Permanent Sunset (12 page)

Henry looked down at his cell phone. The caller ID said Sabrina.

“I have to take this call,” he told David, who was sitting opposite him, looking at the menu and drinking a frozen painkiller.

David nodded, immersed in the menu.

Henry stepped outside the restaurant onto the street so he could hear.

“Where are you? I can barely hear you,” Sabrina said.

“At Sushi Sunday at the Longboard. With David. He’s taking me out for dinner. I chose the restaurant.”

“Oh. Nice.”

“Not necessarily. David hates sushi,” Henry said.

“Henry.”

He recognized that tone his mother used as a warning when he was a kid.

“He said ‘whatever it takes.’ Besides, he wanted to cook for me at his cottage.”

“That was nice.”

“You’ve never eaten his cooking. Plus, I don’t want to see him other than in a public setting. You understand?” Henry wasn’t even sure if he wanted to see David at all, but with the way he’d become insinuated into the investigation, Henry had to be civil.

“Listen, we’ve got another problem out at Villa Mascarpone, Henry.”

“Shit. Do not tell me if another person has gotten himself murdered. The body count on this island is already too high.” Henry hated how out of control his life was beginning to feel.

“Relax, it’s not that bad. But it is unsettling.” Sabrina explained how the skinny-dippers had gone to Villa Mascarpone, even though it was occupied.

“I get why the Hewitts are upset. I’m a little freaked at this point by these creeps and everything else going on in St. John, aren’t you?” Henry asked.

“Of course, but it’s bigger than that, Henry. The Hewitts wanted me to report it to the cops. Do you know what would happen if Detective Hodge heard that the skinny-dippers trespassed on one of our properties that was occupied? He’d probably shut down all ten of our villas and we would be out of business. Picture explaining that to our villa owners.” Henry could hear the panic in her voice and was reminded that they wouldn’t be part of this mess if he hadn’t been so adamant about adding Villa Nirvana.

“What can I do?”

“Can you get Billy over to change the lock combinations and keys tonight? Tell him we’ll pay double since it’s Sunday,” Sabrina said, signing off.

Henry made the call to Billy Wiggs, who was more than happy to earn double the money for an easy job, and then returned to the table, where he could see David had started a new painkiller.

“Everything okay?” David asked.

“Just a little business problem. It’s all set. So how did it go with Neil and Cassie?”

“Great. It’s a terrific little plane. Larry kept it in great shape. Neil and I took it out and other than the first landing, which was a little rough, I think I’ve got my mojo back. I felt bad for Cassie. You guys are having a rough week here on St. John. But I’m impressed with how everyone seems to pull together on an island.”

“Yes, we’re a tight community.” Henry closed his menu.

“Cassie asked me if I’d like to buy Larry’s plane.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I said maybe. Then she said she’d give me a deal if I bought the house with it. She wants to go back to Florida, where her kids and grandkids are.”

A shiny-faced server with long legs in short shorts named Kayla appeared at the table to take their order.

Henry ordered a Spicy Island sushi roll.

“Why don’t we just share the Sashimi Sampler Plate?” David asked.

“Why would we do that? You’d love the Island Wings they make here. You hate sushi.” Henry said, not sure if he was more thrown by David’s news that Cassie had offered to sell Larry’s plane and their house or by David ordering sushi.

“Whatever it takes, Henry.” David raised his glass in a toast.

Sabrina decided to check her messages before she lost reception.

“Meet me in the rear parking lot at St. John Car Rental. Do NOT come to Bar None. N.P.”

Just what she needed. The number of places she couldn’t go on St. John was growing at an alarming rate. Her world couldn’t afford to shrink much smaller. She was already living on an island that was less than three-by-nine miles.

She drove up the near perpendicular hill that led to the parking lot where Neil was waiting. She grabbed her tote and Girlfriend’s overnight bag from the backseat while Girlfriend peed over by the bushes. She walked over to Neil’s jeep, whistling for Girlfriend as she opened the back passenger door. The dog dove in, rushing toward Neil in the front seat, showering him with kisses on his neck and ears.

“Geez, Salty, I wish you’d take a page from your dog and learn how to properly greet a man,” Neil said, laughing
as Sabrina pried the dog off him. He leaned over and gave her a peck on the check. They were still at that awkward stage where they weren’t quite sure how to act when they met each other.

