Sun, Sand and Murder: A Suzette Bishop Mystery (Suzette Bishop Mysteries Book 3)

by Kristine Frost

  “Well, it’s something you have to consider. Suz, if I remember right, Jeremy hired you to take care of the insurance issues regarding the fire and his mother’s death. I don’t think he hired you to find the killer, did he?”

  “Well, no, but I can’t--”

  “I know that you can’t, Suz, but you need to stay focused. However, I don’t think Justin did it. Remember that the sheriff probably wouldn’t believe you even if someone wasn’t trying to influence him. We have to look at everyone involved as a suspect.”

  She was quiet for a moment. “Okay, that makes sense. And if someone is trying to influence him against me that would just make it worse.”

  “Right. Suzette, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, however, you need to remember that the police look at crimes and possible suspects differently than a civilian and you are a civilian. They may try to be impartial, but it’s a hard thing to do. I speak from experience here. A lot of times, I know who committed the murder or who robbed the bank or whatever, but I can’t prove it. I’m not saying that Justin committed this murder because I don’t think he did. But Miner probably thinks he did because the evidence points to him.”

  “And since Miner isn’t a good cop, he isn’t going to really dig to find out if he can prove the circumstantial evidence is more than circumstantial, right?” Suzette asked.

  “True. The one thing I’ve always been afraid of, is that I might send someone to prison because my police work was sloppy. I can understand sending someone to prison because I didn’t have a prime piece of evidence, not because I didn’t look for that evidence.”

  Suzette nodded to herself. “I understand, but John I can’t think like you do.”

  “And you don’t need to. Suzette, you’ve done a good job of putting bad guys in jail thinking the way you think. Don’t think you have to be different. I just want you to remember that a cop thinks and acts differently and you can’t expect them to think like you do.”

  “So you’re telling me that Mike climbing all over me for not helping Justin is just part of the cop think.”

  “It’s probably more frustration than cop think, but you get the idea.”

  Suzette said, “Mike tried to infiltrate one of the gangs but didn’t get anywhere.”

  “I’m not surprised. What you need is an informer–someone who is already known to the criminal element in Cocoa Beach.”

  “I agree, but I don’t know how to contact someone like that.”

  “What about the bartender at the Lobster Den? You might try interviewing him, especially since Deidre seems to be a regular there.”

  “I could do that, but how would I go about asking him to be an informer?”

  John laughed, “You don’t. And you don’t do it the first time you–hold on, I just had an idea.”

  Suzette was beginning to think that John had gone off and forgotten her when he finally said, “Suz, are you still there?”

  “I am, but I was beginning to wonder if you were.”

  “Patience, woman,” he said with a laugh. “I just remembered that one of the uniformed officers just transferred here from Florida. I wasn’t sure what part so I had to track him down to ask him. Luckily he was on duty.”

  “Okay, I’ll bite. What part is he from?”

  “He’s from the town of Cocoa.”

  “Don’t you mean Cocoa Beach?”

  “No. According to him, Cocoa is across the Banana River, Merritt Island and the Indian River from Cocoa Beach. He said that he knows Chief Miner really well. Miner was the one who sponsored him for the Police Academy. He was just bringing in a perp so he couldn’t talk to me, but he said he’d come to my office when he was finished. I’ll ask him about Miner. He may know some guys who could help you with information. I’ll ask him and call you back if it isn’t too late.”

  “Hey, I don’t care if it’s three in the morning. Just call me when you get something.”

  Chapter 22

  As she hung up the phone, she began to wonder about the Lobster Den. Suddenly, she began to laugh. “I’ll take John up on his suggestion to talk to the bartender.” Quickly, she pulled a slinky white dress from the closet. “This may not be as revealing as Deidre’s outfits but I’ll bet I can get someone’s attention.”

  Quietly, she called for a taxi, then slipped down the balcony stairs and started walking down the driveway.

