by Jim Riley
“Only the best when I'm trying to impress a lady.” John held the door open for Niki to enter. “Are you hungry? Bobby found almost a whole ham and half a fried turkey in the freezer. I can make you a first-class sandwich in no time.”
“Sure. That'll give me a chance to sit down with Bobby and try to figure out what happened to his dad.”
She found Bobby in a recliner in the open room next to the kitchen.
“How many members do you have in this club?” she asked.
“Six permanent members,” the son replied. “We never wanted the club to get too big. The more people in it, the more headaches we have. Know what I mean?”
Niki nodded. “Like any organization. Too many opinions tend to complicate life. Can you get me a list of the members?”
“Sure. No problem.”
“Are you and your father included in the six memberships?”
Bobby nodded. “We each have a membership and there are four others.”
“Must be high dues to keep a place like this running with only six guys.”
“Don't worry,” Bobby laughed. “None of our members are on government assistance. They can easily afford this perk in their lives and a lot more.”
“I must live in the wrong neighborhood. I couldn't afford the light bill here.” Niki shook her drying hair. “How do you get lights on the island? I don't hear a generator running.”
“The miracle of solar, wind and water.” Bobby smiled. “Most of the electricity comes from a water turbine in the river. We have a generator for backup just in case.”
“I'm good with the solar and wind,” the detective nodded. “Tell me about the turbine.”
Bobby pointed out the window. “The mighty Mississippi sends billions of gallons of water flowing right by us every year. I happened on a good deal for a water turbine, and now we have free electricity thanks to Mother Nature. It's one of the best moves we've made.”
“Sounds like you guys are on the front line of green energy.”
Bobby laughed. “Whoever said that necessity is the mother of invention had us in mind. No way could we run a line across the channel and hauling enough diesel to run a generator turned out not to be a whole lot of fun.”
“Impressive, although the use of all three sounds like overkill to me.”
“Not really,” Bobby replied. “All of our members are in the construction business. A lot of what ended up in the camp was left over from projects we did.”
“How many jobs do you have a surplus water turbine?”
“You'd be amazed. Whenever a client changes the scope or the material specs, we have to charge him for the stuff we can't use. For the most part, the client has no use for it after the job is complete, so we keep it and use whatever we can on the island.”
“I know I'm in the wrong business now,” Niki said.
“We aren't building chicken coops. There's a lot of money in construction.”
John delivered the ham and turkey sandwich along with a Dr. Pepper.
“Sorry,” he said. “They don't keep Cherry Dr. Peppers in the fridge.”
“I'm surprised you remember. Thank you very much.”
“There are a lot of things about you I'll never forget.”
Niki blushed. She mumbled, “Thank you” before taking a bite of sandwich. When she swallowed, the detective turned back to Bobby.
“Would any of the other members have a reason to harm your father?”
“Never,” Bobby threw up both hands. “We are all close. Like family. Look, we've been in this club for more than a decade. We watched each other's kids and grand-kids grow up. We all get along with each other and would do anything to help one another if there was ever trouble.”
“In any club, there is always an argument or two. When was the last one?”
Bobby sighed. “With this many successful people, there are egos. Every member here has a right to be proud of his accomplishments and sometimes those egos clash.”
“You didn't answer my question. Was there a disagreement this past weekend?”
“Just a small misunderstanding. It amounted to nothing,” Bobby replied.
“What was the argument about?”
“A small budget matter. We worked it out.”
“I suppose your father was on one side. Who was the main proponent on the other?”
“I'm telling you not to worry about that. It was all worked out before I left.”
“Is there a possibility that the argument continued after you left the island?”
“Anything is possible,” Bobby nodded. “But I told you we all get along. None of the other guys would do anything do Dad.”
“Just to be safe, I'll talk to the other members. Even if there was no more discussion, they might have seen something that will help.”
“That's what I expected John to do. Then that thing with the governor's daughter happened. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if he went with you.”
“Sorry 'bout that,” John said. “If Samson knew I spent my morning out here instead of looking for Dalton Bridgestone, he'd skin me alive.”
Niki laughed out loud. “That sounds like Samson. He can fly off the handle sometimes.”
“He told me about you moving in with him and Liz. That must have been tough on you.”
“It was an experience that changed my life. Actually, both experiences. Losing my parents to some murderer and then living with Samson. I'm just thankful he took me in. Don't know where I would have gone otherwise.”
“I don't know if I could live with the Chief. It's bad enough to work with him,” John said.
“He's always treated me like a princess, but I know he has some difficulty dealing with others.”
“That has to be the world's biggest understatement,” John laughed. “It's like saying a shark has a hard time relating to seal pups. No problem when you swallow them whole.”
Bobby stood up. “I have to get back to a bid opening. With Dad missing, I have to represent our family's interests. If I'm not there, we're disqualified from winning the bid.”
“How big is the job?” Niki asked.
“Several million. We could use it with the ones we've missed lately.”
