“Thank you, dear,” the man said and pulled a five-dollar bill out of his wallet.
“Oh no. Thank you, but you don’t have to tip me. I don’t work for the resort,” Starla said. “I’m actually here to talk to you. I found out through the grapevine that you had something stolen from your room? Is that correct?”
“Are you with the police? We already talked to the sheriff earlier,” the woman asked skeptically.
“I’m not. My name is Starla, and I’m kind of a private investigator, but not like a licensed one. I’m a concerned citizen.”
“Well, that’s nice of you, honey,” the woman said. “You’re a good person to spend your free time trying to help folks out.”
“Thank you,” Starla said. “I was hoping you could tell me more about the theft and what was taken. That would help me solve the case.”
“Well, we only had one thing stolen. It was our digital camera. John swears he packed it, but when I went to take pictures of one of the cruise ships—it was awfully big and shiny—it wasn’t in my bag. When we came back to the room, it wasn’t here either. John swears he didn’t set it down anywhere,” the woman said.
“Yep. I already made that mistake once. I took it out of the bag to get at the sunscreen and left it sitting on a bench. I swore I would never do that again. So I must have left it here, and the thief swiped it.”
“Did you have to dig in your bag for anything before the camera went missing?” Starla asked.
“Well, just once,” John said. “While Sadie was in the restroom, I was supposed to buy us each a strawberry slush. I’d put my wallet in her bag so that it didn’t slip out of my shorts pocket,” John said, but then he went on. “I really like those shorts, but they just have little slits for pockets on the side. I don’t like to put my wallet in my back pocket because it’s bad for my hips and back. That’s what the doctor told me.”
“So, you went through the bag to find your wallet to pay for the strawberry slushes. Did you take the camera out and set it down anywhere that time?” Starla asked.
“Just for a second. I set it on a wood stump thing next to the food truck, but I’m certain I put it back in the bag,” John said. “I know I did.”
“Of course you did, dear. I’m sure I saw it in there later,” Sadie said.
“If you saw the camera in the bag, then how did it get stolen here?” Starla thought she already knew the answer. The poor old couple had lost their camera, but it was a shame they’d gotten Louisa fired because of it.
“It must have been when we went to dinner. She must have come in to touch up the room or something,” Sadie said.
Starla made up her mind right then and there not to argue with the couple. She knew she probably couldn’t change their minds, and getting into a heated discussion with them wasn’t going to get Louisa her job back. She would tell Kane her theory, though.
Starla thanked them for their time and promised to get in touch with them if she solved the crime. The couple said they hoped Starla would figure it out before they left the island in a couple of days. Sadie and John told her they were supposed to depart that day, but there were flight delays due to the nearby storm.
She left the room and thought about whether she should tell Holden about what the couple had told her, or if she should just save it for Kane. Starla couldn’t imagine that Holden would be too happy about her conducting her unofficial investigations in his resort. Kane wouldn’t like it either, but she could handle his ire. It was quickly becoming their thing.
The elevator made it one floor before it stopped and the doors opened on the third floor. A young woman in a startlingly formfitting housekeeping uniform stepped on the elevator with Starla. The housekeeper’s long, thick aubergine hair was pulled up into a high pony tail. She popped her gum and extended a perfectly manicured fingernail to push the close door button.
“I’m Madison,” the housekeeper said between gum pops.
“I’m Starla.”
“I know who you are. You’re the big boss’s girl. I’ve seen you around asking questions about Louisa. Does Mr. Grey know you’re interrogating the guests in his resort?”
“I’m not interrogating anyone,” Starla said. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Don’t waste your time. Louisa is going to get herself fired anyway. She’s so lazy. I’m not sure why Mr. Grey puts up with her. She’s trash too, and everybody knows it. That’s probably why she stole that stuff. Louisa knows she’s going to get herself fired and she was trying to cash in before she didn’t have access to guest valuables anymore,” Madison said and smacked her gum. “Don’t bother with her; she’s not worth it. Mr. Grey is handsome and has money. He’s got even more cash now that he doesn’t have to help out that deadbeat sister of his anymore. If you land him, it would be like winning the man lottery. If you screw it up, just know that there are plenty of women around who want to buy a ticket.”
“Why do you think Louisa would steal?” Starla asked as she managed to keep her cool.
“I’ve seen her swipe some things in the past. Stuff’s gone missing in rooms and guests didn’t report it. Some of the other housekeepers’ tips go missing.”
“Did you report any of it?” Starla asked.
“No,” Madison said and blew a bubble.
“Why not?”
“I mind my own business,” Madison said with a shrug.
“I can see that,” Starla said with an eye roll.
Before Madison could say anything else, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Starla stepped out and made a beeline for the back exit. She’d had her fill of Madison and didn’t think she could hold back giving her a most unpleasant piece of her mind.
Chapter Six
Starla went home to change into more comfortable clothes before she tracked down Kane for a chat. She found Blossom waiting on her front porch.
“Why don’t you answer your phone?” Blossom called out as soon as she saw Starla.
