“I’ll get right on it. You said you discovered something else.”
“There seems to be three problems, not just one. I’ve been trying to clear away the stuff that doesn’t belong and I’ve been trying to decide which stuff belongs where. On the problem that directly concerns Justin, I’ve come to the conclusion that Derek was not the target. I’m sure that Deirdre is involved in some way.”
When Mike raised his eyebrows, she continued, “I went to the university today to find the person whom I think could be my sister. As I was crossing the street a man in a white car, identical to the one that Cordelia saw following us from the airport, screeched out from behind a parked car and tried to run me down.” She lifted her dress to show a long expanse of road burn. She looked up at Mike, “It was no accident. I looked both ways twice before I started across the street. If you don’t believe me, ask Hallie. She made the comment that the car seemed to come out of hyper space.”
Cordelia turned to look out the window. “I think I’ll shut the window. It looks like the rain is coming back accompanied by the wind.”
Damn, Deidre thought, now I won’t know who they are taking the film to.
“Suzette, I think you’ve been out in the rain too long. It’s turned your brain to mush,” Mike snarled.
“Yeah? Well, I think my brain has finally kicked into high gear. I can’t prove it, but I know in my gut that I am finally on the right track. I firmly believe that Jeanette was killed and Justin was kidnaped to get me down here.”
“But who would do that?” Mike said, just as Cordelia asked, “How do you know?”
Suzette pulled out her notebook. “When I’m not getting anywhere on an investigation, I write down everything I know. Then I write down the things I need to find out. This investigation has been very difficult because there are so many things going on. So I decided to treat this case like it was three different cases. You aren’t interested in anything but Justin’s disappearance so I won’t go into the other cases.”
Mike said, “You’re sure that your three cases won’t tie in together?”
“Oh, yes. They are all related. But I’m treating them as separate cases right now. As they tie in and I have that proof, then they will become two cases and then one. But I must be able to eliminate the things that don’t matter to these cases.” She looked at her notebook. “I think the first issue that isn’t involved in my cases is my relationship with Dr. Austin. I can’t see how this could possibly tie in with Justin’s disappearance or Jeanette’s death. I believe this was a case of being in the right place at the right time in my personal life, but it has no relation to my business life. However, the man in the white car is different. I believe that this ties in with my business life and that Deidre is involved.”
Mike drew a deep breath, then let it out slowly, “Okay, slow down. Let’s take this one point at a time. How do you know that Deidre is involved?”
Suzette looked at her list. “She was the only one in the house that knew I was going with Hallie to the university. She actually asked us where we were going. Hallie told her that we were going to the university and that I was her show and tell.”
“You’re sure that no one else knew?”
“Unless there are hidden microphones in the breakfast room, I’m positive. Hallie brought up my mysterious double when we were at breakfast. We were the only two in the room and both doors were closed. She hounded me into going with her. Neither of us talked to anyone about our plans except for Deidre.”
“Okay, I’ll accept that. What do you suggest we do next?”
“I think we should follow her when she leaves the house tonight like she does every night. I think she may lead us to the person who is setting me up, who may lead us to Justin.”
“Okay, I think that’s a good idea. Next, I’d like to know why you think Justin was kidnaped to get you down here.”
“I told you nothing made sense when Derek was shot and Deidre and Doug blamed me. Miner was hostile to me at the party. You saw that, but if you remember Mitch said that Miner was fine with all of us working together, but then he got a phone call before I got there. I believe my unseen enemy has been feeding him lies to keep him against me. Can either of you come up with another theory that makes sense of everything that has gone on?”
“No,” Mike said, “At least not at the moment.”
“Okay, then can you pick any holes in my theory?”
“No, but I don’t think we have enough data to theorize yet and you definitely don’t have any proof of this.”
“If I had proof, it would not be a theory, it would be a fact.” She tapped the role of film. “This film might give us some proof.”
