by Maria Quick
‘George is dead?’ he yelled, paling considerably. He backed up against the TV cabinet, steadying himself as he reeled at the news. The remote control fell off and hit his head as he keeled over, but he barely noticed.
‘Are you okay?’ I felt the need to ask.
‘They didn’t tell me,’ he said softly.
George – my George, I mean – carefully wandered over and checked him out.
‘He doesn’t look so good, you know.’
‘I know,’ I said quietly, but Jose was still frozen.
‘He knew Jorge, but didn’t know he was dead. That’s odd, right?’
‘What are you thinking?’
‘I don’t know what to think,’ they chorused, Jose without realizing.
‘Whoa,’ George said again, shaking his head. ‘Maybe he’s an informant.’
‘What, why?’
‘What do you mean, why? I-’ Jose looked up at me, irate. Then he checked himself, reverting to his usual grimace. ‘It’s none of your concern what I think, anyhow.’
His robotic nature was back in a jiffy. Standing up, he appeared ready to leave, and I was still partly confused about why he’d even bothered turning up in the first place. His vague warning had been pretty useless, and since he seemed to be a pal of the late Jorge, the whole murky business was even less clear.
‘Maybe he’s a cop, too,’ George suggested. I ignored him.
‘So, that’s it?’ I called out as Jose headed for the door. He turned towards me and smiled.
‘I trust we’re on the same page?’
‘Oh yeah, totally. 100%,’ I assured him, rolling my eyes.
‘Let me recap for you.’
‘Oh good, thanks,’ George whispered. ‘I think I missed-’
‘You stay away from Angela, she stays away from you. Nobody else has to die, do they?’ Jose iterated, with an emphasis I didn’t like.
‘I don’t know why you’re implying that I killed Ronnie, ’cause that ain’t true and you and I both know it.’
‘You probably shouldn’t goad him, I don’t-’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I wasn’t there.’
‘Let me finish, damn it!’ George hissed.
‘And as far as I know, nobody was there,’ Jose went on. ‘Let us leave it as that, shall we?’
But I couldn’t, could I? I had to go mouthing off and say the fatal words that had gotten me into so much trouble in the past.
‘I have proof!’
Even I couldn’t ignore the look of utter disbelief on George’s face.
‘Now, why did you have to go and say a foolish thing like that?’ he groaned. Even if I could answer him, I couldn’t.
‘Proof?’ Jose asked, eyes narrowed.
‘I know that Angela whacked him over the head with a champagne bottle before tossing his body off the pier.’
He blinked slowly at me, giving me ample time to write out my will in my head. You know what? I didn’t care. He was a jerk, and so was Angela. Ronnie didn’t deserve to die- well, hmmm, let’s not go too far. I mean, I was sure he had redeeming qualities somewhere along the line, and he’d suffered a terrible injustice-
Okay, I was lying to myself. I could care less about all of that jazz. What I really wanted was to piss Angela and Jose off. I think I succeeded.
‘What proof do you have?’
He was all business, with a look in his eyes I could only define as hope. He wanted Angela caught. The only possible reason for that would be that he wanted the cash for himself. I wondered if I could buy him off myself- no, wait. My dad would probably notice a million bucks going AWOL. Bad idea.
‘Like I’m gonna tell you,’ I scoffed.
‘Enough to send her to prison? No, otherwise you would’ve given it to the police, right? You’re greedy, not stupid. You don’t have anything,’ he said, dejected. ‘Leave us alone, kid.’
Before I could come up with a stellar reply to that, he left. Great. I’d probably think of something witty in about six hours’ time. Always the way.
‘What’d I miss?’ George asked, staring in confusion at the shut door.
‘Not much. Couple of threats. If I don’t leave Ronnie’s death alone, they’ll try to pin it on me. What about you? Anything?’
‘You had no neighbors, so I got bored and checked the whole floor. There was one elderly couple and a family of tourists. I think they might’ve been Brazilian.’
‘You think they might’ve been the target instead?’
