by Mary Hiker
I gave him a sideways look and shook my head. The way that guys thought sometimes confused me, even though I could see his point.
“I mean, you’ve got to look at these things during an investigation.” Don adjusted his position in the seat. “Does she have a lot of money?”
My heart sank when I realized what he was getting at.
“I think so, but I’m not sure how much.” I looked in the rear-view mirror to check on the dogs in the back. “But I think Victor had his share of money, too. Margaret said he’d just taken Betty on a cruise. That’s where they are in the video.”
“I’ve got a couple connections down this way,” Don said as we pulled into the hotel parking lot at about four o’clock. “I’ll give them a call and see what I can find out about Victor.” He opened the van door and jumped out before we came to a complete stop.
Three sunburned young ladies wearing bikini tops, shorts and flip-flops oogled Don’s frame as they walked through the parking lot, but he didn’t even notice. I chuckled and opened my mouth to tell him about it, but he cut me off before I could speak.
“Why don’t you take Chevy and Daisy down to the beach after you get us checked in at the hotel.” Don correctly assumed I would choose a place with a dog-friendly beach. “Ace and I will meet you down by the water as soon as I gather some information.”
My heart was happy as I watched Ace trot after Don to a secluded bench at the far end of the parking area. I half-skipped to the hotel office to pick up the keys to our two reserved rooms located next to each other. My friend was back, looking like his old self again and was entering deputy-mode.
And that meant we were about to step into a big ‘ole batch of crazy.
Chapter 5
A small group of pre-teen girls wrapped with beach towels like human burritos stood in a half-circle around me, giggling as they watched Daisy dig in the wet sand at my feet while I kept her a safe distance from the lapping waves of the ocean.
“Ohhh, she’s so cute!” the youngest one exclaimed.
Chevy towered over Daisy, captivated by her relentless quest to move the soft earth. Thick air blew through my dog's golden hair as he watched the mini hole intently, just in case there was something important inside.
The sun was lowering in the sky but still warm on my face, the salty scent of the ocean consumed the constant breeze, and the call of seagulls combined with the sound of crashing waves surrounded us. Life was always good at the beach.
Don walked up behind us and rested his hand on the small of my back. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”
I picked up my shoes and Chevy’s leash, scooped up Daisy in my arm, and said a quick goodbye to the kids. “What did you find out?” I asked once we got out of earshot from the other beachgoers.
“Just like I thought,” he said, picking up a small piece of deadwood and tossing it for Ace. “Victor was a professional con-man.” He shook his head. “The guy was involved with a whole lot of rich women besides Miss Betty.”
“Oh, no.” I gripped Chevy’s leash tighter to keep him from stealing Ace’s toy. “Betty will be heartbroken.”
“Yeah, especially when she finds out he was also married.”
A flash of anger tried to replace my sense of calm. “Maybe his wife killed him.”
“Anything’s possible.” Don shrugged. “You do realize all those women will be potential suspects, including Betty.”
Daisy’s ears perked up, and she lifted her head from the crook of my arm. At about the same time, Chevy pulled on his leash with such force it flew out of my hand as he bolted down the beach. Ace lurched toward the direction of Chevy’s pursuit but stood in place when Don commanded him to “stay.”
“Chevy,” I called in vain as my retriever mix kicked up a trail of sand behind him.
When I saw what had his interest, I knew I needed to begin chase. It was clear my dog was headed for fun and wouldn’t hear a thing – or at least he’d pretend to have gone deaf. A two-story dinner cruise boat rang its bell as it docked several hundred feet up the shoreline. Chevy absolutely loved riding in boats.
I swiftly dropped my shoes, handed Daisy over to Don and raced down the beach, hoping to reach my dog before he invited himself to board. Not only would that be an imposition to the captain, but it probably would anger the rest of the crowd standing at the edge of the dock. Don tried not to laugh as he matched me stride for stride, keeping Daisy tucked in close to his chest. He looked pretty impressive for a man just out of a cast.