“It might,” he said cautiously, unwilling to admit that Suzette might have had a break through. “I’ll get it to Verlyn. I’m sure she has friends or colleagues that can get this developed. I don’t think we want to use the nearest one hour developing store.”
“I agree. I think that we’ll get another bit of proof if we start following Deidre.” She turned to Cordelia, “I had a thought while I was walking home. You told me that Jeanette liked to find out about people’s mistakes and then give hints that would embarrass the person she was talking about.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Cordelia said. “That was the thing I disliked most about her.”
“Think back to the night she died. You told me some things that she said or did. I know you told me something important but, at the time, I didn’t realize that it was important and now I can’t remember what it was.”
“Well, they quarreled about the séance just like they did the first night you were here, but there was something else–something that really made Dorothea furious.” She snapped her fingers. “Of course, how stupid of me to forget it. Jeanette told Dorothea that she thought Dr. Lin was a phony and that he was using her computations for his own ends.”
“Wait a minute,” Mike said. “I’m not sure I understand what you are saying?”
“Jeanette told Dorothea that she didn’t believe that the Spanish Galleon was where Dorothea figured it would be. She thought that it was a scam, that Dr. Lin was using that location for another reason.”
Suzette pushed her fingers against her temples. “I’m getting the worst headache, so I may be totally wrong, but I’m wondering about that comment. Could Jeanette have been right?”
“What could he be using the site for?” Cordelia looked puzzled.
Suzette raised her clasped hands to her mouth. “There is a huge black market for Inca and Aztec artifacts. The different Central American governments require that expeditions register before they go into the back country looking for historical sites. There are strict laws on what artifacts can be removed from the country. Dr. Lin has made several expeditions to Mexico and other Central American countries. What if he found a tomb or a city and he didn’t want Mexico or whoever to regulate what he does with what he’s found. The galleon site would be a perfect way to get those artifacts on the market. Supposedly, the galleon was carrying a wealth of artifacts to Spain when it sank in the hurricane. Dr. Lin’s men can pretend to dive for the remains and Dr. Lin can ‘launder’ his artifacts which would be his free and clear because they are salvage, up for grabs, in open water.”
Suzette put her hand on Cordelia’s arm. “I want you to do me a favor. After dinner, go to your room and try to reconstruct the conversation. Try to remember what everyone said and when. Visualize where they stood and who they talked to. I want you to write down everything that you can remember even if you don’t think it’s important. If you can remember how they acted put that in, also. It will take a while but it will really help.”
“I could ask Dorothea to help me. She has a better memory.”
“No,” Suzette almost panicked. “You can ask Hallie, if you swear her to secrecy, but no one else, promise me?”
The dinner gong rang long and loud. “Let’s go, and remember, we didn’t have this conversation if anyone should ask.”
Mike shut his cell phone, “Verlyn and a friend will casually drop in right after dinner. This friend is a colleague that has a dark room. He’ll get them developed tonight. We can pick them up later or in the morning. I also told him about Dr. Lin and his possible scam. He’s going to contact Ken Abbot and Jerry Fontaine. They should have contacts that can do some investigating for us.”
As everyone took their places around the table, Cordelia announced, “Chief Miner has released Jeanette’s body. I called the mortuary and they picked her up this afternoon. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 a.m. There will be a viewing the night before from 7:00-9:00. Hallie called Jeremy and Julie. They will fly down Wednesday morning. Jeremy will give the eulogy. Other than that. I haven’t really decided who will do what. I’ll let you know in the morning. I am going to try to figure it out tonight. If anyone wants to do something special, then talk to me right after dinner because I won’t be available after that. I’ll be up in my room making the arrangements.”
Suzette and Mike concentrated on eating so that they could be finished when Deidre was. Suzette looked up suddenly when Dr. Lin said, “Deidre, I do not want you to go anywhere in that outfit. Before you leave the house go upstairs and change.”
