Surf, Sand and Skeletons Page 2

  Connie's heart sank at the thought of a little girl who would grow up not only without her mother, but without any answers, as well.

  "I have to get back to the station, but hopefully I'll see you soon," Zach said, flashing her a smile as he left with the box.

  Before going home, Connie took one last look around the shop, and a wave of excitement washed over her. She could envision exactly what it would look like this time tomorrow, after the furniture arrived. Her dream was quickly becoming a reality, and she couldn’t be happier.

  After locking up, Connie drove her silver Jetta back to Palm Paradise, the condominium building she now called home, and rode the elevator to the seventh floor.

  Her whole body relaxed when she stepped into the exquisite condo perched above the white sandy beach and sparkling blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. What a blessing. Her eyes still welled up whenever she thought about her aunt's generosity in leaving her the condo.

  Working for a non-profit, it had taken Connie years of saving and living frugally to be able to afford the small condo outside of Boston that she had been proud to call home for the past six years. It wasn't that Connie ever had a single regret about her choice of work, but the fact remained that, without her aunt's generosity, Just Jewelry never would have been possible.

  Ginger, her aunt's Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, whom Connie unofficially inherited along with the condo, interrupted her thoughts with an enthusiastic greeting. Connie bent down to give her four-legged friend a little love. Her heart went out to the poor little dog who had been cooped up all week while she readied the shop for furniture.

  "One more day, sweet girl, and then you can start coming to work with me." Ginger looked up and wagged her tail as if she understood.

  With a little time before company was due to arrive, Connie took Ginger for a walk down Sapphire Beach Boulevard, then put dinner in the oven and got ready for company.

  Grace lived in the apartment next door, so she arrived first, followed by her daughter Stephanie and Elyse.

  "Aunt Gertrude wanted to come, but she had already made plans," Elyse said. Gertrude was Elyse's great aunt, who also lived in Palm Paradise. "That woman has a better social life than I do."

  "You and me both," Connie said, laughing. "It's so wonderful to be together again after a hectic few months." She had seen Grace and Elyse a number of times this week, but it was her first time seeing Stephanie since January.

  "I love the personal touches you added to this place," Elyse said, looking around the apartment.

  Connie had kept her aunt's furniture, since she had phenomenal taste, and Connie's had mainly been handed down from her parents, but she had brought and shipped many of her personal items. Connie's own pictures now decorated the walls, and beautifully carved statues, made from Kenyan wood, as well as handwoven baskets, were scattered throughout the apartment. She also brought a few plants when she drove down, in addition to purchasing others native to the tropics, lending a Floridian feel to her new home.

  She even had her favorite herbs growing in pots on the balcony - basil, rosemary, parsley, and, of course, mint for her iced tea. She couldn't wait to bring the mint into the shop.

  It was starting to feel more like Connie's home than her aunt's, but not so much so that she couldn't still feel Concetta at every turn. The comforting mix of old and new made her heart smile.

  The women settled onto the couch with a glass of wine and a caprese salad, made with fresh basil from one of her new plants. It didn't take long to catch up on one another's lives. Then they moved to the dining table to enjoy their meal, where the conversation eventually rolled around to Natasha and her mysterious disappearance.

  "How old was she?" Connie asked, slipping her hands into oven mitts and placing a pan of baked ziti on the table next to the salad. Her question wasn't addressed to anyone in particular. "Zach said that she went missing last June."

  "I think she was in her late twenties," Grace said. "I met her a couple of times when I did a little shopping in her boutique. Her baby girl was with her one of the times. I remember how she doted over that little girl. It’s hard to imagine she would just up and leave her behind. But I guess that goes to show that you never quite know what's going on with someone."

  "Not to change the subject, but you saw Zach already?" Stephanie said, leaning forward and wearing a big smile. "What's going on there, anything worth sharing?"

  Connie could tell that nothing was going to get past these women. “I did see him, but it’s not what you think. I called him, because I found some objects hidden in the shop that might be connected to Natasha's disappearance." Connie described the items she found under the loose floorboards. "I didn't have a chance to go through everything, but I snapped pictures."

