Scent of Gardenia (Scott Tucker Series)

by Dick Waters

  The phone ringing in the bedroom startled her, but she realized it would be senseless to try and get it. It was probably Ralph, and she didn’t want to talk with him until she was dressed. Mercedes remembered their last dinner date, which she almost regretted. They both had too much to drink. The wine had weakened her defenses and before she knew it, they were at his condo.

  It must have been the combination of the alcohol, the warm night and the music on his stereo. They were both fumbling with buttons and zippers. She remembered how much her defenses were down, when his lips caused her body to have a mind of its own. She excused herself to the bathroom, and fortunately, when she returned he was sound asleep on his bed. She immediately found her clothes, got dressed and took a cab back to her apartment. Ralph has since hinted at the episode, but obviously remembered little from that night. Thank God she never made love with him. I will never let myself get close to that situation again.

  *.*.*

  Mercedes was delighted with the reflection in the mirror. It was a far cry from what she looked like when they first arrived. When the phone rang, she picked it up.

  “Hello.”

  “Mercedes, its Ralph. Are you settled in?”

  “Yes, I feel much better now. That was quite an experience.”

  He didn’t immediately respond. “Yes...your wet image brought back another experience.”

  She considered what he just said. “Ralph, please stop. That was something that happened that will not happen again. Please don’t get yourself worked up, because we’re on business and I would like to keep it that way.” She added when he didn’t respond, “Do you understand, or are we going to have a problem?”

  “We’ll be okay. However, you’ll have to excuse the fact I find you very attractive.”

  “Thank you. I’m sorry about that night we were together. It was a mistake that I don’t plan on making again.”

  “I understand. Can we at least enjoy the time here being together?” Ralph asked.

  “Like I said before—just think of me as your sister.”

  “Okay sis it is. Are you dressed and ready to see the island? By the way, I talked with Max Gordon, who arrived yesterday. He evidently ate something and believes he has food poisoning. Consequently, he hasn’t done anything since he arrived, other than going from both ends. I’m thinking it’s a lot less expensive here at the hotel than at the hospital. He told me to take over until he feels better. He also told me to tell you to follow my orders.”

  “I’ll see you in the lobby in five minutes,” Mercedes retaliated. He’s going to be a problem, I just know it.

  *.*.*

  A short taxi ride later, they were at police headquarters. Although it was late in the afternoon, the chief of detectives had been expecting their arrival and met with them.

  Ralph made the introductions on their end, and Mercedes just listened. “Chief-Inspector Hughes, can you bring us up to date on the missing men?”

  There were five folders on the inspector’s desk. He opened the top folder. “Well as you know, we found Mr. Elliot’s body near a somewhat obscure dive site. More specifically, his body was found in a dive cage off the East side of the island. The cage had been anchored to the coral reef. It would not be readily seen unless you were within ten feet. The body was badly decomposed. The Medical Examiner’s report indicated he had been in the water for three weeks. There was no sign of trauma to the body.”

  Ralph wrote something in his notebook, based on what was communicated. “Do you have any information on the three other missing men?”

  “Mr. Reynolds, Bermuda is not a place where we are accustomed to having murders or missing people. We pride ourselves on being a tropical vacation destination. In my twenty-five years on the force, we have never had anything like this. To answer your question, our investigations have turned up nothing. All of the men were enjoying the island one minute, and reported missing the next.”

  Ralph made some more notes. “What about the location of their yachts?”

  “We have done a thorough search of all the ports and coves along the shore and none of the yachts are anywhere to be found.”

  “What are your personal thoughts on that?”

  “We believe they may have been pirated away to the Caribbean. We have been in contact with authorities in the Bahamas to be on the lookout for the vessels. All of the vessels were over thirty-six feet. They are not something that would just blend in. When we contacted family members, we were able to obtain full descriptions of the vessels from their respective insurance companies.”

  “May we get copies of those descriptions and the Medical Examiner’s report on Mr. Elliot?”

  “I’ll have those made for you.” He touched a button on his phone and asked for his secretary to make copies. He went through each folder, pulling the paperwork.

  Ralph asked Mercedes, “Do you have any questions?”

  She waited until he completed pulling the respective paperwork. “Inspector Hughes, what do the investigations indicate the men were doing when they went missing?”

  “As best we can determine they went missing early in the day. They were last seen on their boats or at breakfast in one of the hotels. There is no record of where they were going, or what they had planned.”

  Mercedes interjected, “You said first thing in the morning. Was that at the crack of dawn?”

  “I think I know where you’re going with this. We thought of a fishing expedition, however, the men went missing mid-morning.”

  Mercedes remembered what Mr. Nielsen had indicated when they met with him. “Was there any altercation noted prior to any of their disappearances?”

  “No. There wasn’t. The last missing man, Mr. Nielsen, was traveling with another friend and three women. Two of the women were sisters. They have not been located either. We have added them to the list of missing people. We speculate they might have been involved in an accident and took the…” He looked in the folder and finished his thought, “took the ‘Import-ant’ out of Bermuda. Unfortunately, we’re talking about two months ago so they could be anywhere at this time. Mr. Nielsen wasn’t reported missing until six weeks ago.”

