I gave a lingering glance at the baluster and then at the graceful brackets decorating the porch columns. “Threnody, some day I’d like to take a walking tour and study Key West’s gingerbread-trimmed homes.”
“Give me a call and I’ll join you. Brick’s always been interested in the past and he knows a lot of baluster history. They weren’t all designed by ship’s carpenters whiling away boring time at sea. Talented wood workers of the land-oriented variety have always worked in Key West—some still do.”
I followed Threnody inside to a glass-top table in her kitchen that overlooked a small garden of hibiscus bushes, pink, red, gold—and all in bloom. She rapped on the picture window to frighten a small green iguana that sat nibbling on a pink blossom. The creature disappeared into the shrubbery and I peered after it into the greenery while Threnody prepared to serve our breakfast snack.
She served steaming cups of green tea, then in moments, she returned to the table carrying a silver salver of French style macaroons in green and lavender. “I made these yesterday—just practicing, but I think they’re still edible today.”
‘Threnody! How beautiful! Tell me about them. I’ve never seen any like these before.”
“Special recipe from a friend in Paris. The lavender ones have a raspberry rose flavor and the green ones—Sicilian pistachio.”
I took a nibble from a lavender macaroon, almost hating to spoil its shape. “Delicious as well as beautiful, Threnody. If I were into baking, I’d ask for the recipe.”
“Maybe Kane would like to try it. He’s a good cook and I know he likes sweets.”
We sat for a few minutes enjoying the macaroons and the tea until Threnody leaned forward.
“Rafa, have you discovered anything of interest in your investigation?”
I licked a macaroon crumb from my finger. “Not much time for investigating so far. But I did learn that the type of blue line binding Diego’s feet is no longer manufactured for today’s market. I checked several chandleries. None carried anything similar.”
“Where do you suppose it came from?”
“That’s one thing we’ll need to find out.” I wanted to tell her about the compartment lid on Kane’s boat. But no way. At least not yet. I refused to do anything that might point a finger in Kane’s direction. We might need to learn more about the former owners of
The Buccaneer
, but I could think of no logical reason to give Threnody for doing that. But if that rope on Kane’s boat had been there since he bought the boat, a former owner might be able to reveal more about its source. If one of the former owners lived on Big Pine Key, maybe another one might live somewhere in Key West.
“Last night Pablo told me about the hard feelings between Brick and Diego—the hotel idea, the ROGO.”
Threnody nodded. “I know about that. Guess that’s one reason I want you to investigate—to help keep Brick in the clear.”
“I think we need to talk personally to each ‘person of interest’ and get more in-depth information on their alibis. I can do that, but I’ll have to work carefully in order to avoid everyone knowing we’re investigating.”
“We?” Threnody raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, we. I want you to help me however you can.”
We had almost finished our macaroons and tea before Threnody spoke again. “Let’s forget investigating for now. Dress-up time.”
I helped carry our dishes to the dishwasher, then followed her up a curving staircase to a bedroom where she had laid out three dresses for my inspection.
“We’re about the same size, Rafa, except for you being a little taller. I think any of the three will fit you, so take your choice. Better try them on.”
After a half hour or so of trying the dresses, I chose one, plainly designed and forest green in color. Threnody smiled and slipped a garment bag over the dress.
“Redheads always choose green, don’t they?”
“It’s ingrained into us in childhood.”
Taking the garment bag, I headed downstairs and to my car, with Threnody following me to the veranda and waving farewell. After I turned from Vexton’s lane onto Eaton Street, I noticed Detective Lyon behind me in his unmarked car.
Chapter 25
Although I didn’t need groceries, I stopped at Fausto’s and picked up some coffee. That must have put Lyon off course. Or maybe he hadn’t been following me. Could have been my imagination. I drove around Old Town for several minutes until I was sure I didn’t have a tail. Back at the hotel, I hurried to my suite with my borrowed dress. Dolly turned off the vacuum and picked up a dust cloth when I stepped inside.
“Any calls?” I asked.
“Just one.” She unplugged the vacuum and wrapped its cord around the handle. “Kane called just a few minutes ago. I offered to take a message, but he declined. Didn’t say what he wanted.”
“Thanks. I’ll give him a call after I hang up Threnody’s dress. Want to see?” Dolly nodded, and I removed the garment bag and showed her the plain green shift. “I have the string of pearls and the drop earrings Daddy gave me years ago, so I guess that solves the problem of what to wear to the funeral.”
I shoved some extra clothes Kane kept at my place farther to one end of my closet before hanging Threnody’s dress beside them. When Dolly went to Cherie’s suite to work, I phoned Kane. “Dolly said you called.”
“Right.” Kane’s voice always sounds low and sexy over the telephone. I like that in a man, and I waited for him to continue. “Want to do lunch? Margaritaville?”
“Thanks, Kane, but not today. Have a few details to attend to around here before Diego’s service this afternoon. Maybe another day.”
“Fine. Just thought you might need something to do to take your mind off the funeral for a few minutes.”
“Very thoughtful of you, Kane. I appreciate the invite. And I have a question for you.” Why had I said that? Was I really ready to ask questions?
“So give. What do you need to know?”
“What were the names of the guys who owned your boat before you bought it? I know you told me, but I can’t remember them now.”
“Sure. Let’s see. There was the guy who went back to Iowa, then Red Clipper. And before him, Snipe Gross who bought it from Bucky Varnum. But what’s the deal? Why the sudden interest in former boat owners?”
“I have my reasons, but I don’t want to talk too much about them over the phone right now.”
“Think your line might be bugged?”
“Who knows? I’m not sure my fall from the balcony was an accident, and I’m taking no chances on the security of my phone line. Maybe I’ll take you up on that lunch invitation after all. But let’s do Margaritaville when fewer tourists are on-island. There’s a big cruise ship docking today and Duval Street restaurants will be overflowing. Why don’t I pick up sandwiches and sodas? How about a lunch on the beach?”
