Boats and Bad Guys (Dune House Cozy Mystery Series)

by Cindy Bell

  “Wow,” Mary said as she read the title of the article. “Three men arrested for armed robbery,” she shook her head. “That's more than getting in a little bit of trouble.”

  “It says that Darren Black was one of the three men who robbed Washington Bank. They were caught two days later, and arrested, but the money was never recovered,” Suzie said with a light cluck of her tongue. “Darren got himself into some serious trouble.”

  “Do you think he's still in prison?” Mary wondered out loud.

  “I think he would be with that charge,” Suzie replied as she flipped through the articles. “We should visit the prison and see what he has to say about this painting.”

  “The prison?” Mary asked with wide eyes. “I'm not sure I'd want to go there.”

  “Well, it looks like if we want to visit Darren Black we're going to have to head to the local cemetery instead,” Suzie said as her eyes fell on another article related to Darren.

  “Is he dead?” Mary asked as she read over the article as well.

  “He was killed during a prison riot,” Suzie said softly. “Not more than a year after Alexandria died.”

  “Incredible,” Mary shook her head. “I guess we've reached a dead end then,” she said with some disappointment. “With Alexandria gone, and Darren gone, there's no one to give us any more insight into that map.”

  Suzie sat back in her chair. Her eyes were narrowed and her lips pursed.

  “Uh oh, what are you brewing in that mind of yours?” Mary asked suspiciously as she recognized the expression.

  “I'm just thinking,” Suzie said innocently.

  “About what?” Mary pressed.

  “Well, the stolen money was never recovered. But all three men who stole it were arrested,” Suzie pointed out.

  “And?” Mary asked.

  “And, it's likely they stashed the money somewhere, right?” Suzie asked, her eyes lighting up.

  “You think the map leads to the stolen money?” Mary asked with wide eyes. “You think Alexandria knew about it?”

  “Think about it,” Suzie nodded. “She and Darren were head over heels in love, they only had each other. If Darren did something as wild as rob a bank, who do you think he would trust the money with or at the very least the location of the money?”

  “But, if Alexandria knew where the money was, why would she jump off a cliff?” Mary asked. “She could have been a very rich woman. She would have had more than enough to set up a beautiful life for herself and Darren when he got out. Do you think she did it out of guilt?”

  “I would think if she was feeling guilty she would have just turned the money in,” Suzie said thoughtfully. “What would drive her to jump?”

  “Maybe the secret was too much pressure,” Mary suggested in a whisper.

  “Or maybe, she didn't jump at all,” Suzie said with a raised eyebrow.

  “What are you saying, Suzie?” Mary asked with a gasp and then lowered her voice. “Do you think Alexandria was murdered?”

  “I think we need to find out more about all of this,” Suzie said sternly.

  “But how?” Mary asked. “It doesn't sound like any of Alexandria's friends knew what was happening in her life. With Darren gone, there's no one else to ask.”

  “Maybe not,” Suzie said and shook her head. “But I'm not willing to let go of this little mystery yet.”

  Just as she spoke her cell phone began to ring shrilly. She answered it quickly and ducked her head to avoid the admonishing glances from other people at the library.

  “Hello?” she asked.

  “Hi Suzie, it's me Paul,” Paul said nervously.

  “Hi Paul,” Suzie instantly smiled, and then forced her expression to be more casual when she saw Mary eying her suspiciously.

  “Listen, I know I promised to take you and Mary out on the water today, but it's still pretty choppy out there. I think we're better off waiting until tomorrow afternoon. Is that all right with you?”

  “Of course it is,” Suzie replied though she couldn't hide a twinge of disappointment. “No point in treasure hunting if we're going to end up stranded instead.”

  “I wouldn't let that happen,” Paul promised her. “But from the weather report the sea is going to be pretty wild for most of the night tonight, it's best to wait until it's calm.”

  “Thanks Paul,” Suzie said quickly. “I'm looking forward to it, any time we can go.”

