by Kate Collins
The short version. I took a deep breath. “Okay, here it is. The police were searching Pappoús’s boat for the guy they think murdered Harry and I had to lead them away.”
“Why on earth would anyone believe that a murder suspect was hiding on your grandfather’s boat?”
I looked down at my shoes, not only feeling but now acting like a guilty ten-year-old, wishing I’d never involved my father in this mess. “Because I’m hiding him there.”
Given the shocked look on Dad’s face, I was glad he didn’t have a heart problem. “You’re hiding a murder suspect on your pappoús’s boat?”
“His name is Case, and it was either there or here, Pops, so I chose there because I didn’t want to involve Delphi or you.”
“That didn’t work so well, did it?” Dad sat down in his chair and took off his glasses to rub his eyes. “I’m betting there is no short version of this story, is there?”
“No,” I admitted.
“You’re protecting a murder suspect?”
“He didn’t murder Harry, Pops. His name is Case Donnelly, he’s from Pittsburgh, and he came to Sequoia to find a document that proves the Treasure of Athena was stolen from his family’s museum decades ago. Case didn’t know he was a suspect in Harry’s murder until he saw his face plastered all over town on those WANTED posters. He did see Harry’s body, though, through the office’s open doors the morning he was killed, so Case left fast because he didn’t want anyone to connect him to Harry’s death. He didn’t realize he’d been caught on security cameras.”
“Then he was at Talbot’s mansion on the morning of the murder. What was he doing at the office doors?”
“Making a big mistake.”
“That’s not very convincing.”
“You really need to hear him tell the story.”
Dad shook his head. “My naïve little Thenie, what have you gotten yourself into?”
“Not what I expected to, believe me. But before you pass judgment, please talk to Case.”
“Okay,” he said with a resigned sigh, “I’ll hear him out. But let me pose this to you. Do you truly believe that Case whatever-his-name-is came here solely to find his family’s stolen statue and all he wants now is the proof of ownership?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
“Just understand that if he finds this proof, he may try to claim the statue.”
“He could, yes, but if I help him clear his name, he’d better not. He also knows that Pappoús bought the statue fair and square and has a credit card statement to prove it. But that’s not my main concern right now. What’s important is to prevent an injustice from being done.”
Dad sat back with a sigh and shook his head. “Athena.”
“It’ll be okay, Pops. I’m helping Case, and he’s going to help us fight to save Little Greece. In fact, we started a murder investigation today by interviewing Dr. Kirkland about his quick ruling on Talbot’s death. We got a few useful facts from him, but the more we asked, the more upset he got, until he finally told us to leave his office.”
Dad made a “time-out” with his hands. “Case, a wanted man, went to the courthouse to talk to the coroner?”
“Well, actually, he’s not Case anymore. I helped him change his appearance and his name. He’s Dimitrius Costas now, the last name being his mother’s maiden name. Fortunately, he’s part Greek so it wasn’t too hard to change his appearance. And the story we concocted is that he’s here from Tarpon Springs to write a murder mystery and that we’re distantly related. My challenge is to keep Delphi from figuring out who Dimitrius is, because she’s seen Case.”
“And to keep your mother from finding out that she has a new relative.” Dad massaged his forehead. “I think we should have met in the morning. I’m getting a headache.”
“I’m almost done.”
He waved me on. “Go ahead.”
“The only other thing you need to remember is that Sonny gave two different versions of how he found Harry’s body. And you heard him evade all questions about his father’s death at the press conference. So now I’m convinced that Sonny is connected to both deaths somehow. Hopefully, I’ll find out more when I meet with him.”
“And that’s why you asked me those questions about Talbot’s dinner guests and the layout of his house?”
“Exactly.”
Dad put his glasses back on with a sigh. “You have to realize, Thenie, that by helping Case hide from the law, you can be charged with aiding and abetting.”
“It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I can’t stand the thought of the true killer walking around freely while an innocent man sits in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. What if Sonny committed the murders? Or Lila? Everyone knows Sonny pulls the strings in this town. Do we turn a blind eye to that like the authorities seem to be doing?”
“The authorities can put you in prison, too, Athena.”
“Not if I’m careful.”
“You could be putting yourself in danger by taking on Sonny Talbot.”
“I’m aware of that and I’m taking precautions.”
“What if it turns out this Case Donnelly is the murderer after all?”
“Just listen to his story. That’s all I ask.”
The doorknob rattled. “Hey! Why’s the door locked?” Delphi called.
“Just a minute,” Dad answered. He rattled the doorknob as though it was stuck, quietly unlocked it, and opened the door wide. “I’ve got to get that knob fixed. What’s the problem, Delph?”
“It’s almost closing time and all the customers are gone. Should we lock up a few minutes early?”
“Good idea,” I said, glancing at my watch. I still needed to get back to the boat to talk to Case. Hopefully, the cops hadn’t returned to the harbor and he’d been able to get inside. “I’ll close up, Delph. You and Pops can go on home.”
Before they left, I squeezed my dad’s hand and said near his ear, “Thanks, Pops.”
