by Kate Collins
“Green means go,” he said. “Red means stop. Now let’s pah-may before we get run over.”
As soon as we were on the other side, I glanced back to see Delphi swinging her purse happily as she headed to the diner.
Case glanced back at her, too. “Looks like I passed my first test.”
“No, you flunked your first test. What were you thinking, flirting with my sister? Are you trying to draw attention to yourself ?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to flirt. Old habits die hard.”
Flirting was an old habit?
As we approached the harbor, I put my hood up. “We can’t be seen together until I get you some different clothes, so give me to the count of thirty, then follow me. I’ll head straight down the dock to the last pier, pier three. Turn right and head to the farthest slip. Pier three, slip twenty-five, got it? And don’t make eye contact with anyone.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n.”
When I reached the Páme I glanced around to be sure no one was watching, then hopped into the boat. The flat-backed stern had a blue vinyl U-shaped seating area surrounding a plastic table for outside dining. Up a step and toward the cockpit were the swivel seats for fishermen and beyond that the helm. A deck on either side of the boat led to the bow where a sundeck could be used for tanning or cooling off after a swim.
My pappoús had purchased the boat decades ago, and for years our family had enjoyed it for weekend getaways. As we grew older, the boat was mainly used by Pappoús for fishing. Now, due to his health, the Páme sat unused most of the time, yet he still refused to consider selling or renting it out.
I unlocked the door to the cabin and went below.
“This is incredible,” Case said, following me down the short flight of stairs. “Not what I expected at all.”
“I told you it was the perfect hideaway.”
I gave him a quick tour, then showed him the hatch that led to the storage area in the hull of the boat. “This is the hold where we can hide your belongings. Keep this throw rug over it and no one will know it’s there.”
I stowed his bag, closed the hatch and slid the rug on top of it, then revealed another secret about the boat, a tall cabinet in the bedroom that blended in with the rest of the wood paneling. Unlike the built-in drawers, the cabinet had no handle and was only accessible by pressing on the right side. Inside were my pappoús’s waders and tall rubber boots.
I left him to explore his new living quarters while I went back to the galley to get down to business. I took my cell phone from my purse, pulled out a chair at the small plastic table, and sat down. “What size shirt do you wear?” I called.
“Large,” he called back. “Sixteen-inch collar. For pants it’s a thirty-four-inch waist and same for the inseam.”
“Shoe size?”
“Ten.”
“Boxers?”
“Nope, briefs. Medium.”
“Got it.” I finished writing down his info, then called, “Would you like some tea?”
“Sure.”
I slid the phone back into my purse and filled the teakettle with water. While it was heating, I found cups in a cabinet over the counter and packets of English Breakfast tea in another. There was a box of tea biscuits nearby, so I called, “Want some cookies? I’m not sure how fresh they are.”
I didn’t hear anything, so I walked back to the bedroom and found Case sound asleep on the bed, his shoes lying on the floor as though he’d kicked them off and collapsed backward into a deep slumber.
“Hey, wake up,” I said, shaking his shoulder. “You can take a nap later. We’ve got to finish your disguise. Go take a shower and meet me in the kitchen. You’ll find everything you need in the bathroom.”
He was muttering to himself as he walked up the hall and shut the tiny bathroom door, while I returned to the small galley kitchen and set up my ad hoc barbershop. When he had finished, I had him sit on a step stool; then I draped a towel around his shoulders. Standing in front of him I ran my fingers through his thick hair, lifting up the long top layer to see how it parted without all his hair product slicking it back.
“My hair’s still damp. Does that matter?”
“No, it’s easier to cut that way.”
“Good. And don’t worry. I dried the stall afterward, so no one would notice.”
“Thank you. Then you found the cabinet where the towels are stored.”
“No, actually I used the bath mat that was hanging over the shower rod.” He gave me a wry smile.
I had to laugh as I pictured him trying to dry off with a small, shaggy blue chenille mat. Trying to look serious, I focused on the task at hand.