“Fine with me.”
“I’ll stop by for you in a few minutes, okay?”
“Okay. Now you’ve really aroused my curiosity.”
“Ten minutes, okay?”
“You got it.”
Kane was waiting on the dock when I arrived. Leaving
The Buccaneer
bobbing on the blue-green water, I drove us to Smather’s. We found a metered parking place and I bought hotdogs and sodas from a vendor parked at the curbing. After we climbed a short flight of stairs to the sand, Kane helped me spread a blanket near a volleyball court that wasn’t in use.
“Okay, so what’s too important to discuss over the phone?” Kane bit into his hotdog and rolled his eyes in pleasure.
For a moment I hesitated, then I spoke softly. “Kane, I know you don’t want me to investigate Diego’s death, but you know I’m going to.”
“Glad you’re ready to be upfront about it.”
“In addition to investigating, I’m going to ask for your help and tell you why I needed the names of those former boat owners.”
“Give.”
I took a big swallow of soda before I began. “You remember the line that someone tied to Diego’s feet? Blue line.”
“Hmmm. Of course. Hadn’t thought any more about it. What’s your thinking? I didn’t see anything unusual about it.”
“I think it’s the same kind of line that’s on the compartment lid under the mattress in your bunkhouse. Chief Ramsey let me take a snip of the line binding Diego’s feet. I showed it to some boat supply stores here on the island and learned that such line hasn’t been available for a couple of decades. An old man named George who runs a tackle shop told me that, and I think he knows what he’s talking about.”
“That bunk house compartment was on the boat when I bought it. Any of the former owners might have put it there.”
“We need to learn more about that line. One of those former owners may have the information we need. Once we find out where that line came from, we may be able to locate more of it. And that could put us closer to finding the killer.”
“And maybe put you closer to getting into big trouble. Forget it, Rafa.”
I pretended not to hear his comment. “Will you help me find Red Chipper?” I think you said he lives on up the highway on Big Pine Key.”
Kane hesitated, making me uncomfortable. What if he refused to help?
“That’s a long shot. A very long shot.”
“Kane, you’re a person of interest to the police. You’ve written several opinion-page letters about your working waters disagreement with Diego and the county officials.
If the police go snooping around on your boat they may notice that under-the-mattress compartment and see the blue line.”
Kane grinned and finished his hotdog. “So you’re going to protect me from myself by finding the killer before the police search my boat.”
“Something like that,” I admitted. “It’s the only plan I can think of for starters.”
“Rafa?” The question in his voice made me look directly into his eyes. “Rafa, you don’t think I killed Diego, do you?”
“Of course not. No way.” My voice held more certainty than I felt. Not Kane. Not the man I loved. I believed Kane innocent, but under the circumstances, I needed to prove his innocence to myself and to the world before I’d feel completely sure.
“Rafa, a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
“That sounds good, but under our legal system, sometimes people don’t really believe that. You have a better chance of avoiding prison if you can prove yourself not guilty.”
Kane stood, tapped his wrist watch. “We’d better be going. By the time we dress and drive to Bayview, it’ll be time for you and the Vextons to greet the mourners.
“You’ll help me investigate, won’t you?” I asked as I folded our blanket.
“Maybe if I say no, you’ll give it up and let the police do their thing.”
“Don’t count on it. I’ll take you back to your boat now. But do think about what I’ve said.”
“How about picking me up later? I don’t want to arrive at a funeral in a work truck.”
“Sure. Will do. Dolly may want a ride, too. Doubt if she’ll want to pedal her bike to a funeral. But then you never know.”
“She’ll probably write a poem about it.”
Chapter 26
Kane and I ended our impromptu picnic at odds with each other. I drove him to
The Buccaneer
with not only his denial of help but also with his warning about the dangers of my intrusion into the police investigation. On the way to the hotel, my thoughts whirled. Now, more than ever, I wanted to investigate Diego’s death. I needed to prove to myself that Kane was innocent.
Threnody had given me a retainer and wanted to help. It irritated me that Kane wanted me to keep my distance from any investigation on my part. Was he worried about my safety and my future as a writer, or was he concerned that what I might learn would lead the police to him? The police had given me a snip of blue line to work with. Surely they had guessed that all the ‘persons of interest’ were in various ways involved in their own covert investigations.
“Want to ride to Bayview Park with me?” I called to Dolly who was leaving the hotel as I arrived.
“Yes.” Dolly grinned at me. “No bike ride today. I planned to take a Maxi-taxi, so thanks for your offer.”
I looked at my watch. “Let’s leave in a half hour or so. Promised Kane to give him a lift, too.”
I showered then ran a brush through my hair that tended to kink in all directions if I didn’t tame it with styling gel and hairspray. Threnody’s shift brought out the green in my eyes and I never objected to that. The dress must have been long on Threnody, but on me it fell at knee level. I added my pearl necklace and earrings then slipped on white sandals.
Onward. A glance at the Prius told me Dolly already sat waiting for me in the back seat. Once underway, I felt like a cabbie driving a fare until we reached the dock and Kane dropped onto the passenger seat beside me. He gave me a wolf whistle and my face grew hot.
“Nice rag, Rafa.”
I grinned, trying to forget our differences for the time being. I didn’t bother to tell him the dress was a loaner from Threnody. For a few moments on Duval Street, a trio of moped riders traveling three abreast cut ahead of us, forcing us to follow at their speed for a few blocks before a cop put an end to their game. They then rode in single file, laughing at us when they turned the next corner. Once on a clear route to Bayview, we drove several blocks before we turned and headed toward the visitor’s parking lot.