скачать книгу бесплатно
Keith and Matt stood on the aft deck, looking across the water.
The disreputable vessel belonging to Brad and Sandy remained where she had been at anchor.
Matt let out a long sigh. “Guess they have no jobs to get back to,” he said.
“They don’t know what we’re doing,” Keith said with certainty, though their presence had disturbed him, as well. He had explored the area where he thought Brad had dumped something, but he hadn’t found anything. Still, the ocean was huge, and water and sand shifted. He hadn’t known exactly where to look—or what to look for. He was still convinced, however, that Brad had thrown something into the sea.
Something he hadn’t wanted the Coast Guard to find.
“I still don’t like it,” Matt said.
“I don’t like it, either. Frankly, I don’t like anything about the two of them. But as far as what we’re doing goes…Matt, one of us stays on board as lookout, all the time. We can’t stop our work completely just because other people are anchored nearby.”
“They’ve been anchored nearby for too long,” Matt pointed out.
“Maybe they’re saying the same thing about us.”
Matt snapped around, looking at him sharply. “I don’t want to leave,” he murmured.
“Maybe we should, though. Spend a night among the masses. See if we can pick up any idle gossip, any rumors.”
Matt stared at him, eyes narrowed, and shook his head. “Keith, I think you’re going off track. I’m upset that Brandon is dead, too. But now you’re convinced that some old couple’s disappearance is somehow connected, but I don’t see how.”
“They might be dead, too.”
“Lots of bad things happen. Lots of people die. They’re not all related.”
“Nope, not all of them. But I don’t think it would hurt to do a little investigating.”
Matt looked like he was about to argue, but then he shrugged. “You might be right.” Then he smiled. “I imagine you want to try to get an invite into the domains of a certain yacht club?”
“There are plenty of places to put ashore,” Keith said.
“I repeat—”
“Yeah, I think we should head to that area. Other than Brad and Sandy, those were the people hanging here.”
“We’ll talk it over with Lee,” Matt agreed. “And you’re right,” he murmured, sounding a bit disgruntled. “It’s just damn convenient for you, huh?”
Keith shrugged. Hell, yes, he was anxious to get over there.
He was worried about Beth Anderson. She was home, but he knew in his gut that the Coast Guard had been out here because of her. Still, Brad and Sandy were the suspicious ones, and they were out here, while Beth was safely on the mainland. He shouldn’t feel uneasy. But he did.
What the hell were Brad and Sandy up to? Hanging around forever, tossing things into the water.
He wanted to just go over and ask them what they were doing, but he didn’t want to arouse suspicion against himself. He reminded himself firmly that a boatload of Coast Guard sailors had arrived on the island, stayed a good long time and searched the interior—and found nothing.
Beth had not given up. She had gone to someone with the power to make things happen, and what was to say she wouldn’t push the issue again?
His smile faded, and he shook his head. She was like a dog with a bone, refusing to let go.
And that could be really dangerous for her. Because something was going on out here. He was sure of it.
Brad had been afraid they would search his boat, so he had gotten rid of something in the ocean.
So why were he and Sandy still there, watching them all the time?
It all kept coming back to one thing.
The skull.
8
ASHLEY SURPRISED BETH AT THE club on Friday.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” Beth asked when Ashley appeared at her door.
“Letting you take me to lunch.”
“Cool.”
Ashley slid into one of the chairs in front of Beth’s desk. “I don’t know why, but now you’ve got me going.”
Beth pushed back the menu she had been going over and looked up, waiting for her friend to go on.
Ashley shrugged a little sheepishly. “Well, I told you the Coast Guard found nothing.”
“Yeah. So…?”
“I tried to find out if the Monocos’boat really had been seen.”
“And?”
“Your friend Manny actually made inquiries up in Palm Beach County. I checked with the officials there, and no one ever made an official report about their boat having been sighted. And no one ever officially filed a missing persons report.”
“I thought Manny did.”
Ashley shrugged. “Nothing official. According to the police up there, there were inquiries made, that was all. An officer might have talked him out of making an official report, because when you’re over twenty-one, it isn’t illegal to disappear, as long as you choose to do so.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“Nowhere. Just that you’ve made it into a mystery that intrigues me. Now let’s go eat, or I’ll run out of lunch break.”
Beth nodded and rose, and they went downstairs to the restaurant. They both ordered the mahimahi, which, the waiter assured them, had been caught that morning by some of the staff. As he started to move away, Beth suddenly caught his arm. “Henry, who is that, third table down, her back to us?”
“Ah. Maria Lopez. You’ve met her, right?”
“Yes, but only once.”
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Henry said admiringly. “She was an international dance champion. They called her the queen of salsa.”
“I know. Didn’t she work out of the Monoco studios?”
