Crêpe Murder_A Seagrass Sweets Cozy Mystery

by Sandi Scott

  “Did I tell you that Richard said they will have desserts there?” Georgie reassured her sister as she locked her front door.

  “I hope it isn’t sugar free or made with tofu.” Aleta yelled as she walked to her home next door and locked her front door. “Do we have to take Pablo? Don’t you want to ride in my car?”

  “I had Pablo washed. Look at how nice he looks.” Georgie walked to her orange vintage Volkswagen and patted the smooth, curved roof. “Besides, parking is on the street. You don’t want to leave your Mercedes there. And no, I asked Richard before I agreed to go if the desserts were ‘real’ desserts or some healthy version of the good stuff.”

  The ladies climbed into Pablo with a rusty squeal of the door hinges plus two kicks from the exhaust as the engine sputtered to life and they were on their way.

  “Okay, well, that will make being seen with you worth it, I suppose.” Aleta teased. “And he said he’d pay you once you got there? Let’s make sure of that. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he might have forgotten but usually, the only people that forget about paying a debt are people who don’t ever plan on paying.”

  “My goodness, Aleta, not everyone is out to get something for nothing. Besides, I believe him when he says he forgot.”

  “It’s something I learned the hard way when I ran the business. I’m looking out for my baby sister.”

  “I’m not the baby. You are. I was born two whole minutes before you and don’t you forget it.”

  “So this is a cruise for a fitness franchise? That’s interesting. I was considering joining a gym. Not to get bulked up or anything but to stay active, keep moving, you know?” Aleta nodded as she spoke.

  “Richard’s gyms specialize in not only making your body healthy but your mind, too. His gyms don’t really resemble your average gym. They’ve got all the equipment of your average gym but there are no televisions or mirrors, the music is upbeat but meditative and each room has one whole wall that is made of windows so the members can look out onto the Zen gardens he has purposely designed around his buildings. It’s really quite unconventional.”

  “Do his gyms have pools?” Aleta asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Then that is all I need. Maybe I’ll sign up. On the condition you get your money, first.”

  Chapter 2

  The Kaye sisters climbed aboard the Catherine O’Leary cruise ship right as it was about to shove off. “Careful, ladies.” The Captain said as he greeted all the guests when they boarded the boat. “That sprinkling of rain can make things just a little slippery.” It had rained for a brief spell and the sky remained gray. Georgie linked her arm through Aleta’s as she usually did when she wanted to gossip or steady herself from falling into Lake Michigan.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much spandex in one place ever.” Georgie whispered.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many fluorescent colors on clothing before. You were wrong. Your pink raincoat thingie would have fit right in.” Aleta added.

  “It looks like a Bally’s commercial. For some reason I envisioned this place would look more like The Poseidon Adventure. Still, I feel like I’ve got the Shelley Winters character done perfectly.”

  Aleta laughed out loud then nodded as they gave their names to an extremely muscular woman wearing a badge that read Margie, WBC Iron Games Champion 2012. She flipped her long blond hair, running a finger with hot pink acrylic nails down the roster searching for the Kaye sister’s names, then pulled their name tags out and smiled.

  “You’ll be having dinner at the Captain’s table. Here are your name tags, your table number, and a bag of goodies to take with you.” Her teeth were so white Georgie had to blink. “Have a great time.

  “Thanks, Margie.” Georgie gushed as she peeked inside her bag. “There are candy bars in here.” She whispered.

  “Those are delicious.” Margie pointed at both of their bags. “They are coconut and almond bits with kale and dark chocolate. They are great for an after-workout snack. They give you a real bump in energy.”

  Georgie felt Aleta squeeze her hand as they both nodded and smiled.

  “Good gravy.” Aleta shivered. “Did she really say kale and dark chocolate in the same sentence? I’m sorry. I know these people work really hard to look the way they do but something has come disconnected when you think boy, I sure could go for one of those chocolate covered kale bars.”