Before I could snip a lock, he grabbed my wrist. “You’re not going to give me a crew cut, are you?”
“Of course not. You wouldn’t look Greek with a crew cut.”
I started again only to have him grab my wrist a second time. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“My sister’s a hair stylist. I’ve watched her give haircuts to everyone in our family.”
He drew in a breath and blew it out. “Okay. Go ahead.”
I started by trimming about an inch of hair off the top, then layering the top and sides so they were about two inches long. “We need a backstory for you. Where are you from?”
“Pittsburgh.”
“Then we need to stay far away from there.” I thought for a moment and an idea popped into my head. “You can be from Tarpon Springs, Florida. It has a big Greek community. Do you know how to fish?”
“I fished when I was a kid.” He was quiet for a moment, then said, “I don’t know the first thing about Tarpon Springs. What if someone asks me about it?”
“I’ll bring my iPad down to the boat so you can research it.”
With his hair product washed out and some of the weight taken off, his hair began to wave. I started scrunching it to bring out even more of its natural curl.
Case winced. “Easy. I don’t want to go bald.”
“Sorry. I was just thinking that we haven’t come up with a reason for you to be investigating the murders with me.”
“Did Talbot’s assistant have family in the area?”
“None that I’m aware of. Harry never married, and I’m pretty sure his parents died a long time ago. He had a sister, but she was killed in a boating accident a few years back.”
Case brushed hair clippings off his nose. “Where is Harry from?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never asked. I assumed from Sequoia. He and my pappoús opened The Parthenon together.”
“Is he Greek, too?
“Only part Greek.”
“What if I were his long-lost cousin from Tarpon Springs?”
“A Greek cousin? Might be too iffy. Pappoús might know whether Harry had relatives there.”
“Maybe he never mentioned them. Besides, if I say I’m here to find my cousin’s killer, do you really think anyone will stop to question my lineage?”
“You don’t know my family. They question everything.”
“Okay, then I’ll be a private investigator that Harry’s long-lost cousin from Tarpon Springs hired.”
“And what if someone asks to see your investigator’s license?” I tousled his hair to see what it would look like, drawing some of it over his forehead.
“Then how about this?” Case asked, sounding annoyed. “You think of something.”
Yep, he was definitely annoyed. “I will. Don’t worry about it.”
As I stepped back to examine my work, he heaved a sharp sigh. “Are you done yet?”
I pulled one lock of hair down a little more over the right side of his forehead, then carefully removed the towel from his shoulders. “Now I am. Go take a look.”
He walked around the corner to the bathroom and in a disgruntled voice said, “Great. I’m twelve years old again. All I need are braces.”
“The only thing that matters is that you look completely different than when you arrived. Now sit back down s
o I can finish.”
“You said you were done.”
“With your hair, yes.” I dug through my purse and held up a tube of bronzing cream. “Voilà.”
“Makeup?”
“It’s just a cream to give you some color until you can get some sun. You’re too pale to be a believable fisherman. But this will also wash off when you shower, so you’re going to have to apply it yourself until you can get a tan.”
After he’d perched on the stool, I put a dab on my fingertips and showed him. “Start with this much and apply it to one side of your face at a time. Now hold still.”
As I smoothed on the cream, I couldn’t help but notice his features—the arch of his dark brows, his long black eyelashes, the fine texture of his skin, his firm lips, and that dark stubble that made me feel things about him I shouldn’t.
I swallowed hard. We were so close I could even smell the soap he’d used.
I suddenly felt his gaze on me and realized I’d stopped working. I immediately started again, a hot blush creeping up my face. “Okay, we’re done,” I said lightly, and capped the cream.
He reached up to rub his chin. “I guess I should shave.”
“No, don’t shave,” I blurted.
At his look of surprise, I said, “What I mean is, it’s part of the whole”—I made a circle around my face—“Greek effect. Now let’s put that leather cap on and see how it looks.”
Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I promised to be back by three p.m. with new clothes and groceries, then I shut the door and headed home while Case rested.
Back at the house, Nicholas was already up and dressed and coming down the stairs. “Kalí méra, Mamá.”
I ruffled his brown hair. “How about just ‘Good morning, Mom’?”
“Kalí méra sounds way cooler. Yiayiá said she’s going to start my Greek lessons after school on Monday.”
“My yiayiá?”
“No, my yiayiá. Your mom.”
“Did she now?” Great, that was all I needed—more Greek. “Nicholas, we need to call my mama something else besides Yiayiá, otherwise it’s too confusing. Why don’t we call my grandmother Yiayiá and my mama Grandma?”
“Okay. I mean, entáxei.”
“‘Okay’ will do.” As we headed to the kitchen I asked, “Oatmeal toast with strawberry jelly this morning?”
“Nai, Efcharistó, Mamá.”
Now it was even “Yes, thank you,” too. I started to protest but Nicholas had such a proud look on his face that all I could do was say, “You’re welcome, sweetheart,” and give him a hug. It didn’t hurt him to know both languages. In fact, I knew it was good for his brain development. But I’d always hoped he would learn French, like I had, or Spanish.
As soon as Nicholas was on the bus, I drove to the diner for my morning coffee, arriving before eight a.m., and found my mama and sisters once again huddled around the computer, laughing and nudging one another.
“Don’t tell me you’re reading that silly blog again,” I said as I sat down at the counter beside Maia.
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Selene said.
“You know who that woman sounds like?” Mama asked, pointing to the screen.
I paused, holding my breath.
“Mrs. Gabris. She dresses just like a peacock, too!”
I let out a silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness they hadn’t realized I was describing Auntie Talia.
“And the fathead,” Mama said. “That could be Donald Fatsis.”
“His head matches his belly,” Maia said, and they all chortled.
“Thenie, where’s Niko?” Mama asked. “You’re supposed to bring him here for breakfast, remember?”
“I’ll think about it,” I answered.
Before she could argue, I finished my coffee, said hello to my grandparents, and left as one of my sisters planned the comment she was going to leave on my blog.
When I arrived at the garden center, the office door was open, which meant Dad was already there. As I walked in, he was sitting at the desk reading the newspaper and sipping coffee. He lowered the paper to give me a smile. “Morning, Thenie.”
“Morning, Pops.” I glanced around to make sure everything was spotless, then realized the cup of coffee I’d had at the diner wasn’t cutting it. That piece of toast I’d had at six a.m. was long gone. I’d have to grab a protein bar from the mini fridge.
As I started to make my coffee Dad asked, “Were you here earlier?”
My heart gave a startled thump. “No, why?”
“You must have slid the bolt last night after we left. I had to come in through the garden entrance this morning.”
“I’m so sorry.” My hands shook as I pressed start on the machine. “It was late when Kevin came to walk me home, and he wanted to stop at the piano bar for a drink”—I was rattling on because of my nerves and couldn’t seem to stop—“but I just wanted to get home to tuck Nicholas in bed, so I used the back exit which was closer to home.”
“It’s okay, honey,” Dad said. “No big deal. Nothing to get flustered over.”
My shoulders sagged. I picked up the cup of coffee, added creamer, and took a steadying sip.
“By the way,” Dad said, “Delphi mentioned that she saw you out early this morning helping a stranger find his way to the harbor.”
Without turning around, I said more sharply than I intended, “And?”
He paused. “Thenie, are you feeling all right? You’re as jumpy as a cat today. I was only going to say that was kind of you.”
Okay, I had to calm down! I turned and forced a smile as I tore the wrapper off the protein bar. “Sorry, Pops. I think I just need food.”
“You and your sisters,” he muttered, raising the newspaper again. “I’ve never seen girls with appetites like the four of you have.”