‘Wow, no I do not. I think the only thing clear from Jose was that you were the intended target. We might not know why, but it’ll have something to do with those mystery people spying on Angela.’
‘This is so messed up,’ I moaned. ‘One dead cop, random guys out to get me, Angela and Jose threatening me, too. And Jose is definitely hiding something. You still think he’s an informant?’
‘Sure. Or a cop, like I said.’
‘Based on what?’
He gestured around the room, like it was obvious.
‘You moved hotel rooms about fifteen minutes ago. Jose turns up five minutes later. How did he know where you were?’
I hadn’t thought of that. And that knowledge didn’t fill me with a warm fuzzy feeling, either.
‘Uh, maybe he paid off the receptionist?’ I asked, considering that the best option.
‘No way. It’s crowded with law enforcement in the lobby. He’d never have gotten away with it. The only way he knew you were here, is if someone told him. And the only people who know are cops.’
‘So, now I have another problem,’ I sighed.
‘Are they dirty, or is there something else going on?’ George asked, vocalizing my thoughts.
If they were dirty cops, I’d be in big trouble. I didn’t know why, and I probably never would if they thought me to be a threat. Either way, I suddenly didn’t trust anybody around me. And I certainly didn’t feel safe.
21
‘I have to get out,’ I said.
I wasn’t entirely sure if I meant the room or the situation, but I felt trapped. I had the cops on one side, Jose and Angela on the other, with an assortment of dead bodies added to the mix. I didn’t want to get myself added to the list, but it appeared to be heading that way. Especially since I was suddenly determined not to leave Miami until I got to the bottom of this.
Whatever “this” was.
Besides, I’d come too far to leave it all behind. I came here to help, and that’s what I was going to do.
Decided, I switched on my laptop and cell and pulled out my notebook, ready to research. I jotted down a quick checklist. George looked disappointed.
‘I thought we were going out?’
‘No point. I’m vulnerable out there. I’ve dug myself into a hole and I’ll damn well dig myself out.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means we’re getting justice for Ronnie, no matter what.’
I groaned as I checked my cell. Thirty-eight voicemail messages from my father, not including the countless texts I had from him. Or my aunt. Oh.
I guess they’d been in contact. Wonderful. I’d deal with that another time.
I wasn’t a total jerk, though. I did send him a text to let him know that I was safe. At least he’d only be mad instead of anxious and mad.
Family life sorted, I pulled up every news article I could find relating to Ronnie. He’d told me the name of his old workplace, so I checked that out, too. And his boss. Angela had been sleeping with him, so they might’ve talked. About something or whatever.
‘But I thought you didn’t care about that?’ George asked, worming his way through the mattress to stare suspiciously at my screen.
‘Sure, I did. I didn’t have any way of helping, though,’ I reminded him.
‘Right. What changed?’
‘I’m stuck,’ I told him, already bored as I read the same stories I’d read yesterday. ‘If I leave now, this will follow me. I’m fairly sure my dad
has worked out that I lied about staying at my aunt’s, and anyway, that damage has already been done.’
I could already picture it: my aunt screaming at my dad that I was a freak and I should be locked up. My dad would only say that I had a vivid imagination, yada yada yada, and some bull about me not having a mom growing up. Because all single-parent kids are cursed with seeing ghosts. That argument of his made even less sense as I aged, but I guess it was a comfort blanket for him.
‘You don’t want to go home because your dad will yell?’
Wow, he got it in one. Not.
‘No, I can handle that. But I’d be going home empty-handed. I’d have ruined my aunt’s life for nothing. I need to have something to show for it, even if I do get arrested. Besides, when has warning somebody off ever worked?’ I asked rhetorically, referring to Jose.
‘Hmmm.’
I stared a question at him. He ignored me and looked at my screen.
‘What’s HS Barrett?’
‘Ronnie’s workplace. My God, his job sounds dull. Makes a hell of a lot of dough, though, if I’m reading the stock thing correctly. I am, right?’
‘Stock thing?’ he parroted, giving me a disgusted look.
