The Megalodon Mix-Up

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Leslie is a nut. Like ... a total nut,” Lily replied. “She’s judgmental and casts aspersions on everyone else while trying to build herself up. She’s easy to ignore and dismiss ... except when you remember what she did to James Sanderson.

  “The thing is, we don’t have any proof that Shayne was going to partner with Sanderson,” she continued. “Shayne said that, but she was fighting with Leslie at the time and she’s always looking for a reason to irritate people. It could’ve all been talk. We’ll never know because Sanderson refuses to speak publicly about any of his writing partnerships.”

  “Leslie was deranged enough to frighten him, and he’s been around a long time,” Sarah added. “She makes me nervous. She irritates me, but I’m also leery. I think she’s one insult away from going postal. I can only hope she doesn’t have access to a gun.”

  Speaking of guns ... . “And what about Clark Savage?” I asked. “Did he ever cross paths with Shayne?”

  “Oh, absolutely.” Lily bobbed her blond head. “They fought about multiple things, including the fact that Clark believes women should be seen and not heard.”

  “As much as I hated Shayne — and I did hate her, make no mistake about that — the things Clark said to her on certain writing forums were ugly and unnecessary,” Sarah said. “He called her husband names because he’s a house husband who takes care of the kids while she handled the heavy lifting with their finances. Clark insisted she should stop writing and let some hard-working man have her space on the bestsellers lists.”

  I was horrified. “That seems like an antiquated belief.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s a real douche,” Lily offered. “No one likes him. The only reason he’s allowed to hang around with us is because he’s friends with Carter.”

  “Who everyone does like, right?”

  “Yes. He puts on an act for his readers about being a tough guy, but he has a soft heart. He’s a good guy.”

  I cracked my neck as I leaned back in my chair. “Let me ask you this; if you had to choose, who do you think would have the strongest motive for killing Shayne?”

  “I have no idea,” Lily replied. “The list is long. When I write my murder mysteries, I always have to consider a proper motive. The thing is, in the real world, motives aren’t always as strong as you believe them to be.”

  “Good point. Still, someone had to want her dead.”

  “No one would come out and say that,” Sarah said. “I mean ... not really. Someone might joke about it, or say it while drinking, but no one would be stupid enough to utter those words in front of an audience.”

  “What about her husband? What can you tell me about him?”

  “Her husband is an issue all by himself,” Lily answered. “I’ve never met him. He doesn’t go to the conferences. He stays home and takes care of the kids while she represents her publishing business as a sole proprietor.”

  “That has to be emasculating.”

  “Maybe, but from his point of view he doesn’t have it so bad,” Sarah said. “He doesn’t have to work. Her mother has two of the kids, the ones with special needs. She parades the others around Facebook while pretending to be a super mother. Then, when things don’t go her way, she makes up stories about how the kids are sick or her husband has relapsed. She was a master at making people feel sorry for her even though she victimized people.”

  “Wait ... her husband relapsed?”

  “He’s a drunk,” Lily supplied. “At least if you believe her. He drinks five days a week and sleeps in his own bedroom because she’s always up late working in the master bedroom. She’s a martyr and always paints herself as the hardest-working woman in the industry.”

  “Maybe her husband got fed up,” I suggested. “Maybe he left the kids with someone else, traveled here, killed her and then turned around and headed home. If she really was so intolerable, he might’ve had a girlfriend and they could’ve worked together to carry it out.”

  “I guess that’s possible,” Lily hedged. “I actually like the notion for a book and I’m totally stealing the idea. But I’m not sure he could pull that off. There’s a record when flying. You can’t fly today without somebody knowing.”

  I hadn’t thought about that. I was used to flying on private jets now, which meant I didn’t have to go through security and the normal hoops other passengers were forced to jump through. “Maybe the girlfriend flew here and dispatched her. They could plan to keep their relationship secret until enough time has passed.”

