Beach Blanket Homicide

by Maria Geraci

A trickle of sweat runs down my back.

  I’m the worst dog mother ever.

  “She’s only had the dog a few days,” Will says in my defense. He goes on to explain the situation to Dr. Brooks.

  “I see.” Her tone is friendlier now. “The dog looks familiar. Has he been here before?”

  “I have no idea. Maybe. His name used to be Cornelius. Does that ring a bell?”

  “I’d definitely remember a dog with the name Cornelius.” Her forehead scrunches up like she’s thinking hard. “Still, he looks really familiar.”

  “He’s kind of famous,” Lanie says. “He’s a ghost whisperer. Has a huge Facebook following?”

  Dr. Brooks makes a face. “That I would definitely remember too. Oh well, it’ll come to me eventually. Is there anyone who might be able to fill in his history?”

  I pull out my cell phone and redial the last number on my log, but instead of getting Anthony or Aurelia, Deborah Van Dyke answers.

  I tell her what happened to Paco and reassure her that he’s going to be all right.

  “Oh, I don’t blame you a bit for trying to calm him down with medication. What a little beast. I have no idea why Susan took him in. He was always getting into things.”

  I don’t bother to correct her assumption that I’d purposely given Paco the Benadryl. I’m more interested in her last statement. “You mean, he’s gotten into pills before?”

  “Not pills, but the dog was always getting into mischief. One time he chewed through the strap on my Louis Vuitton bag.” I can hear her shudder over the line. “Thank God, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. He’s nothing more than a rude little mutt. My poor sister. I’m sure it was all his barking and carrying on that caused her heart attack.”

  “Heart attack? I thought Susan had cancer.”

  “She did, but it was in remission. Strangely enough, she died of a massive heart attack.” For the first time, I hear empathy in Deborah’s voice. “It was actually a blessing. Fast and quick. In her sleep. Susan was terribly afraid of lingering for weeks in pain. At least she was spared that.”

  I’m still processing this information when I glance up and see Dr. Brooks waiting patiently.

  “Deborah, the vet needs Cornelius’s health history. Is there any way—”

  “Let me get you Aurelia. She’ll know the information you need.”

  Aurelia gets on the line. I hand the phone over to Dr. Brooks, who asks her the same questions she asked me earlier, only Aurelia can actually answer them.

  Dr. Brooks echoes Aurelia’s answers for confirmation, which gives me a chance to find out more about Paco. He’s about four years old, has no known allergies or significant health history, and surprisingly, Susan Van Dyke wasn’t his first owner. She found him walking down the street a couple of years ago and took him in.

  Dr. Brooks finishes up her conversation then hands me back the phone.

  “Thank you,” I say to Aurelia.

  “Oh, Lucy! Poor little Cornelius. I’m just grateful that he’s all right.” I can hear Anthony in the background, shooting off a barrage of questions.

  The next voice I hear on the line is his. “Lucy, it’s Anthony here. Aurelia told me what happened. Is there anything we can do?”

  “Not really, I mean, I’m just so grateful that Aurelia was able to provide a health history for the doctor.”

  “I don’t understand. Cornelius has been naughty before, but never like this.”

  I gulp. “I must have left the pill bottle out by accident.”

  “That must be it. Aurelia had all of Susan’s medication locked up tightly, so Cornelius was never tempted by them.”

  Talk about pouring salt over the wound.

  “Susan was on a lot of meds, huh?”

  “Oh yes. She was on all sorts of painkillers for her cancer. Aurelia was a wonderful nurse,” he adds proudly. “She handled all of Susan’s home regimen.”

  “Aurelia has nurse’s training?”

  “She was a certified nurse’s assistant for ten years before she came to work for Susan as her cook. All that experience came in very handy when Susan became ill.”

  Dr. Brooks motions like she wants to speak to me again. “Anthony, I need to get off the phone. Please thank Aurelia again for the information.”

  “Certainly. And…you’ll let us know about the séance?”

  “Sure.”

  I hang up. “Sorry,” I say to Dr. Brooks.