Confused, Starla pulled her phone out and looked. Sure enough, she’d missed several calls and texts from Blossom. Her phone had been on silent.
“Sorry; phone’s on silent. What are you doing here?” Starla asked as she made her way up her front sidewalk. “I thought you had to work today.”
“There’s no business with the storm being so close. My shop girl is there, but she doesn’t need any help with no customers.”
“I thought the storm wasn’t supposed to affect us,” Starla said.
“It’s not, but it’s super close by. That makes the cruise lines and airlines nervous. I think most of the tourists who are stuck here are at the beach trying to have some fun before the surf gets rough.”
“The surf gets rough here even though the storm isn’t going to hit us?”
“It will a little. Stop worrying so much,” Blossom said with a laugh.
“Sorry, I’m just used to being landlocked. Stone Church is located in a place that gets tornadoes, but since it was a town full of witches, the worst weather skirted around us,” Starla said.
“Let’s get going to the cave,” Blossom said. “I want to see why that place is turning up in visions.”
“I thought we were going tonight,” Starla said.
“Let’s go now,” Blossom said. “Why, do you have somewhere else to be?”
“Well, I did some more investigating at the resort, and I want to talk to your brother about it.”
“I’m sure that can wait,” Blossom said. “Can’t it? Besides, Kane is more likely to relax and open up to you if you hit him up after he’s off duty.”
“Okay, let me change out of these clothes, and we’ll go,” Starla said.
“I’ll pack a bag with some snacks,” Blossom said cheerfully.
There were some tourists who’d wandered near the stone circle, but Blossom and Starla were happy to find that none of them had made it as far as the cave. They went into the cave entrance and Blossom took off her backpack.
“I brought the snacks,
but I also brought flashlights,” she said.
“Oh, thanks. I hadn’t even thought of that,” Starla said.
It began to rain and lightning filled the sky as they turned on their flashlights. Moments later, heavy thunder crashed so hard that it felt like Starla’s brain rattled.
“I thought you said the storm would miss us,” she said and poked her head back out of the cave to have a look at the sky.
“This isn’t anything to worry about,” Blossom said. “It’s just a little rain and thunder from the outside edge of the storm.”
Lighting flashed again, and a deluge began to fall from the sky. About the same time, a howling wind kicked up, and Starla retreated into the cave.
“I don’t think that’s a little rain and thunder,” Starla said. Her voice was tinged with worry. The clouds had been black and ominous, the way she’d seen them back in Stone Church when a tornadic cell was close to town.
“Starla, you can be such a worrywart sometimes,” Blossom said as she made her way to the mouth of the cave to have a peek outside. “Oh my…” Blossom sounded worried too.
“We should head back into town,” Starla said.
“How?” Blossom asked. “We walked here. We can’t go out and walk in that. The lightning is too close.”
“You said we were going to be fine and the storm would pass us by.” Starla was a little miffed.
“Well, I’m not a meteorologist. Apparently, the ocean winds must have shifted a bit. Hopefully, we’re not going to take a direct hit.”
Starla let out a loud sigh. “What do we do?”
“Wait here and hope for the best,” Blossom offered with a shrug. “We could go deeper into the cave. It might be drier and there’d be less wind.” Neither one of them was dressed for the wind and chill that accompanied the storm.
“Blossom, caves fill up with water. I don’t want to go deeper in. Let’s wait here. Maybe someone will come along or maybe the storm will just clip us and it’ll be over soon.”
“Okay,” Blossom said.
They turned their attention to the beach, and both were horrified to see the storm surge racing toward them. It only made it halfway to the cave that time, but it was just the beginning.
“We have to get out of here,” Starla said. “Lightning or not, we’ll have to chance it.”
“Starla, if we do that, the storm surge will sweep us out to sea. We have to wait here,” Blossom said as she put her arm around her shivering friend.
It wasn’t more than a few minutes before the waves reached the mouth of the cave and the water began to slosh against their feet. Ten minutes later and the water was up to their knees.
“Blossom?”
“Yeah?”
“I really wish we had our magic,” Starla said as she fought back frightened tears.
“I wish we had a boat,” Blossom said with a chuckle.
“We’re going to drown.”
“No, we’re not. Look up there. There’s a ledge a few feet up on the cliff face. We’ll just tread water until we get high enough to climb on.”
“Do you really think that will work?”
“I hope so,” Blossom said, but by then all the good cheer was gone from her. She’d become as frightened as Starla.
By the time the water was up to their waists, both witches were sobbing and terrified. “Is it too late for me to add a boat to my wish list?” Starla asked.
As soon as the words were out, the two of them heard the sound of a distant boat engine. “I think you did it,” Blossom said.
They clasped hands and stuck their heads out into the driving rain to try and get a better view of the approaching boat. “It’s Kane!” Starla shouted. “Kane! We’re over here!”
Starla and Blossom began to jump up and down and wave their arms furiously. The boat, which had already been in their direction, accelerated as if Kane had put the pedal to the floor.
Kane slowed as he got closer and brought the boat around so that the side faced the girls. “Come on. We don’t have much time. The surge is about to get much worse. We need to get inland as much as possible,” he said and stretched his arm out.