  The driver dropped her off at the entrance into the parking lot. Taking a deep breath, and forcing herself to relax, she pushed open one of the glass doors and headed for an empty stool at the bar. “Hi,” she said, “I hear you make a fantastic grasshopper.”

  The bartender set a glass filled with a green liquid on a napkin, then deftly palmed the tip she gave him.

  “You new here?” The man sitting next to her was tall and blond but he wasn’t handsome or even very tidy.

  Suzette forced a smile. “Yes, I’m here on a job.”

  “What do you do, beautiful?”

  Evasively, she said, “It’s just a boring job. I really try to forget about work when I’m away from it.”

  He set his drink on the bar. “No more for me. It’s getting late and I have an early day tomorrow.” He nodded to Suzette and headed for the men’s room.

  “Who on earth was that, Sam?” Suzette asked the bartender. She noticed that his name was embroidered on his shirt.

  “One of our regulars. You might not want to get too friendly with him.”

  “Thanks for the warning. I’m really not here to socialize, more to unwind. It’s been a rough, rough day.”

  Before she could say anything more, he cleared away her untouched drink. “I suspect that you want a virgin grasshopper. You don’t look the type to drink.”

  She smiled gratefully. “You’re very perceptive, but with a guy I didn’t know sitting right next to me, I had to pretend. I’ll pay for the drink, though.”

  “Not a problem. I don’t make my customers drink something they don’t like. It keeps them coming back. Can I get you anything else?”

  “No. You do have a very soothing voice, though. I can feel my nerves stop doing the Tango.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  Suzette looked around. The bar was nearly empty, with only a few regulars scattered around the room. “It’s kind of weird. I met a woman who looks enough like me to be my long lost sister.”

  Sam looked closely at her in the darkened room. “You mean Dr. Rebecca Austin?”

  “You know her?” Suzette asked quietly, her pulse thumping suddenly.

  “Not personally. She isn’t the type to come to a bar like this. You’ll find her at charity dinners or drinking Champaign at the Hotel Imperial.”

  Suzette smiled, “I think she’s missing out. I kind of like the ambiance here. It’s friendly and comfortable.” Sam nodded as Suzette continued, “I only talked to her for a few minutes. She seemed, well, standoffish, I guess.”

  “She was just appointed Dean of the Grad Studies for Science and there are a lot of Masters and Ph.D. programs. It’s a big thing for a woman in this state.” He paused to hand a beer to a customer. “She’s really well-known in her field of Microbiology. She just won some huge award and was honored at the White House. She may not want to associate with what she thinks of as the lower classes. No offense intended,” he paused, considering, “but I wonder if it wasn’t a shock to her when she saw you. You really do look alike. I would have guessed you were twins.”

  “I thought about that. I’d like to talk to her again, but--”

  “I’d give her a few days. She might need the time to sort out her feelings.”

  “Sam, are you a psychologist on your day job?”

  He laughed, “Heck, no. I’m just a bartender, but I see a lot of life pass through here.”

  “I’ll bet you do.” She paused to push her empty glass toward him. “I’d love another virgin grasshopper.”

  As he put her virgin grasshopper in front to her, he said, “What do you really do? You�
�ve got me curious.”

  She laughed. “I’m an insurance investigator.”

  “You’re here about the fire and the murder at ‘The Palms.’ Right?”

  She nodded as she sipped her drink. “Right. I’m staying there and I really like Cordelia but the rest of them get to me. That’s why I cut out tonight.”

  He looked around. There wasn’t anyone close. “The Palms is a queer place.” He said as he slowly polished a glass.

  When he didn’t say anything else, she asked, “How so?”

  “Well, all I’ve heard lately is rumor, but where there’s smoke, there’s either fire or a very bad cook.”

  Suzette laughed. “What’s so weird about the place?”