  “Me too,” Paul admitted. “Did you weather the storm okay?” he asked.

  “We were fine,” Suzie promised him.

  “Let's plan for two in the afternoon tomorrow, okay?” he suggested.

  “Sounds great, thanks again,” Suzie said before hanging up the phone. “Looks like we're stuck on dry land today,” Suzie said with a sigh as she looked at Mary.

  “Like you said, Paul is cautious,” Mary smiled.

  “Well, he did say the weather is going to get a little wild this evening, so maybe we should head back. There are some things I can get done around the house while we wait out this storm,” Suzie suggested. As they left the library Louis waved to them.

  Chapter Four

  When Suzie and Mary arrived back at Dune House it was hard for Suzie to focus on the tasks at hand. She wanted more than anything to know what had happened to Alexandria, and where the map led. Mary was rummaging around in the kitchen when she suddenly laughed.

  “All this running in and out of town and we're completely out of bread, cereal and coffee,” she groaned. “I can't believe I forgot to pick some up.”

  “We'll go back and grab it,” Suzie said as she picked up the car keys.

  “That's all right, I'll go,” Mary said. “I know you have things you want to do here. Plus, there were a few books at the library I was interested in. I got distracted when we began looking at the microfilm. I'll be back in just a little while.”

  Suzie sensed that Mary might want some time alone, so she didn't push it. “Just be careful of the weather,” Suzie said as she dropped the keys into her hand.

  “I will be,” Mary promised her. “No finding any treasure while I'm gone, please!” she called back over her shoulder as she headed out the door.

  Suzie smiled as she watched her friend leave. She knew that Mary was still dealing with the emotions of her divorce, and some of what she was experiencing was impossible for Suzie to understand. She had never had her heart broken, and she hoped she never would.

  As she began folding the linens she had recently washed that would go in the rooms that she was finished decorating, her mind drifted back to Alexandria. She imagined the young woman, so in love, and what it must have been like for her if Darren left the money with her. Alexandria had probably been terrified, and then crushed when Darren was arrested. Justice was served, but Alexandria had been permanently wounded in the process. Still, Suzie found it hard to believe that she could have jumped off the cliff. She finished folding the linens and pulled on some rubber gloves to continue working on one of the bathrooms that needed a lot of attention.

  “Hello?” a rough voice called out. Suzie tensed as she heard the door bang against the outside wall. Someone had swung it open very hard. She pulled off her gloves and walked towards the front door very cautiously.

  “Hello?” she replied as she took note of the two men standing just inside the door. One was tall and very thick, as broad as any bear she had seen. His hair was disheveled half-splayed across his forehead and hanging in his eyes, something between brown and black. He was glowering at her in a way that made her very uneasy. The man beside him was just as tall but was as thin as a pole. His eyes were dark and narrowed as they settled on Suzie. For a brief moment she thought she knew them from somewhere, but the moment passed as the thin man began to speak.

  “We're looking for a room,” he said gruffly and took a step further into the house without being invited. “This looks like a good place,” he added, though his voice did not indicate a compliment.

  “Oh, I'm very sorry bu
t we're not open for business yet,” Suzie replied her heart starting to beat faster. Something about the two men made her think she was in danger. She wasn't sure if it was their manner of dress which was sloppy at best, or the fact that neither had managed even the slightest smile or warmth in their tone. She glanced nervously over her shoulder, well aware that she was alone in Dune House. Then she looked back at the two men, hoping they would take the hint and leave.

  “I'm sure you've got a bed we can sleep in,” the thin man said and reached up to adjust the baseball cap he was wearing. It had no image on it, just a solid black cap. “We don't need much, just a roof over our heads. Would you deny us that?” he asked in a polite tone, but his eyes remained just as cold.

  “Again, I'm very sorry,” Suzie said quickly, she didn't want word to get around that she wasn’t welcoming to guests. “But we can't host any guests until Dune House is officially open, it's an insurance issue,” she explained with a slight shrug.