“Why couldn’t I go to Bar None, Neil? What’s going on?” She had little patience for small talk with so much at stake.

“Relax, we just had that reporter I saw admiring your cargo container at the bar chatting with Sean’s brother. I didn’t think you’d want to run into them. Besides, I’m in the mood for a Skinny Legs cheeseburger. How about you?”

“Sure, that sounds great.” Sabrina realized how hungry she was, not having eaten a meal since the disassembled wedding feast the night before.

She took the twenty-minute ride from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay to tell Neil about the diamond necklace still in her pocket.

“Oh, now I get why you were asking me questions on the phone about searches. Why didn’t you just tell me what was going on?” Neil asked.

“Because Lisa was sitting in the car next to me.”

“So let me see if I’ve got this straight. You found the diamond necklace in Heather’s pocket in the laundry and put it in a baggie in your pocket for safekeeping. You forgot to return it to Heather when things got heated at Bella Vista. When you go to bring Lisa over to Villa Nirvana, she tells you that she found a diamond necklace in Gavin’s toiletry bag, which she believes is an anniversary gift that
Gavin is planning to give her. But when Hodge lets everyone retrieve their belongings, Lisa doesn’t find the necklace in with Gavin’s stuff and it’s not on the list of items confiscated by the police. Have I got that right, Salty?”

“Yes, and then Heather comments that there’s no jewelry on the list, but doesn’t admit she’s missing anything.”

“And all that time, the necklace is in your pocket?”

“Yes.”

“How do these things keep happening to you?” Neil asked, pulling into a parking space in the rugged lot at Skinny Legs.

“Are you saying that I’m doing something to cause bad things to happen to me? All I did was wash the Keatings’ laundry so they would have clean clothes to wear. It’s not like I tried to insert myself into their situation. I was just trying to be considerate,” Sabrina said, while Girlfriend tried to climb into the front seat, hearing the plaintive tone in her owner’s voice.

“Salty, Salty, listen to me. Don’t bite my head off. I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just trying to help you, honey,” Neil said, placing a hand on each of Sabrina’s cheeks, looking directly at her.

“I just didn’t know what to do.”

“Let’s feed you and then we can decide.”

Sabrina felt like a new woman after two lemon vodkas and an almost-raw blue cheeseburger. With Girlfriend at her feet and Neil next to her on the wooden bench, she was ready to talk about the necklace.

“Let’s wait until we get over to my place to sort it out. There’s something about being on the water that makes everything seem easier,” Neil said.

They fetched Sabrina and Girlfriend’s bags and headed to the rickety dock where Neil’s inflatable sat. Girlfriend lost her reluctance to board once Sabrina was seated. And within five minutes, Sabrina was boarding the forty-two-foot trawler Neil called home.

Sabrina wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the painstakingly stained and polished woodwork throughout the boat, which Neil explained was called “bright work.” There was a small galley with a stove, microwave, and a refrigerator. In the salon, a built-in couch with lots of pillows sat below a bay of windows. A small, worn Oriental rug was placed before it. On the other side of the trawler was a built-in table with four seats. On top of the table, there was a coffee mug and a book titled
Uniform Commercial Code
.

“See, I told you I was a slob,” Neil said, grabbing the mug and book off the table. He put the mug in the sink and the book on a table upside down.

“Are you kidding me? This is gorgeous.”

Neil showed her the main cabin in the rear of the boat, where he had removed the berth and had converted it into a study of sorts with a minibar and two leather chairs, which looked like they may have come from his law office. The front stateroom had a typical v-berth where a couple of cotton quilts lay tousled on the beds.

He made her a lemon vodka on the rocks, taking two lemons from his backpack, which he must have brought from Bar None, giving her drink a generous squeeze. She was touched by his thoughtfulness. Neil grabbed a cold bottle of Guinness out of the refrigerator and led her over to the table.

“Okay, what do you want to do about the necklace?” he asked.

“I’d love to be honest and just hand it over to the police.”

“Next choice. That would be legal suicide, Salty. You’re not dealing with a cop like Lee Janquar here.”

“I want to live in a world where I don’t have to be afraid of telling the truth,” Sabrina said, knowing she was getting just a little drunk.

“We can philosophize about utopian societies when all of this is said and done. Going to Hodge and telling the truth isn’t an option. You could try going to Heather and telling her the truth. You could return the necklace and let her figure out what to do with it.”