  “Well, some of the old lady’s guests are good customers so I hear a lot of the gossip about that place.” He paused. Suzette didn’t say anything, just waited for him to go on. “Of course, you knew that there was a murder there. The woman that was killed came here all the time. She was one bitter old broad. She used to meet a couple of guys here that reminded me a lot of the gangsters you see in the movies. That young girl, Deidre, who stays at the house, has been talking and some other things with the same guy. I hope she doesn’t end up like the old dame.”

  “What did they do when they were here?”

  “They’d sit in that corner over there and talk. I got the idea that she had started pushing them, because the last couple of times they seemed to be arguing.”

  “Well, Deidre and I aren’t soul mates, but I’d hate to see anything happen to her.”

  “I don’t see how anyone can stop things from happening to her the way she dresses and acts. She even came onto me, although she isn’t the type to give a crippled bartender the time of day. She just comes on to every male in pants. But, the guy she’s been seeing hasn’t been around lately so maybe she’s gone off him.”

  Looking surprised, she asked, “Who’s that? She hasn’t mentioned that she’s seeing anyone.”

  “I’m not surprised. She doesn’t feel appreciated at The Palms,” he said.

  “I wonder why? She’s either coming onto any man who walks in the door, whether or not he’s taken or she’s throwing temper tantrums. She gives me a headache, but I’m really curious myself now. What does this guy look like?”

  “Tall with thick dark hair, brown eyes set a little too close together, a good build, real smooth, at least with women, but he gives me the creeps.”

  Suzette raised her eyebrows. “He sounds really familiar. I wonder if I know him.” She felt in her purse for Grey’s picture then remembered that Mitch hadn’t returned it to her.

  “I would think he’d haunt The Palms since he seems so curious about everyone there.” He nodded to a couple in a booth, who’d held up their glasses for a refill. He poured different liquids into a shaker, shook it up, and then poured some of the fizzy liquid into two tall glasses.

  “Well, I haven’t seen anyone who matches that description there.”

  “That seems strange. I know that Deidre invited him to Miss Cordelia’s party that welcomed Deidre’s father and his colleagues, but he turned her down flat.”

  A few minutes later, Sam looked up at the clock. “I’ve enjoyed talking to you, but it’s time to close. I need to run everyone out so the cops aren’t breathing down my back.”

  Suzette pulled out her cell phone. “I’d better call a cab, then.”

  “I go by The Palms on my way home. I’d be glad to drop you off, if you’d like.”

  “That would be great. I’m not too comfortable being out by myself this late, but I forgot about the time.”

  Chapter 23

  Later that night, Deidre’s cell phone rang. “Did you have a nice evening?”

  “Where were you?” she snarled. “I don’t like being stood up.”

  “Who said I stood you up? I was a little late, but you were already leaving with some blond guy who had his hands all over your.”

  “You were more than a little late, more like 45 minutes. I figured you weren’t coming, so I went for a walk on the beach. So what?”

  “I had business--”

  “Yea, I know what your business is,” Deidre blurted out.

  There was absolute silence on the other end. The kind of silence that made her skin crawl. The kind of silence that made her think that her father was right when he told her she had a big mouth and no control.

  “Not that I mind,” she said quickly. “You’re more than welcome to take her out of the picture, but I wish you wouldn’t let that snot interfere with more important things like us. I wanted you tonight.”

  “There’s no harm in scaring her a little and once she’s given up and gone back to California, we’ll have more time for us, right?” His voice was smooth, soft, gentle and yet somehow menacing.”

  She swallowed a slight butterfly of fear, then said, “Can’t I do something to help get her out of the picture faster?”

  “Just keep me advised of her plans, that’s all the help I need.”

  “I wish you’d let me do more. I’d like to make her as miserable as she makes everyone else.”

  In the quiet dark of his room, he flexed his fingers. I need to teach her a lesson or she’ll interfere in my plans, and no one interferes with my plans unless they have a death wish.

  “How about a walk on the beach tonight? The tide’s coming in and there’s a full moon.”

  “Umm-sounds better than being alone. When?”