  “Sure, insurance,” the bear-sized man muttered with a shake of his head. Suzie was startled when he spoke as he had been staring at her with a sneer in silence for quite some time. “We're not going to report anything to any insurance. Are we Al?” he asked the thin man.

  “That may be true,” Suzie said cordially, she was becoming more and more anxious with the two of them blocking the door. “But, I can't take that kind of risk. I'm sure you understand. There is a fine motel a mile or so down the beach. I'm sure they will have a room available.”

  “Hmm, I get the point,” the tall, thin man, Al, nodded. “Let's go George, we're not wanted here.”

  Suzie felt some relief as she watched the two men turn to leave. But George stopped and turned back to look at her.

  “Do you have a restroom I could use?” he asked, his hard eyes boring into her, his broad shoulders tense and his muscles flexed. She was well aware she would not be capable of defending herself against a man his size.

  Suzie was normally one to be welcoming and accommodating to anyone. But she had learned enough about people during her time as an investigative reporter to know when there was a potential for danger.

  “Sorry, waiting for the plumber,” she said swiftly and glanced down at her hands. It was a lie, but there was no way she was going to let them get passed her and further into the house. She was certain there was something off about them. She had the same uneasy feeling she had when she found the fingerprints and when she was in the library.

  “Did you hear that, Al?” George asked as he looked over at the skinny man. “She's waiting on the plumber,” he chuckled as if that was some kind of inside joke between the two men and then shook his head as he walked out through the door. Al followed close behind him, slamming the screen door shut as he left. Suzie was so relieved to see them go that she quickly closed and locked the door. She was used to working with the door open so that people could come and go as they pleased, but she realized she might have to change that policy.

  She was still a little unnerved by the visit from the strange men when she heard a pounding on the door. She looked up from the table she had been cleaning and stared at the door. She waited to see if whoever was knocking would leave.

  “Suzie?” Mary called through the door. “Are you in there?”

  Suzie smiled and walked over to open the door. Mary looked confused as she stepped inside and Suzie took one of the bags of groceries that Mary was carrying.

  “Why was the door locked?” she asked as she followed after Suzie with the other bag of groceries.

  “I'm sorry, I just had a strange visit from two men, and I felt uncomfortable leaving it unlocked,” Suzie explained as she began pulling the cold and frozen items out of the bags.

  “Two men?” Mary asked and began taking the canned food out. “What was strange about them?”

  “They wanted to rent a room,” Suzie muttered as she stacked the last of the frozen food in the freezer. Mary had bought much more than the items she had gone out for.

  “Well, that's not so strange, it is a B & B after all,” Mary replied with a short laugh.

  “I know, but it was the way they spoke to me,” Suzie shivered a little. “Their eyes were just...” she hesitated for a moment as she tried to come up with the right word.

  “Mean? Cold?” Mary suggested and finished stacking the cans.

  “Cruel,” Suzie said with a light snap of her fingers. “That's it, they were cruel.”

  “Oh, that doesn't sound good at all,” Mary said with a frown. “Maybe we should have Jason come by and check things out? Or at least let him know?”

  “No, I don't think we need to get Jason involved,” Suzie shook her head. “I don't want to go running to him all the time. He has a very busy life,” she muttered.

  “Hmm,” Mary folded up the cloth grocery bags and tucked them in the cabinet beside the refrigerator. “Well, if you see them again you need to say something. And from now on we'll keep that door locked. This might be a small town, but crime still does happen.”

  “Yes, at least until we open,” Suzie agreed. But as she stared wistfully through the tall kitchen windows she found herself wondering if that would be enough. She still felt a sense of discomfort, and she simply couldn't shake it.

  “Do you think that the weather will be clear enough tomorrow for us to go on our treasure hunt?” Mary asked. Suzie could tell she was hoping to distract her from the current topic.

  “I hope so,” Suzie said.