  “Remember. They are giving them away for free. There might be a reason for that.” Georgie nodded. “Well, they aren’t starting dinner for another thirty-five minutes. Let’s see what the big attractions are. I’ll check out the Richard M. Daley Room and the Jayne Burn Suite, and you peek in the Frank Lloyd Wright Room and the Roger Ebert Suite. Let’s meet back at our table for dinner.”

  Before Aleta could protest, Georgie quickly shuffled through the crowd of spandex and made her way to one of the major conference rooms. Inside was a woman on stage wearing a revealing black and gold tank top with matching stretch pants. Behind her was what looked like a before and after image of herself.

  “I had two kids and no job. No motivation. My husband of twelve years had left me for a younger woman. So what did I do? What too many people do. I found comfort in that bag of potato chips. I found comfort in McDonalds. I found comfort in a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream.”

  “Being rather unfair to Mr. Rocky Road, don’t you think?” Georgie mumbled.

  “But then, I had a revelation.” She stood like Wonder Woman with her legs apart and her hands on her hips. “No one is responsible for how I feel but me. So I took control.”

  People started to clap and cheer.

  The woman smiled and nodded her head.

  “It wasn’t easy. All of you know what it takes to look like this.” She flexed her biceps and the room went nuts. “But once you start down this path, you won’t ever settle for less. If I achieved it, you can too.”

  “Achieve what?” Georgie asked herself. “I’m not sure what she’s talking about. I’m lost. Never come in in the middle of a speech.”

  “It’s all in my book Lifting the Weight: 117 Simple Tips to Build Your Body, Mind, and Soul. It is normally $24.95, but tonight for this event, I am offering it for $14.95. I’ll be here to sign copies and answer any questions you might have.”

  The room burst into enthusiastic applause as the woman struck a couple of poses before she jogged off the stage and took a seat at a long table stacked with books that all had her picture on the covers.

  Georgie turned and headed toward the next room. Along the way there were tables set up with people selling t-shirts, exercise balls, kettle bells, tension ribbons, sunglasses, baseball caps, nutrition journals, calorie counting calculators, and even jewelry of little barbells, flexed biceps, and inspirational words like Achieve, Believe, and Imagine.

  In the next room, there was a huge video screen playing a video of a man in front of a room full of scantily clad women with a few men in the way back background doing the most insane dance moves, sweating like they were performing in Hades to some music that was thump-thump-thumping a heavy beat.

  Some of the people in the room tried some of the moves. Others stood watching, their heads bobbing in time to the music. Georgie noticed that there was a long line to the left of people purchasing the DVD.

  “Watching all that exercise has made me hungry.” Georgie turned and went to find her sister. Back in the main ballroom she saw Aleta cornered in a conversation with a man in a tight black t-shirt with tattoos spilling out of the neck and sleeves.

  As she caught Aleta’s desperate look, she quickly swooped in.

  “Aleta, the Captain is requesting your company immediately. He wants to thank you personally for recommending that tea to help his continence. You know, the one you use?” Georgie looked up innocently at the bodybuilder who stopped speaking immediately and grabbed her sister’s hand. “Excuse me. My sister is an expert on all things colon. She’s in such high
demand.”

  “Are you out of your mind?” Aleta gritted her teeth. “All things colon?”

  “I got you out of there, didn’t I?” Georgie led them to their table where they took a seat.

  “Everyone in this place is looking to drop a couple extra ounces to make their goal weight. Telling them I can recommend something to help them poop isn’t going to get them to shy away.” Aleta shook her head. “I’ll get you back. Before the night is out, you’ll pay.”

  “Okay. Maybe I didn’t think that one through.”

  “Georgie?” Richard Batt was waving from across the room. He had a beautiful redhead wearing a very short-skirted business suit hanging on to his arm. “Georgie! I’m so glad you made it.”

  “Well, how could I turn down such a great invitation? Richard, this is my sister, Aleta.”

  Richard’s huge paw completely engulfed Aleta’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you. This is my girlfriend and business partner, Megan.”