  “That’s not impossible, but I’m not sure why the husband would risk it,” Lily said. “He had a lot of money to play with and didn’t have to work. With Shayne dead, I’m betting there’s going to be a fight over money ... especially because her mother has custody of the two kids. Shayne wasn’t making nearly the money she was two years ago. They had a lot of bills, a fancy new house they built when the money was coming in. I’m not sure it would’ve benefitted him to kill her.”

  That was something to consider. “Most crimes are committed by people who know the victim, who have rage for the victim. I can’t see someone being upset enough about bad reviews and even a few stolen dollars on promotions to kill someone.”

  “I agree,” Lily said. “I think we’re either looking for someone who is mentally unbalanced or an individual who had a much bigger fight going with Shayne, one we didn’t know about. I’m not sure which of those options makes more sense.”

  “Or maybe it was neither of those things,” I suggested. “Maybe she really was eaten by a gigantic shark. The medical examiner says the teeth marks on her torso were huge. Half of her was eaten.”

  “Oh, gross!” Sarah wrinkled her nose. “That sounds like that book J.D. Wells is writing. I don’t even like stuff like that, but he’s told me about that book so many times it’s seared in my brain.”

  “He mentioned it to me last night, too,” I admitted. “He said he’s going to rush the publication to take advantage of Shayne’s death. The fact that he openly admitted it makes me think he’s probably not a suspect.”

  “Probably not,” Lily agreed. “He’s kind of annoying, but he has a genuinely good heart. He overcompensates. He’s never been a success at anything, and he desperately needs accolades now that he is a success. The only way I can see him going after Shayne is if she threatened to take what he worked so hard to achieve.”

  “Did she do that?”

  “Not that I’m aware of. They both write urban fantasy, but their genres aren’t that close. His is more action to her romance. They didn’t have much overlap.”

  “So ... you think the shark plot is just a coincidence?”

  Lily shrugged. “Maybe. The thing is, J.D. has been talking about that book for almost a year. Everybody knew about it.”

  “Meaning that anybody could’ve stolen the plot for inspiration to hide a murder,” I mused.

  “Exactly.”

  I sighed. “We keep getting more suspects, but no answers. It’s frustrating.”

  “Do you know what would help with that?” Sarah asked, her eyes sparkling.

  “You’re going to say pimento cheese, aren’t you?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Just a wild guess.”

  Seventeen

  Tracking information on the authors who wanted to hurt Shayne Rivers wasn’t easy. There were simply too many of them. That’s exactly what I told Jack when I returned to the outdoor bar where I’d left him. He was elbow-deep in searches, and he was no longer alone. Laura and Millie sat with him, and the presence of one irritated me much more than the other.

  “There she is,” Laura called out, what looked to be a blue cocktail in her hand. “We wondered where you ran off to. You shouldn’t leave the rest of us to do all the work.”

  I scowled. “I was talking to people.”

  “Ignore her,” Jack ordered. “She’s just being Laura. What did you find out?”

  “Either a lot or a little.” I took the open seat between him and Milli
e, laying out the information in a quick and concise manner. I didn’t leave anything out, but when I stitched things together I wasn’t sure it made sense. “The thing is, absolutely everyone hated her. While I think it’s ridiculous to kill someone over reviews, the way Sarah and Lily explained it that actually costs authors money over the long haul.”

  “And money is always a motivation for murder,” Jack mused, rolling his neck. “I’ve been running more names. Carter Reagan Yates has an interesting background. He’s been in a bit of trouble ... and apparently likes to grow pot in his backyard, but everything he’s been involved in is relatively minor.”

  “He’s not the prepper writer people dislike,” I pointed out. “That distinction goes to Clark Savage.”

  “But you didn’t find a motive for him to kill Shayne,” Jack countered. “You found a reason she might want to kill him.”

  “Yeah. And I want to kill him for that nonsense, too,” Millie said.