  The secretary came back in the office, handing Inspector Hughes the original paperwork and copies. “Mr. Reynolds, here are the copies.”

  Ralph studied the names and sizes of the vessels –

  - ‘Roger That’, 39ft., 1957, Concordia 39 Yawl, Wooden Hull, Single Diesel

  - ‘Dust B’ Gone’, 41ft., 1929, Herreshoff Aux Ketch, Wooden Hull, Diesel

  - ‘Little Will’, 36ft., 1962, Colin Archer 36, Wooden Hull, Single Diesel

  - ‘Import-ant’, 42ft., 1939, Alden Yawl, Wooden Hull, Single Diesel

  “Chief-Inspector Hughes, what happens next in your investigation?”

  He looked at the folders on his desk then answered. “We believe our best chance of learning more about these missing men is to find the people on the yachts or find the yachts themselves, or both. We have been informed by the US Navy officials that there has been an increase in high seas pirating. Details are not being shared with any media, but the targets are expensive yachts and rich passengers.”

  He took a deep breath, leaning across the table, adding, “They have verified several incidents where these vessels were overtaken, the men shot and dumped overboard, the yachts taken and the women kidnapped. There is also some speculation about the women being later sold into the slave trade, possibly in Venezuela.”

  She and Ralph exchanged glances, having not heard about any of these incidents.

  “Mr. Reynolds, what I just told you could seriously jeopardize tourism on the island. I wanted you to know about this for your own investigation, knowing you would eventually hear about it from other sources. I ask that you use that information for your own investigation, but do so discreetly.”

  Ralph stood up, with Mercedes following his lead. “Chief-Inspector Hughes, thank you for your time and your open communication. If we discover anything,
we will be sure to touch base with you, but if you should learn anything while we’re here for the next two days, this is where we can be reached. Otherwise, my Boston number is on the front of the card. Please call collect. If you don’t reach me, please leave a message and I will call you back.”

  Inspector Hughes offered his hand to both of them. Mr. Reynolds it was a pleasure, and Ms. Strong it was nice meeting you. Please enjoy your stay in Bermuda, there’s much to see and do here. I’m sorry I wasn’t more help, but these related cases are very strange indeed.”

  As they left the police station, Mercedes could appreciate Mr. Nielsen’s desire to have his own investigation. She wondered if Paddy had already started that separate investigation. Would she see Scott while they were here?

  “A penny for your thoughts?” Ralph asked.

  She answered quickly with, “Why haven’t we been informed about the ‘pirating' scenario?”

  *.*.*

  On the way back to the hotel, Mercedes could sense Ralph plotting his plan for tonight. She had decided already what she was going to do.

  “Mercedes, would you care to have dinner together tonight?”

  She looked at him and saw the sign of a smirk. “You know Ralph, I’m awfully tired. I think the storm today took a lot out of me. I think I’m going to take a hot bath and have a light dinner in my room. I really don’t feel like dressing and enjoying the night life. I guess I’m asking for a ‘rain check.’” She laughed at how that sounded.

  “That’s too bad. I was hoping we could enjoy the night life together. We only have one more night. Can we make it tomorrow night?”

  “Let’s see what tomorrow brings, and if we have a good day I would like to see what night life in Bermuda is like.” She wondered if that sounded too much like a date. He didn’t say anything, as they were soon entering the hotel.

  *.*.*

  “Ralph would you excuse me I want to check to see if there are any messages for me.” He was not smiling, but nodded his head and departed for the elevator.

  Mercedes approached the front desk. “Are there any messages for Mercedes Strong in room 712?”

  “Oh, Ms. Strong, I’m glad you checked in with us. We had to move you to another room. Your room unfortunately suffered some water damage from the storm earlier today. We have moved all of your belongings to a suite on the eighth floor. The management apologizes for any inconvenience this might cause you. The accommodations are the best in the hotel and you have a house credit for anything you charge to your room for today and tomorrow.”

  She thought about how she left her room earlier in the day. “That is very generous of the hotel.” She whispered to the female clerk, “I hung my wet clothes and underwear in the bathroom. Do you know what happened to them?”

  “Yes ma’am. All of those clothes were sent to the hotel laundry and will be returned to your new room as soon as they are ready. Is there anything else we can do for you?”

  “Were there any messages for me?”

  The clerk checked both her old room number and her new room number. “No ma’am, there are no messages for you. Here’s your key to suite number 823. I’ll make a note of your room change after I wait on these other guests. Have a good night.”

  She headed up to her new room, thinking about Scott. She already missed him. It had only been three days. She entered the suite, surprised by the size of it compared to her previous room.

  There was an entry area just inside the door. She could already see the wonderful view of the harbor out the French doors on the other side of the large sitting area. The bedroom was off to the left and a large king size bed only took up a portion of the space. The bathroom looked like a fine spa. There was a double shower, an oversize sunken tub, double sinks and marble everywhere. She noticed her reflection in the mirror but she wasn’t smiling. She should have been, but she wished Scott was here to enjoy all of this…and her.