  “No problem. So, let me fill you in on the plan of care. We’ll need to keep Paco for at least twenty-four hours.” She glances at her wristwatch. “It’s already past ten. How about you plan to pick him up Friday morning? That will give us plenty of time to make sure his labs all come back normal. Barring any complications, which I have to warn you, could still happen, we should be able to give him a clean bill of health by then.”

  Complications. “Okay, sure, whatever is best for Paco.”

  “Can I ask, what you plan to do with the dog?”

  Before I can answer, Will pipes up. “I’m taking the dog.”

  I whip around to face him. “For sure?”

  He nods.

  “Oh, Will! Thank you!”

  Lanie claps her hands. “Yay for a happy ending!”

  My happy ending glow is ruined when I see the preliminary vet bill. Will takes the paper from my hands. “He’s going to be my dog, so I’ll pay for his treatment.”

  I snatch the paper back. “That wouldn’t be fair. I’m the one who messed up by leaving the pills out.”

  “Luce—”

  “Please, Will, this is all my fault. I need to do this. Okay?” The urgency in my voice stops him from protesting again.

  The door to the vet office opens. Brittany rushes in. “How’s little Paco?” she asks breathlessly. “I came as soon as I heard the news.”

  I look at Will, who shrugs. “She called my cell while we were waiting to hear from the doctor, so I left her a text explaining why I couldn’t talk.”

  “Is he all right?” she asks again. “I’ve been so worried! What happened?”

  “He accidentally got into a bottle of Benadryl,” Lanie says, “but he’s going to be okay.”

  “Thank God!”

  “I didn’t know you were so into dogs,” I say.

  “Oh, it’s not just dogs. I love all animals.”

  “Brittany is this year’s chairperson for the annual shelter fundraiser,” says Lanie. “She’s doing a terrific job, by the way.

  I give up. Not only is Brittany giving away her prize money to feed the poor, but she’s also a modern-day St. Francis of Assisi. Let’s just go ahead and give her the Nobel Peace Prize while we’re at it.

  “Now that the crisis is over, I’m heading out,” Lanie says. “If you need anything, Lucy, just let me know.”

  I give Lanie a big hug. “Thank you for all your help. You’ve been awesome.”

  “No worries.” She waves goodbye to Brittany and Will before heading out the door.

  Which leaves the three of us alone in the waiting room.

  “Lucy,” says Brittany, “Will told me all about your special project.”

  “My special—oh, you mean the séance?”

  “Shh,” she admonishes me, keeping her voice low, “We don’t want the whole town to find out. Will told me what you need, and after some careful deliberation, I’ve decided to help you.”

  “You’re going to give me the key to the rec center?” I can hardly believe my own ears. “That’s great—”

  “No need to give you the key, silly. Not when I’ll be there to let you in and lock up later.”

  “You mean—”

  “There’s absolutely no way I’m going to let you have all the fun!” Her brown eyes glow with excitement. “I’m going to be there too. A real honest to goodness séance,” she whisper-giggles. “I can hardly wait!”

  Chapter Twenty

  The way I see it I have three choices:

  A) I could cancel the séance.
/>   B) I could go ahead with Brittany’s plan and include her.

  Or

  C) I could kill Brittany for her key and do the séance without her.

  I’m sooooo tempted to pick C or at least some version of it that wouldn’t actually include murder. Maybe I could just steal her key. But then I’d be no better than her (let’s not forget the kindergarten paintbrush incident).

  If I want to find out what really happened to Abby Delgado, then I have no choice but to go with B.

  After we make plans to meet up tomorrow night at the rec center, we say goodbye to Brittany. I drop Will off at his place then head back home. My apartment that I love so much feels empty and sad without Paco.

  Before we left the veterinary clinic, Dr. Brooks let me see him. He was hooked up to an IV, and he looked so small and pitiful. He stared up at me with his big brown eyes, his tail wagging furiously like he was happy to see me. Obviously, he has no idea what a loser I am. At least he doesn’t blame me for his current predicament, but then I’m blaming myself enough for the two of us.

