Death By Blue Water (A Hayden Kent Mystery Book 1) (11 page)

Nineteen

Much to Hayden’s dismay, Officer Barton caught the call. She came out, took one look at Hayden and flipped open her book. “Did anyone see anyone around the car? This isn’t exactly a deserted location.”

Hayden shook her head. “I was back at the pottery shed. It was a shopkeeper who heard the breaking glass.” She looked over the crowd and pointed out the woman standing in the doorway. “That lady, over there. But she told me she never saw anyone near the car.”

“What’s missing?”

“Nothing. That’s what so strange; there’s nothing in the car to take.”

Officer Barton looked at her over the dark tints of her sunglasses. “
You
know that. But some would-be burglar doesn’t know that.”

Looking at the ground, Hayden cringed. She didn’t need this. Whoever did this caused her more trouble than if they’d taken the Tahoe.

“Did you look inside? No, I can see by the glass you didn’t. Don’t blame you. The Scene of the Crime folks are on their way. They’ll dust the car. Ma’am, I have to tell you, with no witnesses and nothing taken, I doubt they’re going to turn anything up.” Barton backed out of the open truck door, careful not to cut herself on the broken glass. “You got any ideas? Somebody out to get you for any reason?”

“No. No ideas. Thank you for coming out though. Can I call someone to clean up the glass?”

The officer shook her head, “Not ’til the CSI folks finish dusting. If they find prints, they may want to vacuum and see if they can find what broke the window. Doesn’t look like someone tossed a rock. You know, in this heat, if you had even a small knick, it could shatter the window.” Barton slung a fast glance around and lowered her voice.  “Do you think it’s related to your other problem?”

“Can’t see how. You’re probably right. It was random or the heat. Maybe someone after the cell phone in the cup holder.” She nodded toward the front console.

By the time the crime scene people finished and the car was cleaned up, Hayden decided to drive straight home. When she pulled up in her driveway she mentally sized the window and hoped she had cardboard large enough. A rainstorm soaking the seat would really top off her day.

The phone rang loudly as she unlocked the door. Running to catch it before voicemail picked up, she fell over Kevin’s dive gear piled on her living room floor. She rubbed her knee and her hand came away bloody. By the time she hobbled to the phone and picked it up, a dial tone buzzed in her ear. “Damn.” She threw the phone on the couch and tipped herself over its arm onto the cushions where she began to sob loudly.

The phone began to ring again. Groping for it between the cushions, she grabbed it out and said, “What?”

“Ms. Kent, I’m calling from Keys Art Co-op. You forgot your credit card and your cat dishes.”

“Oh, hell. Yes, I did. Thank you for calling.” Hayden fought back new sobs. Talk about a lousy day. “Can I pick them up tomorrow? I don’t think I could make the drive tonight before you close.”

“Oh, don’t worry, that’s why I’m calling. I guess when you ran out this afternoon, the card must have dropped to the floor. The man who found it said he knew you. That’s when I realized you forgot the dishes too. He’s going to drop it by your house. I wanted you to know. He just left here.”

“Who was it?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t get his name…”

Hayden couldn’t believe her ears. The woman gave her credit card to someone and didn’t get his name? Where did she think she was, Mayberry? “What do you mean, you didn’t get his name?”

“Well, I don’t remember it. He told me. But he was so charming.”

“Lady,” Hayden began, and then bit off the rest of her response. Instead, she forced herself to speak calmly. “Are you familiar with identity theft? That guy could have racked up hundreds of dollars in charges by now.”

“He said he knew you.” The woman’s voice broke. “Gave a description I recognized, and told me he’d bring them by for you.”

“Never mind.” Hayden drew a deep breath and let a wave of tiredness and frustration over her.
Great, just peachy. Some strange guy is running around with my cat dishes and credit card and I’m bleeding all over the floor. Yep, just peachy.
She bit her tongue, and said, “It’s been that kind of a day. Thanks for your help.”

Hayden picked herself up, and went to get a towel and some antiseptic for her knee. On her way past, she gave Kevin’s buoyancy compensator a vicious kick. “First you hurt me by leaving me, then you hurt me by trying to frame me for murder, and now your damn dive gear hurts me. Are you ever going to get the hell out of my life?”

The cat peeked around her bedroom door. His look implied his owner was over the edge.

Feeling foolish, she walked over to stack the vest with the rest of Kevin’s gear. Stooping to pick it up, the slate attached to a bungee in the pocket fell out. Notes covered the whiteboard. The handwriting wasn’t Kevin’s.