  “In an hour. Head north. I’ll meet you at the dunes.”

  “All right, but you’d better not stand me up again.” Her tone was petulant and defiant.

  “Oh, I won’t sweetheart, I promise.” She didn’t hear his laugh as she hung up the phone.

  Chapter 24

  The next morning, Suzette had just helped herself to Belgian Waffles with raspberries and cream from the buffet when Hallie came breezing in. “Hey, Suz, how are you doing this morning?” She grinned wickedly, “Especially since you didn’t get home until almost two in the morning.”

  “Well, I’m pretty tired, but it was an interesting evening, very interesting.”

  “It must have been. You stayed out talking to that guy who brought you home for an hour.”

  Suzette laughed, “Are you asking who he was or are you hinting?”

  “Neither–just curious. I didn’t think you knew anyone here but Mitch and Mike.”

  “I just met him last night. His name is Sam. He brought me home when I was getting ready to call a cab. He’s really nice and very smart.”

  “Well, not to change the subject, but what are you going to do about Dr. Austin?”

  “I talked to my cop friend from last Vegas last night. He said there’s a DNA test that could prove relationships. It’s usually used to prove paternity, but he said that it would help me find out if we really are related.”

  “Are you going to ask her to take the test?”

  “I don’t know.” Suddenly, Suzette burst out, “I don’t want to rush her, but, blast it, I want to know if she’s my sister. I’ve been trying to find my family ever since I was old enough to understand what a real family is. I love my adopted family dearly, and they will always be my family, but somehow, it’s not the same as a blood relative.”

  “Maybe you should be glad you don’t have any blood relatives. I’d really love to give mine away, especially after last night.”

  “What happened last night?” Suzette asked.

  Cordelia walked into the room just in time to hear her question. She glared at Hallie. “My dear niece and my dear sister got into yet another yelling match.”

  “Aunt, I’m sorry. I just can’t seem to keep my temper when Aunt Dorothea goes on about how important her galleon is and how unimportant my turtles are. Doesn’t she realize that if we lose them, we lose part of ourselves? They could be the keys to curing cancer or Alzheimer’s or any number of diseases. Once the galleon is investigated and the cargo is salvaged, the interest in it will die out. Dr.
Lin will move on, but the turtles will be gone forever.”

  “Hallie, that’s enough. I know the spiel by heart!” Cordelia snapped.

  “I hate all of you,” she burst out. Then turning white as a sheet, she ran from the room as Cordelia sank into the nearest chair.

  “I shouldn’t have snapped at her, but I don’t think I can take much more.”

  “Has something happened?” Suzette looked concerned. She didn’t need any more problems to distract her from her real job.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary. It’s just gotten too much for me. I feel like I’m a hundred and ten years old.” Cordelia put some scrambled eggs on her Belgian waffle, then grabbed a glass of milk.

  “It sounds like we both need a break. Didn’t you tell me that the Kennedy Space Center is fairly close?”

  Cordelia nodded. “Do you want to go there?” She instantly looked happier.

  “Yes, if that is something that you’d like to do.”

  “Get your hat, girl, we’re out of here,” Cordelia said with her old spunk. Then she stopped. “I guess we aren’t. Roger, my chauffeur, has the day off because both the Bentley and the Acura needs parts and Mike has your car.”

  “Nonsense. I’ll call that car rental place that picks you up. One car isn’t enough for all of us.” Suzette got a wicked look on her face, “I have another idea,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  “If you know of a road that is fairly straight and isn’t much used, I could give you a driving lesson.”

  Cordelia’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious?” She whispered.

  “You’d better believe it. It’s time we women stopped being wimps and letting the men do all the fun stuff.” Suzette looked determined. “I’m tired of being told to stay home and knit. It’s our case and it’s time we started acting like it!”

  “You’re right. The phone’s over there.” Suzette quickly picked up the phone and dialed. After a few minutes conversation, she said, “They’ll be here in ten minutes.”