  She started the water in the tub, adding some scented oil and went back into the bedroom. Opening the drawers it was obvious that someone had meticulously arranged all of her clothes. She took her oversize Harvard T-shirt, which also reminded her of Scott, out of one of the drawers. She ordered a petite filet, along with some scrumptious sounding appetizers from room service to be delivered in an hour.

  She shed the remainder of her clothes, smiled at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and settled into the hot bath. The tub was easily large enough for two people. She closed her eyes letting the water relax her. Scott, I wish you were here with me right now...you wouldn’t be drying my back.

  Chapter 25

  I was upset with my unsuccessful attempts to reach Mercedes in Bermuda last night. I gave myself something more to worry about. She had not answered her hotel phone any of the times I called, and my last call was quite late. She could have been doing some investigating that took her late into the night. Or she might have been out seeing the island with Ralph. Maybe they didn’t need separate rooms. I purposely hadn’t left a message.

  I guess I’m jealous. I’ve never been jealous before. When I met Lisa it was ‘just us’ from the time I met her. Well except for the night I spent with Mercedes. Now that I remember, Lisa was jealous about who I was with and what we might have done. Now, when the shoe is on the other foot—I don’t like it. Mercedes is free to see anyone she wants to. It had only been a few days since I returned her phone call, and she reentered my life again. How can I feel this way in such a short amount of time? Yes, the weekend we spent together changed everything.

  I guess she lit a fire the day I met her. Then that fire touched my fuse when we spent time at the cabin. Well, without any uncertainty, I exploded when we spent the weekend together. I’m obviously in pieces right now. It’s hard to think about anything else. That’s why I wanted to hear her voice so much last night. I’m playing over and over every image of her from the time we first met right through last weekend. I see her short skirt, her long legs, her blood red nails, her cascading red hair, her beautiful face, her luscious back and the special parts hidden from the sun.

  As soon as the thoughts of the sun came to mind I thought of her in Bermuda. However, I didn’t like those images. I saw her with Ralph; sailing, swimming, dining, drinking, dancing, and worse—him, instead of me, drying her back. I felt trapped and there was nothing I could do about it. Maybe the next time she travels to Bermuda, I’ll have to go with her. Is that possible?

  Chapter 26

  Holly had been watching the cerulean ocean water and numerous small islands as the plane approached Bermuda’s main island. The color of the water was something she had never seen. It was not only romantic to look at but extremely inviting.

  She quickly cleared customs, picking up her one piece of luggage. As she entered the main terminal, she saw a tall man standing with a sign ‘Compton’ resting on his shoulder. She smiled as she approached him. His smile was even bigger than hers. “Ms. Compton, I presume?”

  “Yes, Mr. Bennett?” she said, offering her hand.

  “Well, my dad is long since deceased. Please call me Jules…it’s nice to meet you. How was your plane ride?”

  “My plane ride was actually very good.” She shook his hand. His gentle touch surprised her. He was a giant next to her 5’ 6” frame, and that was with high heels. He was easily a foot taller. For some strange reason she was immediately comfortable with him. “Okay, Jules it is.” He let go of her hand, picking up her suitcase like it was a feather.

  “Please follow me, the car is right outside.” He turned and headed for the far end of the terminal.

  Once outside she noticed the large volume of standing water and people standing outside the airport gate. “Why are all of those people standing there looking like the ocean just swept over them?”

  He laughed a deep-throated laugh. “There’s a taxi strike at the airport, and those poor people have to secure ‘town’ taxis. However, we just had our daily thunder boomer come through and unfortunately their island welcome was not a
s pleasant as it could have been. I would like to welcome you to Bermuda.” He held the rear car door for her.

  “May I ride in front please?” For some reason she noticed her voice. She sounded like a little girl asking for an ice cream cone.

  He opened the left-hand front door. She was surprised not to see the driver’s seat. She slid into the soft and worn leather seat.

  Jules went around the front of the car and got in the right hand side. “Do you want to go to your hotel first, or would you like a little scenic tour while we’re out at this end of the island?”

  The sun was peeking out and people standing at the airport gate looked very uncomfortable. “I would love to see some of the sights. Thank you Jules.”

  Jules took her by some of the historic sights in St. George’s Island and explained the history of that section of the island. She liked his laid-back manner and had to smile as he looked so uncomfortable bowing his head to look out the windshield. He was almost in the back seat his legs were so long.

  “Have you been on the island a long time?” she asked.

  “I was born here. So I’ve been here about seventy years now,” he said, with a laugh and a smile that showed his white teeth.

  “What do you do besides take people on drives like this one?”

  “Other than play drums when I have the chance, this is what I do.” He continued to point out other sights as she studied the map of the island. She noticed how many motor bikes were on the road.

  “Can you rent a car on the island?”

  “No. The only rentable transportation is bicycles or motor bikes. That’s why there’s such a demand for taxis. Why, is my driving making you uncomfortable?”

  She laughed, responding, “No, not at all. It just takes some getting used to being on this side of the road, especially going around the blind corners.”