Curious she turned the slate right side up so she could read the words.
22 August, 2330, Cocoplum Beach, 25
. She turned the slate to catch the light trying to see if there were more words. It made no sense. Sighing, she muttered, “Well, that’s another mystery.” She tucked the slate back into the dive vest pocket and slid the vest loop over the nitrox tank. Before she made it to the medicine cabinet, someone tapped out shave and a haircut on the front door.

“S’open. Come in,” she called out.

“Think I will.”

She spun around at the sound of Kevin’s voice.

Twenty

“What are you doing here?” The wave of wanting that ripped through her at the sight of him confused her. She hoped it didn’t show on her face.

“Don’t get your hopes up. You murdered my brother. Thanks for the sympathy. I came to bring you your stuff from the Keys Art Co-op and get my gear.”

“They gave it to
you
? You found my credit card?”

“Don’t thank me. I want my stuff. This seems like a good time to get it.”

She saw him looking at the blood that ran down her leg. “I tripped. No thanks to you. Over your dive gear.” Sanity returned and the wanting gave way to anger. “I’ll be glad to get it the hell out of my house.”

Kevin sat down on the couch. “I’d like a drink. Yes, thank you very much for asking.” She wanted to wipe the self-satisfied smirk from his face, but it would mean getting close to him.

“I’d like you out of my house. Now. Get up. Get your stuff. Get out.”

He picked up the phone and put it back on its cradle. “Or what? You’ll kill me too?”

“I didn’t kill anyone. I’m sorry your brother is dead, but I didn’t kill him. I don’t know why you’re spreading that around. I wish you and what’s her name every happiness. But most of all, I wish you would leave me alone. GET OUT.”

He grinned at her, picked up her handbag, and tucked it next to him.

Adrenaline shot through her. All the times she’d bit her tongue in the past returned. This was her house. He was not going to treat her this way. She ran and tried to get past him for the phone. His hand snaked out and grabbed her thigh throwing her off balance. For the second time that night, she fell to the floor.

“Who you gonna call? The cops? I don’t think so, little bitch. Let me give you a word of advice. Leave me alone. Stop prancing around prying into my life. I’m happy now. Something I never was with you. Get out of my life. Do you understand?”

Sobbing in pain and embarrassed at showing weakness, Hayden said, “Why are you here? I didn’t invite you. Why are you lying to the police? You know I had nothing to do with your brother’s death. I never even met him. Why are you trying to make me into the bad guy here?”

“I told you. I want my gear. You’d never let me in if I called first. You made yourself into the bad guy, not me. You went to the marina. You took my brother out in his own boat. You threw him overboard.”

“You’re crazy. How could I do that?”

“You couldn’t physically toss him over so you tangled him in the anchor line. Then you used the momentum of tossing the anchor to drag him down. You’d love me to believe you never met him. Believe me, when I finish with you, everyone will know what you’re like.”

This was a side of Kevin she’d never seen.

They’d fought when they were together. But he was never this cold and calculating. His tone raised her hackles. Impotence filled her with more rage. How do you defend against a lie? If he believed his story, she needed to prove him wrong. “That makes no sense. Why would I kill him and then find him?”

“Oh, you’re probably telling the truth about not remembering. You do get those migraines. I sat up through enough of them while you barfed your guts up.”

“Why would I do it? Kill someone I don’t even know? Why? You told me your brother lived in Jacksonville. That he’d just moved down here. That’s a lie. He lived in Big Pine.” A muscle worked in his jaw. She continued shouting, enjoying watching her words strike home. “He lived in your parents’ house.”

He stood and made a grab for her. She backed away, hot tears flowing down her face. “He had a wife and kids. And a kid on the way.”

“Shut up, you bitch.” He darted for her again.

Sobbing now, she said, “Why did you lie about it? Why didn’t you tell me your parents live in Broward? Kevin, I loved you. I thought you loved me. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Well, you’ve certainly been busy. Aren’t you the fountain of information?” Kevin sneered. He grabbed her wrist and caught her this time. Hayden yelped and he twisted it painfully with his hand. Her heart pounded with fear and she tried to break away for the door.

The phone rang again. The rage drained from Kevin before her eyes. He dropped her wrist as if it burned him. Striding toward the door he detoured and picked up his gear. Without looking at her, he said, “Stay away from my family.” The door closed silently and she heard a car motor start.

Sobbing, Hayden looked at the caller ID on her phone. It was Mallory.

“Hey, girl,” Mallory said. “Thought I’d touch base and see what happened today.”

Hayden’s response was a bubbly sob.

“What’s wrong...are you crying? Is the information that bad?”