  “I don’t.” Laura had already downed three-quarters of her drink. “I like the idea of staying at home and letting a man do all the work. It has to be a man who makes a lot of money, though. I’m not settling for peanuts.”

  “You are an absolute delight,” Millie drawled. “Women everywhere should stand up and salute your attitude.”

  “I know, right?”

  Millie made an exaggerated face and focused on Jack. “Who do you think has the strongest motive to kill her?”

  “That’s a good question. I think a lot of people might want her dead. I’m trying to track the husband’s movements right now. I think it’s odd that he’s not coming to Florida to claim her body.”

  “I asked about that, too,” I said. “Apparently he’s a house husband and takes care of the three kids they have living with them. Lily and Sarah said there would be no motive for him to kill her because the grandmother with the other two kids will put up a fight for the money. Plus, without Shayne around to write and keep the royalties coming in, that money will dry up quickly.”

  “Maybe he didn’t realize that,” Laura suggested.

  “Or maybe he simply was staying for the money and now he’s in a bad spot,” Jack countered. “Either way, it’s interesting to think about. We need to get inside the minds of these people. There could be motives hidden under other motives.”

  “I’m not willing to give up on the idea of it being a Megalodon,” I said. “Er, or maybe not a Megalodon but a big predator. The simplest answer is often the right one. Maybe she got drunk and fell into the water and was eaten by a shark.”

  “Or maybe she was killed and her body was tossed into the water as part of a cover-up,” Jack argued. “We have no way of knowing which answer is correct right now. That’s why we have to pursue all avenues.”

  “So, what do you suggest?” Millie asked. “Charlie has been digging in with these writers to get answers. She’s been working hard. You must have an idea how you want to approach this?”

  “I do,” Jack confirmed, his expression serious. “I think we should try ruling people out one at a time. Attacking the group as a whole is getting us nowhere.”

  “And how do you suggest we do that?” Laura asked.

  “I don’t suggest you do anything,” Jack replied. “You’re not part of the group.”

  “I beg to differ.”

  “And yet you’re not included in our plans.” He was firm as his gaze landed on me. “You have good instincts. Who do you want to focus on?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer. Luckily, Laura opened her big, fat mouth so I didn’t have to.

  “Oh, yes, Charlie is perfect,” Laura muttered. “Charlie is smart ... and funny ... and everybody loves Charlie.”

  “You’re just figuring that out?” Millie challenged. “I don’t know what that says about your deduction skills.”

  Laura scowled. “Charlie is annoying, and not at all smart. She fell into shark-infested waters, for crying out loud.”

  “You do not want to get me going on that,” Jack warned, extending a finger. “I’m serious. It will not end well if you if you force my hand. I could have you fired for what happened on that ship.”

  Laura balked. “I didn’t do anything!”

  I couldn’t take another round of arguing. Instead, I decided to be proactive. “I want to focus on Abigail James and Priscilla Jennings.”

  Jack’s eyebrows hopped up his forehead. “Why? They seem the least likely to be involved.”

  “Which means they’re probably hanging with the group to gather information,” I said. “The quiet ones know more. They’re probably gossiping to themselves constantly.”

  “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Do you have an idea how you’ll get them to talk?”

  “No, but I figured I’d take Millie with me. She’s good at being sneaky.”

  Millie beamed. “I am.”

  “Okay, well ... .” Jack slid a look at Laura and leaned forward, gesturing for me to do the same. When we were almost touching, he whispered. “You can’t leave me alone with her.”

  I patted his arm. “You’re a big boy. You can take care of yourself.”

  “I don’t want to take care of myself. I think I should go with you.”

  “You have more background checks to run,” I reminded him. “Millie and I will have a better chance of getting close to those women without you around. You’re a distraction.”

  “Flattery will get you nowhere. Don’t even think about leaving me.”

  “I have no choice. The job comes first.” I couldn’t hold back my grin as I stood. “I hope to see you again.”