“I'd like to stay here on the island tonight and look around. As far as anyone knows, this was the last place anyone saw your father.”
“I'm not so sure about you staying here,” Bobby replied. “You're welcome to look at his office and his house. He keeps some of his papers at a home office.”
“I've got a feeling the key to finding out what happened lies somewhere here on Spirit Island right in the middle of the Mississippi. I really want to stay here tonight.”
“We don't like for anyone to stay here by themselves. Too many things could go wrong and there's no way to call for help. The telephones won't work on the island.”
“I know, but I have this strong intuition. I've learned not to argue with it.”
“Will you stay in the camp? If you go wandering around in the swamp and get lost, we won't be able to find you with a thousand blood hounds. They can't smell inside an alligator's stomach.”
“I'll stay within sight of it. I may look around the clearing a bit.”
“This is insane,” Bobby said. “Now we'll have two people missing. Please don't go into the swamp. Will you promise me at least that?”
“We’ll see. I can't promise anything until I look around.”
Bobby turned to John. “I'm not sure that it was a good decision to hire your girlfriend here. I think she’s in way over her pretty little head.”
John straightened up. “First, she's not my girlfriend. Second, I assure you that Niki knows how to take care of herself. Probably better than you and me.”
“I believe you're thinking with the small head,” Bobby said. “I've got to go to the bid opening and then I'll call you and work this out. So far, I'm not convinced.”
“You've paid me for ten days. Do you want your money back now?” Niki asked.
“It's not about money,” Bobby said. “You can keep all the money, but that doesn't mean I won't hire someone else to look for Dad. I don't think you’ll find him.”
Bobby stormed out of the door and slammed it behind him.
John walked over to Niki and kissed her on top of the head.
“Don't worry about Bobby. He's used to buying immediate results with his money.”
“Don't let him hire anyone else until I have a chance,” Niki said. “I need this for me. I need his for Bobby. He isn’t showing all his feelings, but I can tell this is tearing him apart.”
The door opened back up. Bobby took a step inside.
“Look. I don't want to offend anyone, but it looks to me like John hired you with my money so he could get in your pants. I know that sounds bad, but that's how I feel right now.”
“I'm gonna prove you wrong. John won't get in my pants, and I will find your dad,” Niki said.
“Whatever. Are you ready to go, John?”
“Sure, but I need to tell you something in front of Niki first. I have feelings for her, but that isn't why I recommended that you hire her. She is the best person for the job.”
“Yeah, I could tell that when she fell in the mud hole,” Bobby retorted.
“Her methods may be a bit unorthodox, but I've known her since high school. I've never known her to fail at anything she's tried yet.”
Bobby did not look convinced. He turned toward Niki. “If you're gonna stay here, take the last room along the hallway. It belongs to Dad, and it's the biggest one in the camp. If you're still hungry, there's plenty of turkey and ham left. If you don't want another sandwich, we keep pizza and chicken wings in the freezer. Just heat them in the microwave.”
Niki looked at the two men. “I know this sounds crazy, but my gut tells me I need to be on Spirit Island tonight. That's the only way I can explain it to you. What time will one of you come by to pick me up tomorrow?”
Bobby looked at the ceiling as though his appointment book would mysteriously appear. “I can get by a little before lunch. I won't have long, so be ready at the landing when I get there.”
Niki nodded. “I'll meet you at the end of the trail between eleven and noon tomorrow.”
John put an arm around Niki. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I'm sure,” the detective nodded. “I don't know why, but I'm sure.”
“I'll call you every free hour to make sure you're okay.”
Bobby laughed. “You can call, but it won't do any good.”
“That's right.” John playfully slapped the side of his own head. “I forgot that the phones don't work here.”
“Are you sure they don't work even with the new iPhone?” Niki asked.
“They don't work even with the best radios money can buy. Trust me. We've tried them. I hate to break you two up, but we've got to go.”
Niki was not thrilled about staying on the spirit-inhabited island by herself with no way to contact the outside world, but knew in her gut that she had to do it.
“I can get an off duty cop to come out here tonight,” John said.
“That's unnecessary,” Niki replied. “I need to be here. With what Bobby is paying me, I need to take advantage of every opportunity and this is the first one available.”
Bobby tossed her a key ring.
“Those will open any of the doors around here. We've never had much trouble with break-ins, but it might be best to keep it locked when you're inside. In Dad's room, you'll find a box with keys to the tractors and four-wheeler if you need to use one.”
Niki put the keys into the pocket of her borrowed jeans. Then she followed the two men out of the door. She remained on the landing while they descended the stairs. As they walked away, John turned and blew her a kiss. The private detective caught it and pressed it to her heart. The two men disappeared down the trail toward the river.
Niki took time to look around the clearing while she stood on the landing. When her gaze ventured back to underneath the camp, her heart leaped. The door she had closed to the mudroom was standing ajar.