  After a fitful night, I wake up groggy, but with a clear plan in mind. I have to get my two suspects, Phoebe and Derrick, to let their guards down and confess to everything they know.

  Phoebe won’t be a problem. As head of the Sunshine Ghost Society, she’ll be at the séance. But Derrick? I’m going to have to convince him to participate. Since he’s threatened to have me arrested if I go near him again, it won’t be easy.

  It occurs to me that I might have an ally in all this. I fish out the business card that Gloria gave me and call her. We agree to meet at The Bistro after the lunch crowd has waned. I take her up to my apartment so we can have some privacy.

  “What a great view,” she says, looking out my living room window.

  “Isn’t it? I was pretty lucky to score this place.”

  After spending the morning on my feet, I’m exhausted, so I flop down on my couch and motion for her to join me.

  “I was sorry to hear about Paco,” she says. “I’m glad he’s going to be all right, but it will be a huge loss for tonight.”

  “Yeah, I was looking forward to seeing him in action.” As in, running around trying to get everyone to pet him.

  “Oh, he’s very talented.”

  “But you’ll be able to, you know, tap into Abby’s spirit?”

  “With your help, I believe so.” She smiles and once again I’m reminded of how much younger she is than the rest of her crowd. It occurs to me that I don’t know much about Gloria. Does she work? Or does she actually make a living off of being a medium?

  “Do you mind if I ask a question? How did you get involved in the ghost business?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got time if you do.”

  She shifts around in the couch so that she’s facing me. “My father died when I was a baby, so growing up, it was just my mother and me. She was wonderful. Very caring and supportive of everything I wanted to do.”

  “Like what, join the circus?”

  Gloria laughs. “Hardly. I enlisted in the military.”

  “Oh wow. That’s awesome.”

  “It’s a good way to grow up fast. I spent four years in the army and earned enough money with the GI Bill to put me through college. Unfortunately, while I was away, my mother got sick. I was able to get home in time to spend her last days together.”

  An intense feeling of sorrow is behind her words. I’ve never been able to pick up so much emotion from another person before. It makes me feel sad as well.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  She stares out the window. “It must be quite peaceful, sitting here in the evenings after a long day of work.”

  “It is rather spectacular.”

  “Still, I imagine it’s hard to get away from your job what with the restaurant just downstairs. Deliveries at all hours, that kind of thing.” She blinks, then smiles at me.

  “It’s not too bad.”

  “I know you’ll find this hard to believe, Lucy, but after my mother died, she started talking to me. It was such a…balm to my soul. I knew I had to help other people connect to their loved ones as well.”

  She’s right. I am finding this hard to believe. But she believes it, and that’s what’s important.

  “After she passed, I got my degree in I.T. and came out to Florida to take a job with a local company.”

  “You…work?”

  She laughs. “I’m just like most people. I work, pay taxes, that sort of thing. I’m fortunate that at this point in my career I’m able to work from home, so it gives me an opportunity to indulge my passion.”

  “Ever been married? Any children?”

  She heaves a big sigh. “No to both of those. I’ve tried online dating, but most men aren’t looking for someone who spends their free time communing with the dead.”

  “I guess not.”

  She pats me on the knee. “Now, you didn’t invite me over here to talk about my love life. Did you?”

  “Not exactly. Here’s the thing, Gloria.” I start off by explaining how the only way we’re going to get inside the rec center is with Brittany’s help.

  “Actually, she could prove very useful besides just her willingness to provide the key. She was also present shortly after you found Abby’s body, correct?”

  “Yes, along with Sarah and Will.”

  “You should definitely invite them too. We really have no idea who Abby might have imprinted upon or who she might feel a kinship with.”

  The idea that Abby’s ghost might be making herself at home inside Brittany makes me smile. “The more the merrier, huh?”

  “In this case, yes.”

  “Then you don’t mind if Aurelia and Anthony Fisk come as well? Anthony called me this morning. Even though Paco won’t be participating, they’d still like to come.”