Chevy barked with excitement as he reached the boat and bystanders broke out in a chorus of laughter as several kids wearing Blackbeard pirate hats pointed to the mass of flying fur. My dog broke through the line, raced aboard, and stood at the side of the boat with his front paws on the teal colored metal safety rails, his nose pointed out over the water.
I ran after him, stubbing my toe on the wooden dock, and apologizing as I ducked around several families accompanied by their canines. I attempted to push past a family of six to board the boat to get my dog but was interrupted by a pretty lady dressed in a white uniform and standing behind a small wood podium.
“Are you here for the Yappy Hour Cruise?” she asked in a cheery voice.
I frowned in confusion as Chevy barked at a couple seagulls flying past the open sides of the ship.
Don cut in front of me, pulling a small wad of bills from his tan cargo shorts. “Yes, please.” He looked at me and winked. “That will be two adults and three dogs.”
He nodded to an A-frame sign sitting on the dock in front of me. Apparently, one of the local animal rescue groups was holding a fund-raiser on this special dog friendly cruise. Leave it to my dog to sniff out hamburgers and a boat party.
Don handed me my shoes and boarded the boat with Daisy and Ace. “If you can’t beat him, join him,” Don said with a laugh.
I was laughing too, that is, until I grabbed Chevy’s leash, took my seat and looked up at the line of people ready to board.
An older man wearing a designer t-shirt caught my eye as he stepped into the boat, clutching a small brown Chihuahua in one arm and an over-dressed elderly woman dripping in diamonds with the other. His strong jaw, chiseled arms, fit body, and overall drop-dead gorgeous looks were worth attention but even more than that...
He was a dead ringer for Victor Stockton.
Chapter 6
I tugged at the bottom of Don’s black tank top to get his attention, but it really wasn’t necessary. His con-man radar had already picked up on the couple, and he studied them from behind the pair of Ray-Bans I’d given him last Christmas.
“Do something to distract that guy,” Don said, tipping his head toward the look-alike and grabbing Chevy’s leash out of my hand.
The older couple relaxed by the open-air bar, sipping cocktails and watching the kids play, as the private charter pulled away from the dock.
“Why?”
“I have no doubt he’s taking advantage of that lady.” His jaw was clenched, the muscle popping in irritation as he looked back at me. “He’s reeling her in like a fish, like a real big catch.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“I’ll tell you later.” Don brushed a hand through his dark hair. “Just help me out here, okay?”
His hair fell back over his forehead. It looked good. I noticed he’d let his hair grow a little longer since he’d been off work. “What do you want me to do?”
“Go flirt or something.” He strained his neck to watch their every move. “I want to at least get a chance to warn the woman.”
“That won’t work.” I shook my head, looking down at myself. “These cut-off shorts don’t quite meet the level of his dress code.” I wondered how much outfits like theirs cost.
“Maybe your shorts don’t, but your legs sure do.” Don reached down and patted my thigh, then raised his sunglasses and winked. “Now, go.”
What’s gotten into him? I wondered as I got up and hesitantly sauntered over toward the ba
r in bare feet. It seemed as though Don’s usual businesslike demeanor was quickly melting away. Maybe it was the combination of sand and surf. It tended to do that to people.
I had no idea how to get the lookalike’s attention but went with what came naturally to me. I made a fool of myself over their dog.
“Oh, my goodness gracious… what a sweet little baby you have!” I cried out from ten feet away as I made a beeline for the Chihuahua. “Is she friendly?”
The lady beamed, clasped her hands together, and said, “She’s very friendly.”
I leaned in toward the man’s arms and lightly rubbed the tiny dog’s head as the man glanced down at my figure. In a split second, I decided that I wasn’t going to mess with this sweet lady’s date, even if her man was a jerk. Instead, I took the friendly approach.
