Stop. The unknown fate of the missing woman was clearly on my mind. Still, I didn’t move because now it would be awkward and suspicious. Leaning into the huge jasmine bush, I was trying to make myself as small as possible when I heard, “You have until Friday or you’re dead.”
Chapter Three
“The key to good eavesdropping is not getting caught.”
—Lemony Snicket,The Blank Book
Dead.Was that literal or figurative? As in, I’m going to shoot you with the gun in my pocketdead, or I’m going to make your life miserabledead?
Amber’s next words were lost in the breeze. Then she exclaimed, “...and don’t threaten me!”
She didn’t sound intimidated, so maybedeadalong the lines ofI’m dead meat if I’m late again.
At the age of nine, I’d convinced myself that Mrs. Horowitz, a woman I’d known half my young life, had killed her husband. I was wrong. But after devouring twentyNancy Drewmysteries in a row and borrowing my science teacher’s binoculars for the weekend, I saw murder, mystery, and mayhem around every corner.
Mr. Horowitz had simply been away on a business trip. But during the five days he was gone, I’d visualized more than a dozen ways Mrs. Horowitz could have disposed of his body.
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” the man said. “You arrogant fucking bitch.”
“That’s rich, coming from you,” Amber said. “IsaidI’d get everything back!”
“Do you know what will happen if those documents fall into the wrong hands?”
“Are you lost, Ms. Crawford?”
I jumped back and nearly fell into the vines. I was a poor excuse for a spy, hiding in the bushes but completely visible from the path in front of me.
A tall, lean black woman with short hair dressed in the St. Claire uniform of beige shorts and white shirt with her name,Kalise, embroidered in deep purple stared expectantly at me.
“No, I, just, was, um, enjoying the beautiful day.”
Lying did not come easy to me. I smiled to show how honest I was. I don’t think she was buying it.
“It is a lovely afternoon. I’m Kalise, the activities director. I hope you’ll be attending the sunset dinner at the Sky Bar tonight? The shuttle leaves every fifteen minutes between six and seven.”
“Sure, great, thanks.”
“The details are in the guest portfolio on the desk in your cottage.” She gestured down the path with her elegant hand.
“Thank you,” I said and walked away, hoping and praying that Amber and the stranger hadn’t realized I’d been listening to their conversation. I glanced back over my shoulder, waved and smiled at Kalise, and glanced up to the path above. No one was there.
Whew.
Amber and her lover/boss/enemy were arguing about some documents, and hehadthreatened her, but that didn’t mean it had been anactualthreat, and it really wasn’t my business.
Though I couldn’t help but wonder what Amber had done to anger the man. What documents had he been referring to? Financial? My mind usually went to money because that was my job, and as they say, money is the root of all evil. And the cause of most divorces.
“Stop,” I said out loud as I opened the door to my suite. Mysteries were only in books. My life was far too calm andorganized to have time for adventure—and I certainly wasn’t looking for trouble. A risk-averse CPA–slash–financial planner? As boring as they come.
One step inside and I froze, mouth open at the view.
All rational thought disappeared. I had no words.
I never wanted to leave. To hell with responsible choices.
One entire wall of the beachfront cabin was thick floor-to-ceiling glass that folded closed, the seams barely visible. Beyond was a deck with a private hot tub, then three steps down to the sand. No other cottage in sight. An older couple with white hair and deeply tanned skin from too much time in the sun walked hand in hand fifty yards down the beach. Bushes of thick, vibrant greens bursting with colorful flowers surrounded my bungalow, providing privacy.
Turning a slow three-sixty, I absorbed the space. The muted blues and greens were soothing, the king-sized bed inviting with a fluffy white down comforter and a mountain of pillows. The bathroom—deep bathtub, separate rain shower with multiple jets, private toilet, large counter. Toiletries were tastefully arranged on a tray between the two sinks: shampoos, conditioners, lotions, toothpaste. A narrow closet held additional supplies and extra towels.