Starla let Blossom go first. While Kane tried to pull his sister in, Starla dug her heels into the mud as much as she could and attempted to help push Blossom into the boat.
Once Blossom was in, Kane and his sister both reached out to help pull Starla in with them. They had hoisted her about halfway in when a huge wave rolled up and tipped the craft halfway over. Kane and Blossom spilled out. The force of the water pushed Starla clear, but Kane had to yank Blossom into the cave before another wave toppled the boat completely. She’d barely escaped being clocked on the head by the side of the boat.
“Get in the cave. Quick!” Kane sputtered through the rain and waves.
More huge waves were rolling in, and the trio only had seconds to find shelter. If they’d stayed outside the cave, the massive rolling water would have picked them up and smashed them against the rocks.
Once they were inside, the group had to run to the back of the cave as the front filled with water. Blossom felt along the wall until she found the spot that would open the secret room.
“How did you do that?” Kane asked in amazement as the stone door slid out of the way.
“We’ll worry about that later,” she said, and they hurried inside.
Kane was able to push the giant slab back into place just before the water pressure got too great to shut the door. They all backed up into the corner of the room and watched.
At first, it seemed as though the room would be safe. That wasn’t the case. Water began to seep in under the door as the pressure grew too great.
“What are we going to do?” Kane asked. “Is there another way out of this room?”
“No,” Blossom said. It was obvious that she was horrified, and Starla felt the same way. They both silently lamented how they didn’t have their magic to save them.
By the time the water was up to their chins, all three were shivering and shaking. The water wasn’t as warm as you’d expect it to be on a tropical island. It was almost as if at least some of the water had rushed in from somewhere else.
Kane, Blossom, and Starla all held hands as the water finally filled the room and covered their heads. At least, Starla thought, we’re not dying alone.
As the pressure in her chest grew from the lack of oxygen, something in the room shifted. Suddenly, the water was rushing out. Once their mouths were above water, the trio gasped for breath.
The water pressure had opened another secret door. That must have been the reason the water was so cold. Part of it had come from underground as it equalized the pressure against the hidden passage way.
“Oh my goddess, we’re alive!” Blossom exclaimed as they peered down the new hall before them.
“Let’s see where it goes,” Kane said and stepped out of the chamber. “I don’t want to wait until this whole place fills with water.”
They proceeded cautiously through the unexplored part of the cave. Eventually, the passageway began to incline up, and they found themselves exiting the cave in the middle of the island. The secret opening had long been covered by a tangled mass of vines and brush. It was completely hidden, although even if someone had found it, they wouldn’t have been able to get into the cave because of the hidden door. To anyone else, it would have been a long passageway that ended at a dead end.
“Come on,” Kane said. “I need to get you two somewhere safe so I can start search and rescue.”
Starla looked down at the town and couldn’t believe the devastation. What’s worse was the water was still rising.
Chapter Seven
Blossom and Starla took shelter at the resort while Kane left to go help people. Holden got them a room, but as soon as they were alone, the pair set out to retrieve Presto.
“This is monumentally stupid,” Starla said. “Are you sure you want to go with me?”
“I want to go because it’s monumenta
lly stupid, Starla. Besides, I would never let you go alone.”
Fortunately, Kane was gone and Holden was too busy with the craziness that broke out at the resort for either of them to notice Starla and Blossom sneaking out the back.
The winds had died down, and the rain was just a drizzle by then. They were either in the eye of the storm or the worst of it had passed. Starla hoped that the worst had passed, and if they were in the eye, she hoped they made it back before the other side of the storm hit.
“I think we’re in the eye,” Blossom said as if she could read Starla’s mind. “We need to hurry.”
“It’s a little hard to hurry when we’re waist-deep in water,” Starla said.
“Yeah, but at least it’s just flooding and not waves anymore. If we don’t make it back before the waves hit, we’ll be washed out to sea.”
“What are the chances the other side of the eye won’t hit us? Like, maybe it’s a glancing blow.”
“We can hope for that, but what we need is a boat.”
Just then, Starla had a vision in the back of her mind of Juniper locked in the bathroom of her old house. The lights were off and there were tons of candles lit. She got the feeling that Juniper was trying to help, but also had to keep it a secret. The Grand Coven must not have wanted anyone assisting Starla, but she’d have to look into the specifics on that one another time.
Out of instinct, Starla said, “I wish we had a boat.”
To the witches’ surprise and delight, a boat came floating around from someone’s backyard.
“It worked!” Blossom exclaimed. They exchanged high fives.
“I think Juniper is helping us from back home somehow. I can see it in my mind, but she’s hiding it. I wonder why.”
“We’ll figure that out when we’re not at risk for drowning. Okay?” Blossom said.
Starla grabbed the side of the boat, and they helped each other climb inside. There were even oars inside the boat for them to row, and the witches made it to Starla’s house in minutes.
Starla gasped when she saw her house, but she was relieved to see that it wasn’t completely underwater. She wasn’t sure what she’d have done if Presto had drowned.
Long Islands and Larceny Page 4