* * *
I left my SUV where I’d parked it earlier and once again walked down to the harbor, being very careful to look and act normally. I even stopped at the frozen yogurt shop on the way for a carton of dark chocolate fudge, part of the food I was supplying for our supposed family outing.
When I reached the docks, I kept my eye out for any signs of the police. I even scouted for their black unmarked cars, which every local knew upon sight. Still, as I reached pier three, my heart pounded harder with every step I took toward the Páme.
The boat was dark, and even with the lights along the pier, I had to use the flashlight on my phone to see the lock on the cabin door. I opened it cautiously, listened a moment, then called, “Case?”
His voice came from far back in the boat. “Can I stop holding my breath now?”
At least he hadn’t lost his sense of humor. “Yes. The coast is clear. Literally.”
I locked the door, flipped on the kitchen light, and put the sack with the yogurt in it on the table. Case walked out of the hallway clutching a blue cotton bedcover around his body, his hair combed back, his fake tan washed away. He was holding a pile of sodden clothing and shivering in the cool evening air. “What should I do with these?”
“You’re freezing. Let me turn on the heat.” I took the wet clothes from him and placed them by the stairs to put outside to dry, then hit a switch on a heater mounted on the wall. Trying in vain to hold back my laughter I asked, “Why are you wearing a bedspread?”
“Because I couldn’t find any dry clothes in the dark and I had to wrap myself in something. Why is that so funny?”
“It’s just that I’m not used to seeing a man wearing a—” I gestured toward the blue bedcover.
“I wouldn’t be wearing this if I’d been able to turn on a light or make noise, but I didn’t know where the police were.” He pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table. “Of course, if I’d had that cell phone you promised, you could’ve texted to let me know what was going on and then I wouldn’t be wear
ing a—” He glanced down at the bedspread.
“Hey, I had to come up with a plan on the spot to save your life. It might not have been the greatest plan, but at least the police fell for it.”
That seemed to sober him. “You’re right and thank you for that. Another few seconds and I’d have either drowned or been arrested.”
“That’s exactly what I was afraid of. When I realized you were underwater, my only concern was to get the cops away from the boat.” I walked over to the utility closet, picked up the shopping bag, and set it on the table. “And by the way, I was on my way here to deliver these when I spotted the police making their rounds.”
He pulled out my hoodie and held it up. “I don’t think it’s my size.”
I snatched it out of his hands. “That’s mine.”
He took another look inside the bag and his dimpled smile spread across his face as he removed the box with his new cell phone in it.
“There’s something else in the bag, too.”
He reached in and pulled out a shoebox. Opening it, he found his new deck shoes. “Thanks,” he said, and bent down to slip them on. He rose, holding the bedspread around his waist. “Perfect fit.”
As he sat down to open the cell phone box, I couldn’t help but notice his bare shoulders, broad and strong, with sculpted arms and a line of dark hair that ran—
He glanced up and caught me staring. “What’s wrong?”
“I—I was just about to point out that your tan washed off. You’re going to have to make sure you reapply the cream before you go back outside.” To hide the blush that was climbing up my neck, I got up to put the yogurt in the freezer. “Have you eaten anything?”
“Not since lunch.”
“I haven’t eaten either and I’m starving, so why don’t you go take a hot shower and get dressed and I’ll make us something yummy. You can set up your cell phone afterward.”
As I pulled out the carton of eggs, a stick of butter, and packages of ham and cheese, I paused, turning toward the door. “Did you hear something?”
“Just my stomach growling.”
“I mean above deck.”
“No. What did you hear?”
I listened for a moment, then shrugged it off. “Probably just people passing by on the pier outside. I’ve been a little jumpy ever since the police burst in on me.”
Ten minutes later Case came out of the bedroom wearing a fresh pair of jeans, a clean T-shirt, and a surprised expression as he watched me set two plates heaped with steaming omelets stuffed with melted cheddar cheese and smoked ham on the table.
“Wow,” he said. “They look delicious.”
“You sound surprised. Didn’t you think I could cook?” I teased.
He came around to pull out my chair for me. “Not at all. What I should’ve said was that they look delicious and thank you for making them.”
“You’re welcome.”
Case sat down across from me and propped his chin on his hand, his gaze lingering on me in a way that brought heat to my cheeks. “You’re a woman of hidden talents, Athena.”
No man had ever said that to me before. To cover my embarrassment I said, “You probably shouldn’t say that until you’ve tried the omelet.”
He laughed. “You’re right. Let’s dig in.”
I picked up my fork and began to eat, watching covertly as he took a bite and chewed it, eyes closed, as though savoring every morsel. “Delicious,” he said.
“Thanks.” I checked my watch. “Good. We’ve got time to prepare for our meeting with Sonny in the morning at ten o’clock.”
Case stopped eating. “What meeting?”
“At the end of the press conference, one of Sonny’s men came up to me and said Sonny wanted to talk to me privately after the conference. When I met with him, I asked him the questions he wouldn’t answer in front of the press. He got angry until I threatened to talk to a news reporter. That changed his mind, or his attorneys’ minds, at least, so he agreed to see me privately tomorrow at the Talbot mansion since his office is closed on Saturdays. The thing is, I don’t feel comfortable going alone, so I’d like you to come with me. We’ll just have to give you a reason for being there.”
