine and the hull?”

  “Engine, yes. And the hull seems to be fine,” Leander said. “Nothing new is happening around here? No offers from developers? Nobody approached you from a conservation group?”

  Mr. Estornell shook his head. “Nothing. A very uneventful year. Completely ordinary.” He took another look at the note. “Probably one of the grandkids. I’ll talk to them again tonight. That Timmy is a sharp one, but he thinks he’s pretty funny. He’s at that age where he’s not making great choices and maybe it’s his idea of a great prank.”

  After Mr. Estornell had left, Kitty asked Leander with a smile, “And what age exactly do kids make bad choices?”

  “Timmy’s fourteen, but I’d say anything from ten to twenty seems to be open for some spectacularly bad decision making.” Leander worked to untie mooring line.

  “I don’t think it stops at twenty.”

  “True,” he said, laughing.

  A few minutes later, they’d put on their lifejackets, Leander had started the motor, steered the boat out into the bay, and taught Kitty how to set the sails to catch a little breeze. He explained the steering and the simple supplies they had on board.

  “You steer us out and I’ll put the bait on the hooks,” he said.

  Kitty took the tiller, her nerves jangling. Even though there had been a little dog life jacket for Chica and the German Shepherd might swim better than Kitty, she still felt nervous. She reminded herself that she couldn’t go wrong out on the open water unless she steered them into one of the other boats.