  “I have no objection to that. They’re a lovely couple.”

  “The thing is… I really think that Abby’s brother should be there too. He was Abby’s closest relative, and like you said, you never know who her spirit might gravitate to.”

  She frowns. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that earlier. Yes, please invite him.”

  I hate deceiving Gloria about my intentions, but it’s the only way that I can get Derrick to the séance. “I’m afraid that Derrick and I got off on the wrong foot. But if you were to ask him maybe?” I hand her a slip of paper with Derrick’s number.

  “Of course. I’ll give him a call. Like I said, the whole group is looking forward to talking to Abby again.”

  “Even Phoebe?” I ask, testing the waters. I wonder if Gloria suspects that Phoebe isn’t as innocent in all this as she’d like everyone to think.

  “Poor Phoebe. She’s so insecure! Victor and I tried telling her over and over that Abby wasn’t a threat to her position in the society, but she had trouble believing it. I’m sure she’s not looking forward to whatever Abby has to tell her now.”

  Yeah, I bet.

  Gloria gets up to leave. “So I’ll see you tonight? Around midnight, outside the building?”

  “I’ll be there. And…you won’t forget about calling Derrick?”

  “Don’t worry, Lucy. I’ll make sure Derrick is there. Tonight, we’ll talk to Abby. And all will be revealed.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  After Gloria leaves, I head over to the veterinary clinic to check on Paco.

  “He’s doing much better,” Dr. Brooks reassures me. “He’s off the IV fluids, and we began introducing solid foods. Just a little chicken and rice.” She hands me a pamphlet. “Here’s a list of some dog food brands that I recommend. This breed is very susceptible to spinal cord problems, so you have to be careful to keep him at a healthy weight. Carrots are a wonderful treat. Most dogs really love them.”

  I glance at the list, noting that blueberry muffins and granola bars are definitely not included. “Thanks. I’ll make sure to give this to Will.”

  I visit with
Paco for about thirty minutes. He’s back to his usual happy self, but I don’t want to take him home before Dr. Brooks gives him the green light. “I’ll come get you first thing in the morning,” I say to him, stroking his back lightly. My throat tightens up. “And…we’ll spend another night together before you go to live with Will. Okay? No worries. We’ll see each other all the time. I promise.”

  Paco’s tail stops wagging. He nudges me with his wet nose and once again I’m hit with the feeling that he knows exactly what I’m saying. I always knew I’d have to give him up eventually, and there’s no one better to take him than Will, but I’m still torn up about the whole thing.

  I hug him tightly and try not to let him see how wet my eyes are.

  Since I’m expecting a long night, once I’m back home, I attempt to take a nap, but I’m too wired, so I go down to the kitchen to prep for tomorrow morning’s breakfast. When I open the pantry, I realize that I’m almost out of flour. We’re low on other essentials as well. Armandi’s, our primary supplier, has never been so late with his deliveries. I call Sarah to ask if she knows anything about it, but she doesn’t.

  “I’ll call him first thing tomorrow,” Sarah says. Per Gloria’s suggestion, I invite her to the séance, but she politely declines.

  Will, who up to now has basically laughed at the idea, agrees to join us. “There’s no way I’m letting you and Brittany do this without me.”

  I’m not sure what’s motivating him. The opportunity to see what I predict will be the world’s best acting job by yours truly or spending more time with Brittany. I have a strong feeling that it’s the latter.

  At exactly eleven-thirty p.m. Will’s car pulls into the parking lot. I grab my sweater and tote and head out to meet him.

  Ugh.

  Brittany is with him. She’s dressed in black yoga pants, a sleek black turtleneck sweater, and black sneakers. It’s like she just stepped off the set of Mission Impossible.

  “I wasn’t sure what to wear to a séance, but this seemed the most appropriate,” she says, eyeing my outfit of jeans and a baggy maroon and gold Florida State T-shirt.

  Since Brittany is in the front with Will, I get into the backseat of the car. “Thanks again, Brittany. For helping us out here.”