Sabrina smiled. Neil was brilliant. She could be honest and unload the necklace on the person in whose clothes she had found it.

“Of course, that could pose another problem,” he said.

She didn’t want to hear it, but she knew he would tell her anyway, so she asked.

“What’s that?”

“Heather could be dangerous if she’s implicated in Elena’s death,” Neil said.

“But I wouldn’t confront her like that, Neil. I could just be honest and say I found it in the laundry. She can talk about it or just thank me. I won’t press her.”

“If you’re comfortable, go ahead and do it. Just make sure other people are around when you do.” Neil said, reaching over for her hand. “I’m getting used to hanging around with you, Salty, and I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”

Sabrina was sober enough to recognize this was as close to a declaration of affection from someone like Neil Perry she might ever get. She squeezed his hand, wanting him to know she also cared deeply for him, but also needing to take a little control over her life, which had been like a plane flying through endless turbulence lately.

“I’ll even take Girlfriend with me. I’ll go up to Bella Vista after I drop you and David at the plane in the morning.”

“Which is coming soon, so we’d better turn in.” He took her by the hand he was already holding and steered her into the front stateroom, where he handed her one of the quilts and a pillow, signaling that he understood this was a night when sleep was needed more than sex and that it was okay for them to each sleep on their own berth. Sabrina stretched out, surprised at how comfortable a bed on a boat was, hearing Girlfriend lower herself to the floor between Neil and her. The last thing she remembered was wondering whether Neil or the dog was snoring.

It was still dark the next morning when Sabrina drove Neil to Gibney Beach, where they picked David up. Both men were quiet during the short ride to Cruz Bay. She wished them good luck on their mission as she dropped them off at the dock next to the ramp Larry used to access his seaplane. Girlfriend slithered over the center console into the front passenger seat next to Sabrina.

She returned Neil’s jeep to the empty space at Bar None and retrieved her own from the parking lot at St. John Car Rental, which wasn’t open yet. Not much in Cruz Bay was. The morning light was just beginning to illuminate the sky. School children in pink-and-maroon uniforms rushed toward the dock to catch the ferry to St. Thomas where they attended school. Day laborers sat on a concrete wall hoping to be chosen for a day’s work.

Life goes on, Sabrina thought. In one weekend, a good man is killed in a car accident. A bride is murdered before her wedding. But come Monday morning, people go back
to work. Kids return to school. She took some comfort in the return to normalcy, hoping that Neil and David would find some information that could give answers about Elena. The sound of a plane over Cruz Bay comforted her because she knew they were on their way.

Ten Villas needed to get back on track. They had guests departing several villas over the next few days and replacements arriving. There was cleaning to be done, including the huge mess out at Villa Nirvana.

She called Henry to see if he wanted to meet her for breakfast at Jake’s, a favorite meeting place for them where they could enjoy coffee and eggs while they talked business. Breakfast at Jake’s would feel normal.

“Sweetie, you should probably keep a low profile until things get sorted out. Come on up here and I’ll make you an omelet,” Henry said, reminding her normal would have to wait.

She smelled the coffee from outside the front door. Henry greeted her with a hug, something he was always doing whether she wanted one or not. Sabrina wasn’t much of a hugger, but between Henry and Neil that had been changing.

“How was your date?” Sabrina asked.

“It wasn’t a date. It was dinner. I was just being civilized. David did agree to fly Neil to San Juan, after all.”

Sabrina decided to let it go. They were discussing who would do what during the next several days and that her next stop was to see how the Keatings were doing up at
Bella Vista when she realized Henry knew nothing about the necklace. Should she tell him? He was her business partner, but was this a business decision? Did he deserve to know or would it burden him? Would she feel better if she told him? Why did she have to torture herself over such a simple question?

Two bites into a ham and Gruyère cheese omelet and a half a cup of French roast coffee raised Sabrina’s blood sugar enough that she was finally thinking clearly. Of course she should tell Henry about the necklace. He wasn’t just her business partner. He was also her friend. Her dear friend.

She explained about finding the necklace then not knowing how to get rid of it after she forgot to return it to Heather the day before.

“Well, whatever you do, don’t tell Detective Hodge you have it. He’ll have you in the slammer before you can say ‘not guilty.’”