‘Oh, I do apologize. I bet you know the correct term for it?’
‘I know it’s not “stock thing,”’ he mumbled.
‘Thanks, Teach.’
He grumbled at me and got back to criticizing everything I was doing.
‘Ronnie didn’t have social media, and neither did his wife. Any of it. They were totally old school, he said,’ he sighed, reading the next item on the agenda.
‘That doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth. Et voilà,’ I announced with a flourish, coming up gold. I’d scrolled through a few Angela Higginses until I’d spotted her. I knew she’d been lying. She obviously loved herself, so she would not have passed up an opportunity to show off.
‘That’s not even her,’ he sneered, looking at the photos as I scrolled through.
‘Check again, buddy.’
He screwed his eyes, searching for familiar details on the woman he’d seen once in his entire life. This woman had bleached blond curled hair, harsher makeup and was wearing solely black in all pictures. She was smiling smugly, always on her own. Her page said she was Miss Angela Higgins. I was certain it was her. A woman knows.
‘Okay, maybe it is,’ he finally allowed, sounding uncertain.
‘It is. Trust me. And what else do you notice?’
His eyes immediately went to her boobs.
‘Oh my God. You’re like a horny teenager.’
‘I am a horny teenager,’ he shrugged.
‘Reel it in for a second, bud. Check out the scenery. The other scenery,’ I sighed.
‘Looks like South Pointe,’ he said, indifferent. ‘And I think that may be the BBQ joint we drove past yesterday.’
‘Yeah, so what does that mean?’ I asked, hoping he would reach my conclusion before the next solar eclipse.
‘She’s been to Miami before? Oh! Now, I see. She lied. Ronnie said this was their first time here.’
There we go. He got there in the end, bless his soul.
‘Now, the only question is why she’s been here before. And why she lied.’
Frowning, I checked social media off my list. Maybe the next task would answer that.
‘What else is on there?’ George asked, peering through my shoulder. I batted him away to no avail.
‘Cell records? Emails? Please tell me you’re kidding.’
‘I’m kidding,’ I smiled cheerily.
‘No, you’re not. That’s completely illegal. Ally could get disbarred for that.’
‘Good job Ally’s not doing it,’ I replied, calling Mickey.
‘So, you’re going to ruin your friend’s life instead?’
‘He doesn’t have a life to ruin. Hey, Mickey,’ I greeted, as he finally answered.
‘What is it?’ he asked sullenly.
‘I had a favor to ask- what’s up?’
‘You know that thing you had me do?’ he asked after a pause.
I glanced at George, baffled.
‘You asked him to forge a Facebook page to say you lived with your aunt,’ he reminded me.
‘Oh, that. What about it?’
‘I saw the news, Anna,’ he sighed.
‘Oh my God. That made national news?’ I asked, awestruck.
‘No. I um, searched it myself.’
I rolled my eyes. I guessed I could add stalking to his tiny list of talents.
‘Why were you checking up on me?’
‘Yeah, that’s the issue here,’ George inputted. ‘Why not put him out of his misery already and ask him to commit a crime for you?’
I thought that was a great idea. Talking to Mickey could be even more tiring than Ally sometimes.
‘Hey, Mickey, I got a favor to ask,’ I shouted over his rambling explanation. I realized I didn’t really care what he was saying anyway. It was kinda cute, I supposed, in a crazy stalker way.
I could practically hear him perk up at the thought of me needing him again.
‘You got a relative you want me to run over or something?’
Hardy har.
‘Funny. No. There’s this woman who’s killed a guy, but I can’t find any evidence on her whatsoever.’
‘Why do I get the feeling that I’m not going to like the next words out of your mouth?’ he groaned.
‘Man, he knows you well,’ George chuckled.
‘I’m gonna need to get into her emails and check her cell.’
‘Oh, sure! No problem. I’ll just download a program to your laptop remotely and then you can easily do it without her knowing. It only takes a second and doesn’t cost a cent.’
‘Really? Wow, thanks. Easier than I thought,’ I grinned, putting a giant tick over my list.