She was wearing a sheer red chiffon blouse with big sleeves. The blouse tied tightly under her breasts. She was wearing tight white low-cut shorts and white ankle strap heels.
“I can wear what I want to. I am over 18 and there is nothing wrong with what I’m wearing.”
“Other than it makes you look like a prostitute,” Hallie said, spitefully.
“You shut up!”
Before anyone else could say anything more she jumped up from the table and ran out the door dodging her father’s outstretched hand. They heard the front door slam. Mike looked at his watch. “Oops, I’m late for an appointment. See you all later.” He put his hand on Suzette’s shoulder and said, “I’ll call you.”
She nodded as she started on dessert. “This is one of my favorite desserts,” she said happily. “I love Crème Brule.”
As they left the table, there was a knock on the door. Sean went to open it. Mitch and a short, thick-set man with spiky blond hair walked in. “Suzette, are you ready to go?”
“Sure. Let me get my purse.” Quickly, she excused herself, then ran up the stairs, grabbed her purse and a thin jacket that matched her dress, then hurried down the stairs. As she climbed into Mitch’s car, he said quietly, “Clint has the film. We met Mike at the corner. We’ll drop Clint off at his house, then wait for Mike to call us with his location. I have Ken and Jerry following Mike. Since Deidre knows us, I thought it would be a good idea to have someone else follow her and Ken is an expert.”
A few minutes after they dropped Clint off, Mitch’s cell phone rang. “I’m turning left off A1A onto Miami Avenue. It looks like I’m heading for the beach.”
“We’re on our way,” Suzette said as she relayed the directions to Mitch.
“There he is,” Mitch said as he drove past Mike’s car and turned on to a side street, where he turned the car and parked where they could see a bar called the Lobster Den.
The phone rang. “She went into the Lobster Den,” Mike reported. “Ken followed her in.”
“Does he know what she looks like?”
“Yeah, he said he was willing to risk a date with her just to find out what she knows.”
“Is he wired?” Mitch demanded.
“Yea. He’s on channel 318.”
“Okay, I’ll set up the radio.”
After Mitch hung up, Suzette grinned, “I’m not sure if he’s as interested in what she knows about his crime ring as he is in finding out if she acts like she looks likes she acts–if you follow what I’m trying to say.”
“Sometimes when you’re working undercover, you can get a lot of information from a woman or even a man who’s in that mood.”
It was nearly dark when Deidre left the Lobster Den, hand in hand with a tall, blond man. As they passed under the light, Suzette studied him carefully. “He doesn’t look familiar at all and he doesn’t resemble the man Cordelia saw watching me at the airport,” Suzette said regretfully. A moment later, Ken walked out the door, then turned and followed the couple down the beach.
“Mike, I’ll probably be here for a while. He just started undressing her, not that there was much to get rid of. She just threw her arms around the guy. It’s getting hot and heavy real fast.”
“Suzette doesn’t recognize the man, but it would be a good idea to have someone follow him, find out who he is and where he lives.”
“Got it. I left Jerry talking to some of the regulars and the bartender. He’s going to find out if she meets this guy here regularly or if she is a regular.”
“Okay, we’ll meet you back at ‘The Palms.’”
“Nix. I’ll meet you at ‘The Crimson Parrot’ on A1A in two hours. I think it would be wise if you met me alone. We don’t want to send out any warning signals.”
Mitch said, “I’ll meet you there.”
“Wonderful,” Suzette said drily. “I’m the one most involved and I’m the one who gets to sit home with my knitting.”
“Suz, you know that everyone knows you. You’ll notice he didn’t ask for Mike to come. The bad guys know him, too.”
“Okay,” she sighed. “Take me back to ‘The Palms.’”