Tuesday Afternoon
Spirit Island
Niki looked at the spot where the two men had disappeared. She wanted to call out to them before they got out of earshot.
Did one of them go into the room after she went into the camp? The answer to her own question was an undeniable “no”. Neither could have. Both were with her since she climbed the stairs. The detective opened her mouth to call. Then she closed it.
If she panicked and hollered at them less than two minutes after being alone and the whole thing turned out to be nothing but a loose lock, Bobby would confirm he had made a bad decision. He would think that he hired a wuss that could not take care of herself. It would embarrass John for recommending her for the job.
Niki pulled the revolver from its holster in the small of her back. She took two steps down the stairs and stopped. The detective took her time checking out her complete surroundings. She examined underneath the camp. She peered at the clearing. The long-legged detective examined every nook and cranny at the edge of the field as best she could from this vantage point.
Sweat dropped from her forehead even though she was standing perfectly still. Her hand gripped the butt of the gun so hard that her knuckles turned white. She gasped for breath and did not sufficiently satisfy the requirement for oxygen to her lungs.
She descended two more steps on wobbly knees and repeated the process. By now, she was too late to call the men back. Whatever happened, she would have to handle. A noise from a blind spot behind the camp made her breathing stop altogether.
She heard steps. Niki twisted her body until she could rest her arms on the railing of the stairs. The steps were coming her way. Her body demanded air. Somehow, the detective breathed, but inhaling was neither quiet nor smooth. Her muscles protested the awkward position, and she moved to a more comfortable arrangement.
The steps did not sound right. Then she saw a movement. A brown spot appeared, but stopped. Niki's finger tightened around the trigger. The whitetail doe stepped out into the open and stared at the strange human on the stairs. The lithe detective laughed out loud and still did not spook the doe. Then a yearling stepped from behind its mother and stared at Niki.
Despite all the previous tension, Niki felt at one with nature on this peculiar island separated from civilization. The two deer seemed to understand that she meant them no harm even if she still had the revolver pointed in their direction. A calm inner peace enveloped her entire body.
For over ten minutes, Niki continued to watch the animals graze on the lush rye grass. They seemed to be in no hurry at all, content to look up after grabbing a mouthful of blades to watch for predators.
The peace did not last long. Her attention returned to the open mud room door. She struggled to maintain a steady breathing pattern when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Though she was on firm ground, the weakness in her knees returned. When she forced them to move, the detective took a defensive position at the corner of the concrete structure. She saw no movement by the open door.
“Whoever you are, come out now. I have a gun and I know how to use it,” the detective yelled.
Her trembling knees betrayed the confidence in her voice. There was no response from within the room. Even the deer in the clearing ignored her warning. She then repeated the statement again with the same results.
What do I do now? If I charge inside, the trespasser will have the advantage. I'll be a sitting duck when I go through that door. What if this is all a part of my imagination? What if I didn't close the door all the way, and the wind blew it open? I had just embarrassed myself and fallen in the mud. I could have been distracted and anxious to get inside the camp.
These thoughts passed through the strawberry-blonde's mind in an instant. She was torn between a full-out charge and waiting the culprit out. The problem with waiting was if there was no one inside. The problem with an all-out charge
was that someone might be inside.
With all of this conflict raging within, Niki took a step toward the open door. Suddenly, her knees quit shaking. Her hands were steady. Her kempo training steeled her nerves. The next few steps were slow and calculating. That all changed when she reached the outside of the room. With a tremendous kick, the door flew all the way open.
Niki took a quick step to one side of the opening and waited.
There was no more sweat. Only the mosquitoes were a nuisance. The lean detective mentally kicked herself for not using the repellent and then forgot about them. Her entire focus changed to the intruder in that mudroom.
Taking a deep breath, her long legs took her charging inside. Clearing the frame, she rolled to her right. Coming up on one knee, the revolver extended out front. In a flash, Niki scanned the outer room. No sign of another human. The only thing she saw were her drying clothes on the hook.
Now she got charged up. She ran to the shower room and jumped inside. Again, there was no sign of an intruder. All the pent-up tension released.
This has been all a mistake. My imagination running amok. Maybe I shouldn't have insisted on staying on this haunted island by myself. I can't possibly investigate this case when my mind is playing tricks on me.
Then, standing alone in the shower, the slim detective laughed. Not a tee-he type of giggle. She let out a full belly laugh, embarrassed that she had let her fears affect her judgment. She stepped back into the mudroom and the laughter cut short. Something was wrong.
Tuesday Afternoon
Spirit Island
A big wet spot stood out under the hooks where her clothes were drying. The problem was that it was under an empty hook. The clothes were now on a different hook than where she had placed them.
Her skin tingled. She was not alone on the island. Someone, and it was not John or Bobby, had moved her clothes from one hook to the other. Niki burst out of the mudroom and ran for the stairs. At the top, there was no hesitation. She jumped inside, slammed the door, and locked it.