“I’m going to return it to Heather and not worry why she had it in her pocket. Unless she wants to talk about it. Then I’ll listen,” Sabrina said.

“She was really down yesterday when I spoke to her. She thinks Elena’s death has changed her family forever.”

“She’s probably right. I doubt Sean will ever be the same. That Gavin is a piece of work. I suppose you know he’s claiming to an INN reporter that Ten Villas failed to provide adequate security at Villa Nirvana, which is why a murder happened there,” Sabrina said, looking
at Henry to see if he knew. His expression told her he did not.

“Are you kidding me? What an asshole. I’d say he’s the one with the best motive to kill Elena because he was the most upset that she wouldn’t sign the prenup. Even Heather won’t rule him out.”

Sabrina and Henry exchanged to-do lists, then she drove out to Bella Vista with Girlfriend, which was item number one on her list.

Kate was in the orchid garden, perched on a chair in front of an easel next to a blossom, which was just opening. Sabrina called over to say hello.

“Come tell me what’s going on, Sabrina,” Kate said.

“Not much.” Sabrina didn’t want to spoil Kate’s art session by tattling on her wicked stepson, although she was tempted. She liked Kate enough that she could put her on her list of “Women I Wouldn’t Mind Having for a Mother.” Ruth had been the first woman to go on the list, but she had died long ago. She had a couple of teachers who made the list. Lyla Banks had earned a spot. Sabrina had learned that when your own mother deserts you, you have to get your mothering where you can.

“Where is everyone?” Sabrina asked, not wanting to get maudlin.

“Jack and Paul are in town calling the corporate lawyers about getting us representation for our meeting with Detective Hodge. I told them they better call John
Grisham if we’re going to have to tangle with that beast. Sean’s off on another walk. He needs time alone and seems to like exploring the paths up here. It’s really a more interesting property than Villa Nirvana, isn’t it?”

“Bella Vista is one of my favorites,” Sabrina agreed. “Where’s Heather?”

“Reading by the pool. Not having her glasses was worse for her than me not having my paints. She loves to read.”

Sabrina found Heather wearing a large brimmed straw hat, with a towel covering most of her fair-skinned body, lounging on a chaise with a book on her lap. She called out softly to Heather so she wouldn’t startle her. Heather looked up from
Don’t Stop the Carnival
.

“This guy nails it, doesn’t he?”

For a moment, Sabrina didn’t know what she was talking about but realized Heather was commenting on the book.

“He sure does. The reality of living on an island in the Caribbean is a far cry from the fantasy,” Sabrina admitted.

“That’s what the villa construction business is all about. Selling a fantasy. It’s a lot sexier than building parking garages, I suppose,” Heather said.

Sabrina hesitated. Neil had warned her only to confront Heather if there was someone else present, but drawing Kate into what might become an altercation with her daughter seemed unfair and unkind. Besides, she had Girlfriend at her side.

“Heather, I came to return something of yours I found when I did the laundry yesterday. I meant to give it to you when I dropped off the clean clothes, but I got distracted when Sean got upset,” Sabrina took the baggie with the broken necklace out of her pocket and handed it to Heather, immediately feeling ten pounds lighter.

Heather looked at the necklace like she had never seen it before and handed it back to Sabrina.

“You must be mistaken. This isn’t mine.”

“Well, I found it in the pocket of your dress.” Sabrina gave the sandwich bag back to Heather.

“Sabrina, I refuse to accept something that is clearly valuable that doesn’t belong to me.” Heather tossed the baggie to Sabrina, catching her off guard. Instinctively, Sabrina reached out and caught it.

“Listen, I don’t know who this necklace belongs to, but it isn’t mine and since I found it in your pocket, you can be in charge of where it goes next.” Sabrina started to drop the necklace onto Heather’s chaise when Heather reached out her arm signaling for her to stop.

“I can appreciate you may be concerned that having such a valuable piece of jewelry that isn’t yours could raise certain implications about how you came into possession of it. Maybe you regret something you’ve done. I wouldn’t know. I do know you have a history with the police, but that doesn’t mean you can hand the necklace off to me. Why would anyone believe I was carrying a diamond
necklace in the pocket of my dress? Seriously, whatever your issue with the necklace is, you’re going to have to deal with it better than this and without me.” Heather leaned back on the lounge chair, covering her angry red face with
Don’t Stop the Carnival
.