“Information? Oh God, Mallory, I forgot about it. Kevin just left. I swear, Mal...” Her voice trembled and broke. “If you hadn’t called he might have killed me.” She took a deep gulping breath. “Thank God you called.”

“Tell me what happened.” Mallory spaced her words carefully. “Are you sure he’s gone?” Her fear came across the line.

Grateful for something concrete to do, Hayden walked on unsteady feet to the window and pulled the lace curtain aside, letting Mallory’s familiar voice comfort her. No cars were in view. “Yeah, I think so. I heard the car. I don’t see anyone now. I put the report from the sheriff in my…” She froze. She had a mental picture of Kevin, tucking the handbag between his body and the arm of the couch. He couldn’t know what the envelope sticking out contained. Could he?

Her handbag was tucked into the crevice between the cushion and the arm. A sob caught in her throat when she saw the envelope that protruded from the open top.

“I’m coming over.”

“No. Don’t. I’ve messed up enough of your day.”

“Talk then. Tell me everything.” Hayden brought her friend up to date, glad she had at least one confidant who didn’t doubt her integrity. “I’ll get the rest of the reports tomorrow. Barring any more drama.” She chuckled. “I’ll call you then.” She stifled a yawn and kicked the living room door shut.

“Oh, God. Tiger Cat’s out.” Panic raised her voice an octave. “Kevin left the door open.”

“That’s it, I’m on my way.”

As soon as Hayden pushed the screen open, Tiger Cat streaked past her and jumped on the couch. She tried to call Mallory and let her know, but neither her landline nor cell answered. Hayden heard the scrape of Mallory’s key in the lock and drew Tiger to her to keep the cat from attempting another escape.

Hayden burst out laughing. Mallory wore a pair of purple shorts and a butter yellow tank top. Her entire face sported a green mask. Only her mouth, nostrils, and eyes showed their usual color.

“What’s up with you? I come running over here and you’re not only curled up on the couch with the cat I thought was going to be flat in the road any second, but you’re laughing at me.”

Hayden got up off the couch, took Mallory by the shoulders and walked her face first to the hall mirror. Both women dissolved in giggles.

“I’ll go wash up, provided this stuff comes off, and then, since I’m here, I’d like to look at the police report, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, you don’t have to dress up for me.” Hayden belly laughed.

Mallory made a face causing cracks to appear in the facial. Tears, this time caused by laughter, ran down Hayden’s cheeks.

She was still chuckling while she made tea.

Mallory came out of the bathroom and gestured at the robe she wore. “Hope you don’t mind, I got my shirt wet washing. I borrowed this.”

Handing her the steaming tea, Hayden said, “Nah, good to be comfortable. The A/C’s kind of low anyway. You’d probably need it.” She fished her free hand into her handbag. “The report. I looked through but there’s a couple of phone calls and some information about my statement. Should I have this? It seems too, I don’t know, detailed and complete.”

Mallory took the envelope and sat at the dining room table. She read the pages in silence and looked up at her friend. “No, this information is yours. It’s unusual to have the detail, but it’s nothing you couldn’t get in discovery. Kevin is a bastard. What did he come here for? Really. Not the story he told you. That’s BS.”

“I don’t know.” She blew on her tea. “His dive gear, I guess. That’s what he kept saying. I’m not sure. I’m not sure of anything anymore. Even stranger, he never goes to Keys Art Co-op. He hates the place, calls it artsy-fartsy. What made him go there today? I can’t deny I left the card and the bowls, but what made him go there?”

“I think he believes you killed his brother.” Mallory’s hand snaked across the table and covered Hayden’s. “He made a convincing argument to the police. He paints you as a maniac who would do anything to get him back from his new lady love. Even throw his family into turmoil, hoping it will drive him back to your arms for comfort.”

“I told him—damn, I told him.”

“What?”

“That I knew his brother lived locally, and had a wife, kids, and—oh damn—one on the way.” Bile rose in her throat. She might as well have told him she was investigating him. If he had any doubts, he’d know she intended fighting him. It infuriated her that she’d given away part of her plan.

“Hayden, Hayden, listen to me. He probably knew. That’s what he’s doing. He’s trying to cover his tracks with his lies. He’s trying to make you the bad guy here.” Mallory paused a beat. “You become a credible suspect if he can prove that you’re irrational. The question is: why does he want to do that? His brother’s death is nothing more than a tragic accident. Why is he muddying the waters? Trying to make it into a murder investigation, with you as the suspect?”

The teacup fell from Hayden’s nerveless hands. Everything fell into place. The Keys Art Co-op, the car break-in, it all made sense.

“He’s stalking me.”