“I believe so. She danced all over the world. She’s sixty now, if she’s a day. She has the figure of a young girl, yes?”
“A well-endowed young girl,” Ashley murmured, grinning. “She’s striking.”
“Excuse me,” Beth said. She glanced at Henry and explained. “I have an idea about the club and salsa lessons. Maria Lopez being here today is too perfect. Be right back.”
She was obsessed, Beth realized, but it was all right, because she knew she was obsessed. Hell, even Ashley admitted that her curiosity had been piqued. “Ms. Lopez?” Beth said, feeling comfortable, because it was perfectly within her duties to greet the woman. “How very nice to see you.”
The woman, as beautiful as Henry had said, turned to her.
She frowned slightly, trying to determine just who Beth might be; then a smile, soft and lovely, warmed her face. “Hello, Miss Anderson, isn’t it?”
“Beth, please.”
“Will you have a seat?”
“It’s so wonderful to see you here,” Beth said, sitting down.
“I like to come down by the water,” Maria said. “The sea and sun can be so rejuvenating, don’t you believe?”
“Definitely,” Beth agreed. Where, and how, did she plunge in? “In fact, I was just out at Calliope Key, and that made me think of an old friend of yours. Didn’t you work with Ted Monoco?”
Maria’s dark eyes flashed, and for a moment, Beth was afraid she had made the woman angry. But then Maria said, “Oh, yes. Ted and Molly. Such wonderful people. Those were the days. The studios he ran were the best. He gave people the gift of movement, the gift of dance.”
“How wonderful,” Beth murmured. “I guess now…he’s giving himself the gift of the sea and the sun.”
Maria Lopez sat stiffly for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I fear not.”
Beth swallowed carefully. “What do you mean?” she asked, careful not to give away her own thoughts.
“I believe something has happened to them. I would have heard from them otherwise, and there has been no word. I miss them,” she said softly. “And the worst is…there seems to be nothing I can do.” She forced a smile. “So here I am. Lunching near the sea.”
“I’m so sorry,” Beth said. She paused for a moment, then asked, “Tell me, do you still dance?”
“Sometimes, yes,” Maria said.
“I was wondering if…perhaps…you would consider dancing for our Summer Sizzler here at the club.”
Maria arched a delicate brow.
“I’d love to do something extraordinary,” Beth explained.
Maria was clearly flattered but not yet convinced. “To dance, one needs a partner. Perhaps you could speak to someone at Ted’s old studio, the main studio, on South Beach. All the studios were bought by a man named Eduardo Shea. He does well.”
This was too perfect, Beth thought, everything falling into place so casually and naturally.
“So I’ve heard—Manny told me,” she explained. “You know Manny Ortega, I’m sure.”
“Oh, yes, of course.” She offered Beth a full smile. “Manny is very talented, a lovely man. He knows Eduardo, as well. Eduardo is also quite an interesting man, half Cuban, half Irish. I can dance for you—with a partner, of course. But you should bring dance to your members, as well.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking. That we should offer lessons here.”
“Your members will have so much fun. And the single men will do much better with the ladies.”
“Maria, what a wonderful idea.”
The older woman flushed slightly. “Thank you. Call Eduardo. Tell him that I suggested you speak to him. And if you go through with this, I will dance with his instructor, Mauricio. We will need to rehearse, of course. And if you wish your party to be a real success, you’ll need at least two male and two female instructors. I will work with them, of course.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
Maria laughed. “You will receive a bill.”
“Of course.”
“Truly, it will be my pleasure,” Maria said, inclining her head, something regal about the movement.
As Beth rose, Maria reached for her bag. “Give me a moment.…I have Eduardo’s card, and also my own, so that you may call me with details.”
Beth accepted the cards and reminded Maria that if she needed anything, to please let her know. As she left the table, she stopped Henry and told him that she would sign the tab for Maria’s lunch. Then she hurried back to Ashley.
“The fish was wonderful,” Ashley said.
Beth apologized swiftly. “I’m sorry. It’s just that—”
“There was Maria, who knew the Monocos, and you’re still obsessed with their disappearance, so…”
“Ashley, I saw a skull.”
“Beth, you’re not a cop.”
“So I should feel in my gut that a murder—no, murders—have taken place and just forget it?”
“The police are on it,” Ashley said.
“I hope so,” Beth said. “Anyway, I needed something special for the Summer Sizzler. Now I’ve got it.”
Ashley groaned, took a last sip of her iced tea and rose. “Jake and I will be at your Sizzler thing, by the way.”
“Thank you.”
“God sometimes needs help looking after fools,” Ashley told her.
Beth grinned and waved as her friend left the dining room.
WHEN KEITH WOKE UP THE following morning, Brad and Sandy’s boat was gone.