  Megan tugged at her short skirt out of habit and extended her hand to Aleta.

  Everyone exchanged pleasantries for a few moments before Richard spoke about his business with Georgie.

  “Wait until you see the painting of Harley she did.” He looked at Megan. “It looks beautiful. Like she can just jump right off the canvas.”

  “So you’re the Georgie he’s been talking about.” Megan clapped. “Richard said your pieces were beautiful and very reasonably priced. I have a pet snake I might like a portrait of. Wouldn’t that be nice, Rich?”

  “Yeah.” Richard smiled nervously. “Meg, babe, would you go get me a sparkling water. I need to talk to Georgie for a moment.”

  “Sure, babe. Be right back. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Georgie.”

  Georgie smiled and felt the sharp elbow of her sister poking her in the ribs.

  “Well, I’m sorry, Georgie but I can’t pay you tonight.” Richard rubbed the back of his neck. “There was one final payment for this event I forgot about that was automatically withdrawn from my account this afternoon. I’ve got about forty dollars to get me by the next few days.”

  “I understand.” Georgie sighed. “These things happen.”

  “I can tell by the sound of your voice you don’t believe me.” He looked at Georgie like he was speaking to a child. “Trust me, Georgie. I’ll have your money for you in a few more days.”

  “Well, Georgie, you can keep the painting until you get paid or sell it, right? There was no down payment on the piece or a commission in place, right?” Aleta stepped in and looked Richard up and down. It was obvious to Richard that Georgie had someone in the business world to confer with. It was also obvious that Aleta Kaye was the more abrasive of the two sisters.

  “Yes, yes.” Georgie smiled. “You are correct. It’s my painting until payment is received. But Richard, would it be helpful for you to make a partial payment? I am not unreasonable and can work with you if that is more convenient?” She offered in a hushed voice.

  “That would be amazing.” He looked at Georgie. “Let’s talk later. Please, enjoy the rest of the event. The food is being set out buffet style so go help yourselves. We’re going to be showing a demo of a new fitness dance that we discovered in California. It will bury Zumba.”

  “It will so bury Zumba.” Megan chimed in as she handed Richard an ice-cold bottle of sparkling water. “You should come and check it out after you’ve put a little something in your stomach.”

  “We will.” Georgie acted as enthusiastic as she could and waved.”

  “Buffet is open.” Aleta stood up after Richard and Megan have slipped into another conversation at another table. “Let’s go.”

  “Go ahead and say it.” Georgie said handing a big, white plate to her sister before taking one for herself.

  “Say what?” Aleta raised her eyebrows.

  “Say I told you so.” Georgie pouted her lips.

  “Do you think this is the kind of thing I want to gloat over? It’s not.” Aleta jerked her head in Richard’s direction. “But you might want to find a person with one of those pug-nosed cats who will buy the painting from you because I don’t think that halfwit is going to pay a dime.”

  “I’ll give him one more chance.” Georgie’s shoulders slumped.

  They stood impatiently in line at the buffet leaning to each side, trying to see what was on the loaded buffet tables. Suddenly a very deep voice addressed them both.

  “So where do you ladies work out?”

  Georgie turned around to find herself looking directly into the pectorals of a man who could make The Incredible Hulk green with envy.

  “My sister and I don’t really have a specific place.” Georgie smiled up at the man. He had a boyish face with hair cropped short on the sides and longer on top with a blond Superman curl in the middle of his forehead.

  “Well, that’s good to know. My name is Decklin Zannowski. Everyone calls me Deck.” He reached out his hand.

  Georgie and Aleta both shook, taking note at how soft and gentle his grip was. He also smelled very good, like fresh cut grass.

  “Look, if you ladies ever need a place to work out, I’d be thrilled if you’d consider my place.” His smile was contagious. “I have on staff an ‘enhanced trainer’ who specializes in guiding individuals looking to get into competitions.”