Back in her room, Suzette wandered restlessly. “Nothing is going right,” she whispered to herself. She picked up the book she had purchased at the airport. Then setting it down, she said, “I can’t believe that Mike attacked me like that. It’s not as if I haven’t been working on finding Justin. I’ve worked just as hard as he has, but he accuses me of ignoring Justin.” She flopped down on the bed, then sat up, banging the mattress. “He isn’t being shot at or run over or framed for murder like I am, but I’m the one he yelled at because he didn’t get anything when he went undercover. It just isn’t fair.” She jumped to her feet.
Abruptly, she picked up her cell phone and punched in John Marshall’s number. “John, this is Suzette. Am I interrupting something important?”
“No, I’ve just been finishing up a bunch of paperwork. You’re a welcome break. What’s up?”
“John, I feel like I’m losing my mind and wading through thick, sticky mud at the same time. Everything is totally crazy. I can’t figure anything out. It’s like I’m having brain thud or something.”
“Tell me about it. I’ll sign reports while I listen to you.”
“I don’t know where to begin,” she said mournfully.
“Why don’t you tell me about the problem that’s bothering you the most? Is it your friend, Justin?”
“It should be, but it isn’t. That’s what is so frustrating. I know I should be concentrating totally on finding him and I can’t.”
“Okay, Suz. You’re an intelligent woman. If you can’t concentrate on one problem then there is a reason. Tell me what is keeping you from concentrating on Justin.”
Quickly, Suzette told him about Rebecca Austin. “She has to be my sister or some relation because she looks just like me. It was like seeing myself in the mirror when she turned around to face me. And then our histories match, too. Oh, I wish there was some way to know for sure if she is my sister,” Suzette moaned. “I have looked for my family for what seems like forever and now I’m afraid I’ll never know.”
“There is. There’s a DNA test that we use to prove parentage. A lot of times, a man will engender a baby but won’t pay child support because he claims the child isn’t his. We can use this test to prove who belongs to whom. It should work with you and this Austin woman. It will definitely prove if you aren’t related at all. If you could get her grandparents to submit to testing, it would tell you a lot more. It’s called the Sibslip test. I don’t know what it would cost in Florida, probably a couple hundred dollars, but I would think that the expense would be worth it just for your peace of mind.”
“It woul
d. I wonder how I could get her to consent to do the test.”
“I would ask her to do it as a favor to you just to set your mind at rest. You could tell her that you won’t bug her if you are related, but you just need to know for closure.”
“I’ll try it. Thanks.” She sighed. “You have no idea what a weight you’ve lifted off my shoulders. This has been eating at me for so long and I was afraid it would eat at me forever.”
“You’re welcome. What’s the next thing that’s keeping you from concentrating on Justin?”
“Someone is trying to set me up to take the rap for Jeanette’s death and Justin’s disappearance. Whoever is doing this, shot a jerk that was trying to ask me for a dance. John, it was my gun. I haven’t seen it since my divorce or right after that. It had my prints on it. They were old and smudged, but they were there. Luckily, I was with Mitch Scott and he had his arm around me so that he could state that I couldn’t have done it. What’s weird, though, is that the Sheriff hated me before he ever met me. Mitch said that he received a phone call just before I arrived that infuriated him. He’s been out to get me ever since and I don’t know why.”
“What’s the sheriff’s name?”
“Miner.”
“I think some of the guys might know him. Let me ask around. Maybe one of them knows him well enough to find out what’s going on.”
“That would be great. John, you have no idea how much better I’m feeling.”
“I’m glad. Okay, next?”
“The next is Justin, himself. The sheriff thinks that Justin killed Jeanette and took off. I pointed out to him that there wasn’t a motive, but he didn’t believe me.”
“Well, if someone is influencing him against you, he wouldn’t believe anything you said, but Suz, how sure are you that Justin doesn’t have a motive? Sons kill their mothers for some of the strangest reasons.”
She was silent so long, that he finally asked, “Suz, did I offend you?”
“No. Your comment just threw me for a minute that’s all. I’m still not sure I believe it.”
Sun, Sand and Murder: A Suzette Bishop Mystery (Suzette Bishop Mysteries Book 3) Page 14