“How about that I’m your boyfriend and we’re heading out to go boating afterward?”
I thought about it for a moment. “We’re better off sticking with the story we told the coroner. Kevin and I are kind of a known couple around town.”
“Ah.”
“Kevin! Oh, no. I was supposed to call him after work.” I scooted back my chair and snatched my purse off the sofa, digging through it until I found my phone. On it were three text messages and a missed call.
“Hey, Kev. How are you?” Holding my phone between my ear and my shoulder, I took my plate to the counter and began to fill the sink with hot water and dish detergent. “What did you say?”
“I said I can hardly hear you. What are you doing?”
Being a horrible girlfriend.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Mortified, I shut off the water. “I’m just washing dishes after having a late bite to eat. Sorry I didn’t call earlier, Kev. I had tons of work waiting for me at the shop when I got back from the—um—”
Case was reaching around me to put his plate in the sink, standing so close I could smell the soap on his skin and feel the heat from his body.
“From the what?” Kevin asked.
“Press conference,” I blurted. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call sooner. I had so many things on my mind I forgot.”
“You’re forgetting about me an awful lot these days,” he said in an offended voice.
I couldn’t lie and deny it. I had to make it up to him somehow. “How about this, then? Dinner at six and I’ll fill you in on the conference.”
“I’m way ahead of you. I’ve already made reservations for us at La Belle Cuisine at six, so I’ll pick you up at five forty-five sharp.”
Not that he’d thought to ask if I was free before setting up that reservation. Trying to drum up some enthusiasm I said, “Great. I’m looking forward to it. See you then.”
I ended the call and heard a muttered, “Liar.” I turned to see Case studiously working on his new phone.
“What did you just call me?”
“Not you. This phone. The directions say it’s simple to set up. Ha!”
I wasn’t sure I believed him—or maybe I was just feeling guilty. I put the clean plates in the drying rack and came to stand beside him, reading the directions over his shoulder. I noticed his hair was slicked back and before I realized what I was doing, I ruffled it.
Case caught my wrist and brought it down in front of him with a quizzical glance. “What are you doing?”
What was I doing touching him so familiarly? “Your hair,” I said quickly, as heat flooded my face. “You had it combed straight back like the old Case. I was just trying to fluff it and bring it forward.”
He studied me with his intense golden-brown eyes as he ran his thumb across my palm, turning my insides liquid. In a soft, almost seductive voice he asked, “You know what I want to do right now?”
I swallowed, my throat going dry as I imagined all sorts of scenarios. “What?”
He placed my hand on the table and picked up the directions. “Finish setting up my phone. It’s hard to concentrate when you’re playing with my hair.”
Thoroughly humiliated by where my thoughts had taken me, I mustered up the indignation to say, “I was not playing with your hair. I was merely trying to style it so you wouldn’t be recognized if you decided to step out this evening. So do yourself a favor and fluff it the next time you shower.” And then I wouldn’t be tempted to touch him.
I stuffed my phone into my purse and slipped on my hooded sweatshirt. “I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s getting late, and I promised my son a treat before he goes to bed.”
Without looking up, he said, “I thought you wanted to prepare for our meeting with Sonny.”
I stopped, my
hand on the doorknob. Being so close to Case had completely thrown me off to the point that the meeting had totally slipped my mind.
“Let’s have some of that yogurt,” Case said, “and discuss quickly what we’re going to say so you can get home to your boy. We’ve been through it with Kirkland. It shouldn’t take long.”
“Then I need to call Nicholas and tell him I’ll be late.” As I took off the hoodie and slipped my cell phone from my purse, Case pulled the dark chocolate fudge yogurt from the freezer and began to hunt for bowls and spoons.
“Nicholas, hi, honey. I’m sorry but I won’t be home for at least another half an hour, so why don’t you ask one of your aunts to read you a bedtime story tonight and I’ll read you two tomorrow night?”
“Two? It’s a deal,” he said excitedly. “Entáxei, Mamá.”
Entáxei again. Dear God. He was turning more Greek by the day. “Nicholas, could you do me a favor and just say ‘Okay, Mom’?”
“I guess so,” he said with a heavy sigh. “But then you have to do me a favor and stop calling me Nicholas like I’m a five-year-old wimp or something.”
“But that’s your name.”
“Grandma calls me Niko and I like that better. It’s way cooler.”
“Let me think about it and get back to you. Good night, sweetheart.”
“Kalinýchta, Mamá.”
I put my phone away, feeling that same old dread of being sucked back into the family to the point where I was completely invisible again.
“Look what I found.” Case held up an ancient ice cream scooper in a drawer and spooned out two big helpings of the creamy dessert. Handing me a bowl he said, “So what’s going on with your son?”
“He’s turning into a full-fledged Greek, something I was hoping to keep to a low roar. I purposely moved away from Sequoia to establish my own identity as a normal person, not as a Greek woman. Now I’m back and it’s starting all over again.”
“I get it. You’re upset because your son is embracing his Greek heritage.”
“Exactly.”
“What’s Nicholas’s father’s heritage, if you don’t mind my asking?”