  “That’s very kind of you Deck, but my sister and I are probably past the competition stage of our lives.” Both of them giggled. Deck smiled widely, too.

  “That’s okay.” He soothed. “My gym also specializes in reaching out to assist more seasoned citizens with rebuilding their muscles comfortably and steadily to ensure you are golden for those golden years. Not that you two ladies are anywhere close to that yet.” He winked. “You see, I also work part-time as a physical therapist at the Vandalia Veteran’s Hospital. I understand that change can be not just hard but devastating in some instances. But it’s never too late to start something good for yourself.”

  “That is very true, Deck.” Georgie agreed.

  “What kind of fees do you charge?” Aleta asked unable to hide her financial prowess. “Working with older people on fixed incomes doesn’t sound all that lucrative.”

  “Very true.” Deck said with twinkling eyes. “That’s why I do physical therapy at the hospital to keep a steady paycheck. Many of my older clients pay me a flat fee, others pay as they go, some cook me dinner, other’s make me brownies. Something can always be worked out.”

  “Well, you don’t hear of many entrepreneurs taking their pay in brownies.” Aleta smiled, her hard, crunchy shell having been cracked.

  “No ma’am. But what goes around comes around.” He reached into the pocket of his tight fitting jeans and pulled out a gold business card case. “Please take my card and if you decide you might like to have a session or two, let’s talk.”

  “Thank you, Deck. We will.” Georgie smiled and slipped her card into her pants pocket as Aleta studied hers before doing the same.

  “If I don’t get something to eat I’m going to faint.” The big lug said, rubbing his stomach.

  “Yes. Us too.” Georgie turned and started to inch her way behind Aleta down the long table of food. The tables were loaded with piles of plain steamed chicken breast, kale salad and a variety of steamed vegetables.

  “What is it with the kale?” Deck mumbled to Georgie. “I don’t care how many vitamins it has. I can’t choke it down. Am I the only one who thinks it tastes horrible?”

  “No, Deck.” Aleta piped up. “You are not.”

  “I was really hoping there might be some real food at this thing.” He shook his head as he loaded his plate full of steaming hot vegetables. “And there’s no butter, either. There’s got to be some in the kitchen. I’ll find it. Would you ladies like me to bring you some, too?”

  “YES!” they said in unison.

  Deck nodded his head and smiled as he stepped out of line and headed toward the kitchen.

  “Deck!” A woman c
aught up with him before he had moved more than a few feet away from the tables.

  “Great. Now we’ll have to wait.” Aleta muttered pursing her lips together. “That girl obviously doesn’t know Deck is in the middle of an emergency. I need to eat something and plain vegetables are not it.”

  “Shh. Listen.” Georgie, who wouldn’t let a juicy bit of conversation slip past unnoticed, jerked her chin at the woman who was holding Deck firmly by the arm. She was wearing a t-shirt tied in a knot at her waist. The words AdonisTech Fitness Equipment blazed in bright red and black across the front and the back.

  “Deck. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

  “Hi, Abby.” Deck’s voice dropped and his eyes looked everywhere but at the woman standing in front of him.

  “I was hoping you might have a minute when we could talk.”

  “We can talk right now.” Deck said casually.

  “I meant in private, silly.” This Abby person had more than fitness training on her mind. “I’ve got something I want to tell you.”

  “Well, I’m kind of busy, Abby. These things aren’t just all fun and games to me. This is work.” Deck sounded like a father telling his daughter she can’t have the car on Friday.

  “I know that. I’m busy, too. But can we? Can we talk later?”

  Georgie leaned into her sister.

  “She obviously never learned the rules to playing hard to get.”

  “Obviously.” Aleta raised her right eyebrow and went back to trying to fill her plate. “They don’t have any bread? What kind of cruise is this? We’ll be resorting to cannibalism before long.”

  “Deck, if you think I’m going to forget about what happened, about what you did to me, you’re crazy. I’ve hired a lawyer, Deck. I didn’t want it to be this way but...”