  “I'm still not so sure about getting on that boat,” Mary winced.

  “It'll be fine,” Suzie promised her and offered a warm smile. “I know that you're not a fan of being out on the open water, but I think if you give it a chance you might actually enjoy yourself. It won't be anything like the cruise, I promise,” Suzie added.

  “I find that very hard to believe,” Mary said with a raised eyebrow.

  “Well, I don't think Paul is going to serve bad seafood and insist on line dancing,” Suzie pointed out with a grin.

  “I bet you wouldn't mind too much if he did,” Mary winked at her.

  “Paul is just a friend,” Suzie stated firmly but she had to turn away from Mary to hide the blush rising in her cheeks.

  ***

  That night Suzie could barely sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw George and Al blocking the doorway of Dune House. When she finally fell asleep the dream she found herself in was unsettling. She was on the boat, Paul was smiling at her. Mary was waving at her with a big grin. It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear. But Suzie was feeling uneasy. She looked up at the sky to see a swirling tornado headed straight towards them.

  Neither of them seemed to notice the certain disaster that was headed straight for them.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it couldn't be real, but it was happening right before her eyes.

  “Mary!” she cried out. Her voice woke her from her sleep. She sat straight up in bed.

  “Suzie?” Mary said as she burst into her room. “Are you okay?” she asked when she sat down beside Suzie on the bed.

  Suzie drank in the sight of Mary with great relief. “I'm sorry, Mary, I just had a bad dream.”

  “Oh, Suzie, it's okay,” Mary promised her and hugged her gently. She studied Suzie with deep concern in her eyes. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  “I...” Suzie opened her mouth to speak further, but something stopped her. She didn't want to tell Mary what she had seen. “I don't want to get on that boat today.”

  “Suzie, don't say that,” Mary frowned. “Weren’t you the one telling me that everything would be fine?”

  “What if the weather is bad?” Suzie pointed out with anxiety in her voice.

  “The weather is perfect,” Mary said firmly. “And like you said Paul would never let us out on the water if he thought it was the slightest bit dangerous. You're just under a bit of stress, Suzie, and that can make your mind create some wild things in your sleep.”

  “I'm sure you're ri
ght,” Suzie frowned. She wanted to believe that, too. But her dream had her rattled. “We have some time this morning. I think I do want to go and talk to Jason,” she said with a heavy sigh.

  “About the two men yesterday?” Mary asked.

  “About Alexandria Black,” Suzie said with a slight shake of her head. “For some reason I can't get her out of my head. I don't think I'm going to be able to get any rest until I do.”

  “All right,” Mary nodded. “Let's head for the police station first thing, okay? I've already got some coffee going.”

  “Thanks, Mary,” Suzie said and hugged her friend.

  ***

  After they had their coffee and a quick bite to eat, Suzie and Mary headed back into town. The rain had died down to a light drizzle, and the roads were clear of any debris. The waves were fairly calm, and Suzie was sure that Paul would be ready to take the boat out. The day before that was all she was hoping for, but after her dream, she was dreading getting out onto the water.

  The police station was quiet as it always seemed to be. Suzie held the door open for Mary as they stepped inside. There was a police officer snoozing behind the large front desk. Other officers were milling about near the coffee pot. Suzie spotted Jason leaning over a desk discussing something with a man in plain clothes, who she assumed to be a detective.

  “Maybe we shouldn't bother him,” Mary said hesitantly. “He looks like he's busy.”

  “Busy discussing fantasy football or something like that I'm sure,” Suzie said with a wink. She waved to Jason until her movement got his attention. He glanced up at her with surprise at first and then smiled as he walked over.

  “What are you up to today, Suzie?” he asked and nodded politely at Mary.

  “I was wondering if you could fill us in on some details about a case,” Suzie said eagerly. Jason ran his hand back over his cropped red hair and studied the two intently.

  “What kind of case?” he asked.

  “Robbery,” Mary said quickly.