  “Ha, ha. You’re so funny.” He glared at Laura as she brightened.

  “I’ll help you with your research,” Laura offered. “We don’t spend nearly enough time together.”

  “And yet it’s ten times more time than is necessary,” Jack grumbled.

  “Oh, don’t be like that. Give me an assignment.”

  I LEFT JACK TO DEAL with Laura on his own terms. He was a big boy, and if he had to get mean so much the better. Other women would’ve been leery about leaving their boyfriends with a sexually charged viper, but I never worried about Jack falling for Laura’s machinations. That simply wasn’t the way he operated.

  “Where should we start looking?” Millie asked. She seemed eager to be part of the operation.

  “I don’t know. I ... .” I trailed off, narrowing my eyes when I saw movement on the manmade lake that surrounded the resort. I heard voices, and when the people who owned them finally drew close I realized it was two girls on a paddle boat. They were making the rounds of the entire resort, and given the way the foliage grew on both sides they weren’t easily seen unless the people at the various bars and pools were looking directly at them. “Hmm.”

  “Oh, don’t even think about it.” Millie shook her head, firm. “I am not riding a paddle boat.”

  “I think it’s a good idea.” I kept my voice calm. “If we’re quiet, no one will even see us. We can go-around the entire resort and eavesdrop without anyone noticing.”

  “Yes, but it’s a paddle boat. I hate paddle boats.”

  “Have you ever been on a paddle boat?”

  “Yes. They’re stupid. Have you ever been on a paddle boat?”

  “No, but they look comfortable and fun. How bad can it possibly be?”

  “You’re going to regret asking that question.”

  “UGH. MY CALVES HURT.”

  We’d been on the paddle boat only twenty minutes when I realized Millie was right. I waited another ten minutes to voice my disdain for the situation.

  “I hate to be the one to tell you ‘I told you so,’ but I told you so.” Millie made a face, her legs pumping in rhythm with mine. “People claim paddle boats are relaxing and fun, but they’re stupid. My legs hurt ... and it’s too hot, so I’m sweating ... and my butt hurts from this hard plastic.”

  I couldn’t argue with that sentiment. My hindquarters ached a bit, too. “I don’t understand why they don�
��t include cushions. That would make this so much more comfortable.”

  “Perhaps you should ask management.”

  “Perhaps I will.” I wasn’t in the mood to listen to Millie gloat. “Just ... keep your eyes open for authors. We’re looking for two specific women. I think they’re going to be thick with gossip.”

  “Oh, well, I can’t wait.” Millie rolled her eyes. “What do they look like?”

  “One has brown hair cut above her shoulders. And she wears a lot of LuLaRoe stuff.”

  “Great. Leggings in ninety-five percent humidity. That sounds ideal.”

  I ignored her tone. “The other has curly short hair that looks as if it’s been permed to within an inch of its life. She runs around saying the word ‘hooky’ constantly. I have no idea what it means.”

  “Maybe she was saying hooker.”

  I pictured Priscilla and shook my head. “No. She doesn’t seem the type to be writing about hookers. Someone said she writes sports romance.”

  “Like homeruns on and off the field?”

  “Yes.”

  “Like aces on the court and in bed?”

  I could sense where this was going. “Yes.”

  “Like putting the puck in the goal both on and off the ice?”

  “How many of these are you going to throw out?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s see. There’s soccer, golf — I have great putting jokes — and rugby.”

  “No one plays rugby.”

  “I know people who play rugby.”

  “I’m done with this conversation.” I held up my hand to let her know I meant business. “I don’t think they’re involved, but they might know information about the people who are.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they’re always hanging around ... and listening.”

  “Fair enough. Let’s find them.”

  TWENTY MINUTES LATER I was ready to abandon ship and eat my deposit on the paddle boat. Millie had turned into a complaint machine, and even though I liked her under normal circumstances I was considering making her my arch nemesis for the day. I couldn’t stand the sound of her voice.