I took the lady’s soft hand in mine. “Do you want to meet little Daisy?” I pointed toward Don, who held the small dog on his lap. “She’s a rescue. We’re delivering her to a new forever home in the morning.”
“Oh my.” The old lady put her hands on her cheeks, rose out of her chair with a youthful enthusiasm and patted her boyfriend’s shoulder. “I’ll be right back, dear.”
Her professionally coifed hair-do stayed perfectly in place as the strong ocean breeze blew through the boat. My hand grasped her arm and held her steady as we waltzed back to Don and Daisy.
“Here, you can have my seat,” I said, helping the woman sit on the padded bench next to Don as he lifted Daisy onto her lap.
“Who’s that?” she asked, pointing to the black lab sitting at Don’s feet.
“That’s Ace,” Don said, using his dog to charm her. “He does search and rescue to help find lost people.”
“Oh my,” she said, patting the black lab on the head. “I’ve never in my life met a real hero like Ace.”
“A nice lady like you deserves to be surrounded by heroes.” Don inched his way into the conversation he really wanted to have.
My lower back rested against the metal safety fencing as I watched the old lady fall into deeper conversation with Don. I scratched Chevy’s head and found Don’s animated storytelling quite amusing until I saw the agitation growing on the look-alike’s face.
The handsome man grimaced, suddenly downed his entire drink, and slammed the plastic cup on the bar.
The muscle-bound bartender pointed at him and mouthed, “Not again.”
The look-alike ignored the demand, came our way with a determined stride, stepping around a few swashbuckling children playing with cardboard swords along the way, holding his hand out toward the old lady.
“You can’t leave me alone all night, darling,” he said in a smooth, controlled tone as he lifted little Daisy back into Don’s arms and placed the Chihuahua in hers.
The look-alike wasted no time helping the woman get to her feet, herding her back to their seats at the bar, and returning back to us with an angry red face. The man bent over Don’s shoulder and growled in his ear, “It’s a very dangerous thing, you know, to try and move in on another man’s opportunity.”
Chapter 7
“There are too many kids around here to get that guy riled up.” Don stood at the railing with Chevy and me. “Let’s just have a good time until the trip is over and I’ll have a talk with the bartender.”
“That won’t be hard to do,” I said, pointing a few yards away. “How awesome is that?”
Arched grey bodies emerged from the waves in one smooth motion, disappeared underneath and reappeared in an arc again as two dolphins played near the boat. Their wet, sleek bodies created a soft splash each time they re-entered the ocean, creating a natural melody with the sounds of the water slapping the side of the boat.
The dogs strained to see the dolphins as they glided out from underneath the deep water and appeared next us, only to dive right back under. Chevy was mesmerized, crouching low and trying to stick his head through a gap in the safety rail for a close-up view.
I gently pulled him back a bit to keep him from hurting himself, allowing him to stand upright with his paws on the rail to look over the top, making sure he didn’t decide to jump in and go for a swim with his new friends.
Chevy wasn’t the only one wanting a close-up view of the marine mammals, every passenger on board – human and canine - were captivated by the dolphins, that is, all except for one. The Victor look-alike ignored the playful dolphins and kept his eyes fixed on Don.
“He got more agitated than I anticipated,” Don said, tipping his head sideways toward the look-alike.
“She must be worth a bunch of money,” I said, briefly glancing past Don’s shoulder. The look-alike had his arm around the old woman, but his attention was squarely on Don.
“Let’s diffuse the situation,” Don said, taking a step and moving right next to me. “I’m going to make it clear that I’m not moving in on his mark.”
Don reached his left arm around my back, placed his hand on my hip, giving a slight squeeze before pulling me close for a sideways hug.
I glanced over at him with raised eyebrows.
“He’s gotta think we’re together,” Don said as Daisy cuddled in his right arm, enjoying the sights of her new home town.