‘That was sarcasm,’ Mickey sighed. ‘I don’t even think that kind of thing exists.’
Great. I’d ruined my perfectly beautiful list for nothing. He ought to work on his sarcasm.
‘Thanks for nothing.’
‘What on Earth did you think I could do from Ohio? Look, there are things you can buy from Radio Shack or somewhere like that. They can copy a sim card. Or you can bug the cell. Or if you have access to her computer, you can download a key logger. Or-’
George and I jumped as we heard an alarm ring on the other side of the call.
‘Mickey? Where are you?’
‘Currently running for Biology,’ he puffed. ‘Late again. Look, I have to go. That’s all I can do for you, okay?’
‘Sure, thanks.’
I hung up and immediately began to Google.
‘You’re not seriously thinking about going back to Angela’s cabin, are you?’
‘No, I was actually going to sit here and twiddle my thumbs. Maybe catch a movie. Grab a coffee. Wait for imminent death; that sort of thing.’
‘You do remember the last half hour, right? When that guy built like a truck threatened your life?’
‘Well, I’ll obviously wait until he leaves.’
‘No,’ he said firmly, shaking his head as I headed for the door.
‘What? You were really excited to be going out a minute ago.’
‘Yeah, I thought we were going for a walk on the beach. Not committing crimes and getting ourselves killed.’
‘Hey, I’m going to be the one doing both of those things. You’re an innocent bystander,’ I informed him. He wasn’t amused.
‘It’s not safe,’ he went on. ‘What if Jose wasn’t lying? What if he does kill you?’
Aww, how considerate of him. I never knew he cared so much.
‘Who would I have to talk to?’
Or not.
‘Me. Forever and ever,’ I grinned, putting on a creepy voice.
‘That would be the worst thing to happen to me, ever.’
‘Love you, too,’ I retorted. ‘Look, I’m doing this for Ronnie.’
‘No, yo
u’re not. You’re doing this for you. I don’t know why or how, but you are.’
Mickey wasn’t the only guy to know me well. Whatever, I don’t care. Jose had infuriated me and I didn’t like Angela anyway, so I was damned if I was letting them get away with murder. Even if it lead to my own.
I’d see them die before I did.
22
I stopped off at a local electronics store along the way to pick up a sim reader, much to the consternation of George. He was still worried about my apparent impending doom. So was I, make no bones about it, but I refused to show my fear in order to annoy him. It’s the little things that amuse me.
To keep him occupied, I laid out the instructions for him to read since I was driving and too lazy to do it anyway. Hey, I had free labor to use and this was pretty much the only thing he could do. Might as well get some use out of him.
‘I don’t know half of these languages, but they all look awesome. Maybe I could learn them. Can you get some foreign language tapes for me? You can play them in a guest room when you’re sleeping.’
‘Yeah, because that wouldn’t freak my dad out at four in the morning. A random disembodied voice, beseeching him to buy apples in the market in Spain.’
‘Don’t worry, I already know Spanish,’ he replied.
‘Good to know.’
‘This isn’t going to work,’ he frowned.
‘No, but I guess I could buy you books or something,’ I suggested, hoping this was a sudden phase.
‘What? No, not that. I meant this,’ he said, nodding towards the instructions. ‘You need access to the cell. I’m guessing we’re not going to have that. I’m hoping we’re not going to have that.’
Well, that was a waste of fifteen bucks. Forgetting I was sitting in traffic, I leaned back and thought about going back to the hotel to sit, I guess. Conduct more research that I’d already done. Wait for something else to happen around me so I could do something. No. Screw that. I was doing this.
I noticed a motorcyclist trying to go around me so I moved slightly, cutting him off. He responded by giving me the finger. Wow, real mature. If I had to sit here and wait, so could he. Although, I didn’t know why I was still intent on going back to Angela’s cabin. I didn’t find anything last time. I hadn’t even seen a laptop or computer around, so hacking into that wasn’t an option. At this point, I was waiting for a sign from God.