I took my cup and the protein bar to one of the chairs on the other side of the desk and sank into it, breathing in the coffee fragrance. I was about to bite into the bar when I noticed the newspaper in Dad’s hands. The banner headline read: MANHUNT CONTINUES. And in smaller caps below that: POLICE K-9S ON THE JOB.
Appetite gone.
CHAPTER TEN
I set the protein bar aside and pulled out my phone to check my calendar for the day. I had to make time to get Case new clothes so he could leave the boat without drawing anyone’s attention. He’d stick out like a sore thumb in Pappoús’s ill-fitting fishing outfit.
From behind the newspaper Dad said, “Looks like the police have their hands full. They’ve had innumerable people calling their tip line to report sightings of Donnelly—” He paused to reach for his coffee cup.
I held my breath.
“—but so far none have panned out.”
A wave of relief washed over me. “I’m sure Donnelly’s long gone. I mean, why would a stranger stick around after committing a murder?”
“True.”
I went back to checking my calendar only to hear Dad say, “Thenie, listen to this. Sonny’s story changed from the last article. First, he said he found Harry slumped over his desk. In this article he’s saying he found Harry lying on the floor, face up.”
That brought my head up. Case’s version of finding the body had matched Sonny’s original story. Why had he changed it? “Any comments from the police?”
“Only that it’s under investigation.” Dad flipped down the newspaper to say, “I’m surprised the reporter wasn’t on top of it. I would’ve questioned the dickens out of Sonny.”
Maybe I could do that for him at the press conference on Friday. “Hey, Pops, when you’re done with the paper, would you slide it over here?”
Dad pushed it across the desk, then got up with a groan and took his cup to the coffee machine. “If I were the detective on this case, I’d be looking for the killer close to home. I’ve mentioned this to a few people, but no one wants to believe anyone in town is capable of committing such a horrible crime. But as we know, Talbot Senior made many enem
ies.”
“Actually, I’ve been wondering whether Sonny or Lila had a hand in his drowning.”
Dad took off his glasses to polish them. “Really?”
“All they’d have to do is slip a few sleeping pills into his drink during dinner. Who outside the family would be able to pull off a death by drowning?”
“Have you ever been inside the Talbot mansion?”
“No.”
“You weren’t here at the time, but about two years ago Talbot Senior started to intensify his holdings in downtown properties, gearing up for this condo project. So he began throwing extravagant dinner parties to wine and dine the Greek shop owners. Your yiayiá and pappoús wouldn’t attend, so I went in their place. But as soon as I figured out what he was up to, I stopped going, as did almost everyone else. But there were a handful who kept attending. In fact, those few stuck it out right up until the moment Talbot announced his condominium project.”
I began to see where he was going with his story. “Do you remember who those people were?”
“Maria Odem was one of them. She’d lost her husband about a year before the dinners started, and she made it clear that she’d set her sights on Talbot as a replacement. In fact, I’m fairly certain that she and Talbot were having a, shall we say, romantic liaison until shortly before his death.”
“You’re kidding.”
Dad held up his right hand. “Swear to God.”
The more I thought about it, the more I could see Marie Odem working her wiles on Talbot. At the age of sixty-five, the tall, silver-haired, attractive older woman loved nothing more than flirting with men and spreading gossip. And as the owner of Wear For Art Thou, a popular, upscale clothing resale shop, she had plenty of opportunities for both. “How long did that go on?”
“It ended after she hinted publicly that she might be the next Mrs. Talbot. He found out and fired back in the press that Marie was nothing but a fortune-hunting crackpot.”
“Wow. A woman scorned. That would make a good motive for murder.”
“You bet. He died not long after that came out. And she knew her way around Talbot’s wing of the mansion. Then there’s Donald Fatsis.” Dad shook his head. “What a bootlicker. We could all see how he was ingratiating himself with Talbot, trying to become his best friend.” My father shook his head. “Neither of the two realized that Talbot’s best friend was his bank account.”