I decided to roll with it to keep Don out of trouble, and it wasn’t long before I got lost in the relaxed surroundings, watching the dolphins emerge and disappear, enjoying the clear blue sky and laughing at my friend’s stories.
We were having so much fun and the time went by so fast that I was surprised to look up and see the boat returning to dock. Don’s decoy plan must’ve worked well enough because the older woman gave us a friendly wave as she disembarked and the look-alike totally ignored us.
We hung back as the other passengers methodically followed the line of people going back on shore. The kids still play-battled with fake pirate swords and the dogs tugged on their leashes to smell everything they could get their nose to, but every parent had a smiling face and a relaxed stride.
Don made his way over to the bar, and when the other passengers had all finally left, made conversation with the bartender. “What was up with that guy earlier?” he asked, giving the young guy twenty dollars in exchange for a three-dollar bottle of beer.
The bartender looked at the money and stuffed it in his pocket. “You mean Wyatt? The guy’s a hothead.” He wiped down the bar-top with a white towel. “I had to break up a fight between him and his brother a few weeks ago.”
“Where was that?”
“Right here on the boat.” The bartender’s eyes grew wide. “Grown men throwing punches on a boat filled with little old ladies.” He shook his head in disgust. “And they say us younger guys don’t know how to act.”
“Then I’m kind of surprised the captain let him come on the cruise this evening.” Don took a sip from his bottle and dropped another twenty-dollar tip on the bar.
The bartender raised an eyebrow and reached for the cash. “Whatever Miss Marion wants is what she gets.”
Don frowned in confusion. “Miss Marion?”
“The rich old lady you were talking to. She’s the one they were fighting over.” The bartender chuckled. “I guess she liked it since she brought Wyatt to the fundraising event today.”
“So she has enough power to determine who can board the boat?”
The bartender looked past Don’s shoulder and across the street from the dock. “She owns half the beach homes around here, including the one the captain lives in.”
Don nodded. “What’s the brother’s name?”
“Victor is his first name. I don’t know his last.”
“Thanks,” Don said as he got up and turned to go, leaving the rest of his beer on the bar.
“I wouldn’t mess with Wyatt,” the bartender warned as Don walked away. “His brother tried to get close to Miss Marion and ended up dead.”
Chapter 8
“I want to show you something.”
Don leaned back in his bar height Adirondack chair, watching th
e water reflect the moonlight as he stabbed the last bite of cheesecake with his fork. We’d just finished a great meal at my favorite casual oceanfront restaurant, sitting at a table out on the deck, filling our bellies with jumbo shrimp and crab cakes.
The dogs were already fed and fast asleep in the hotel rooms, Chevy cuddling with Daisy in mine and Ace passed out on the couch in Don’s. We’d all gotten a good share of sand and surf during the afternoon and were all the better for it.
My tan had already gotten deeper, and I felt invigorated after getting cleaned up and putting on some fresh clothes. Don looked like a new man, his facial muscles becoming much more relaxed as the day went on and his demeanor more jovial. I really liked who he’d become down here at the beach.
“Sure. What is it?” I asked as Caribbean music floated out from the main dining room.
A pretty young waitress with sun streaked hair appeared to refill our drinks and Don handed over his credit card. “This one’s on me.” The waitress gave an energetic smile, flipped her blonde locks, and disappeared into the restaurant.
“We better find a more private area for this,” Don said, keeping his eyes on the ocean. “Let’s go down by the water.”
Intrigued, I tapped my fingers on the table, waiting for the waitress to return with Don’s card and receipt. Once all the finances were taken care of, we cleared out of the restaurant and kicked off our flip-flops, taking the short walk through the sand down near the water’s edge.
Don looked over my shoulder and was satisfied we were alone. “Give me your phone.”
I was slightly confused but handed it over without question, and he tapped the screen until it brought up Betty’s cruise video.
“I’ve already seen it,” I stated the obvious.
“Look at it again.” He pressed play and handed my phone back to me. “Look closer.”