  "I didn't hear that," Elyse said, taking another serving of pasta. Back in January, Josh had clearly expressed his feelings about anyone sticking their nose into police business. And they weren't favorable.

  "You've only been back a few days, and you're already playing detective?" Grace said, shaking her head in disapproval. "Promise me you'll be careful, Connie. You almost got yourself killed looking into those murders back in January."

  "I promise," Connie said, making a cross over her heart.

  "By the way," Elyse said, trying to suppress a smile. "Zach's a great guy. Josh speaks highly of him, in case you're wondering."

  Connie could feel her cheeks getting warm. "I'll keep that in mind."

  After a wonderful evening of reconnecting with one another, her guests left. While Connie loaded the dishwasher, her mind drifted toward Natasha. When she finished cleaning, she emailed herself the photos of the items she had found and printed them out from her computer before settling onto her couch to read them.

  The ledger didn't reveal much, since she had nothing to compare it to, except that, if it was correct, Natasha's business had been bringing in a steady profit. She certainly didn't run away to escape financial problems.

  Next, she looked at the diary. It took about a half-hour to skim it in its entirety, but there was one passage that she found herself rereading.

  As my daughter sleeps peacefully in her pack 'n play, her golden curls resting on her chubby face, I can't help but smile. I know I did the right thing. Her perfect little face tells me so. She is my whole life, and her name fits her perfectly. Victoria. She will rise victoriously over the life that I escaped. She will not be influenced by it, and it will have no power over her. Victoria will be successful and strong, and, above all, she will know she is loved. When I think of how happy she is, growing up free and joyful in Sapphire Beach, I know I got us out of there just in time, and I don't regret doing what I had to do to escape.

  Connie stared out through the glass slider and into the darkness of the night sky. This didn't sound like someone about to abandon her daughter. What exactly happened to this woman, who, much like Connie, was just trying to follow her dream?

  Chapter 3

  After a night of tossing, turning, and strange dreams, Connie's eyes opened on Friday morning before the alarm on her phone was set to wake her. It took her a minute to remember that today was move-in day.

  After a quick shower and an English muffin with peanut butter, she threw on a comfortable sundress and brought Ginger for walk. She took the time to enjoy one breakfast tea before loading her car with some necessary items and heading straight to the storage unit, where she had arranged to meet the movers at 8:00 AM. Grace was planning to be in the shop when she arrived with the movers.

  Connie had packed her car with a doggie bed for Ginger, along with extra food and water bowls and some chew toys, so she could have a spot all set up and ready for Ginger the next day. She also packed a couple of mint plants for all the iced tea she would drinking, especially during those scorching summer days that would soon be upon them.

  Two men, who introduced themselves as Kyle and Alex, arrived right on time in a truck that had the words "Big and Burley Movers" printed across the si
des. Despite the fact that they appeared small and scrawny, rather than big and burley, they made quick work emptying the storage unit.

  Connie followed the Big and Burley Boys to the store and had to laugh when she saw Grace fluttering around the shop, wiping surfaces that were already clean and singing her heart out. She smiled at the thought of how pleased Aunt Concetta would be knowing Grace had become such an important part of her life. In moments like these, it was as if she were standing right next to her, enjoying the scene every bit as much as Connie was.

  The overstuffed red sofa was the first item off the truck. Connie directed Kyle and Alex to place it on the left side of the store toward the front where, along with a coffee table, two armchairs, and an area rug, it would create a comfortable seating area.

  The long table and newly upholstered chairs, courtesy of Grace's handiwork, went on the other side of the store, in a large nook off to the right of the checkout area. Connie could already envision herself seated at the solid oak table, creating an array of jewelry pieces or guiding her future students as they worked on their own creations. As soon as the store was up and running, Connie's first plan of action was to begin holding jewelry-making classes for people of all levels.

  Next, Connie had the movers place the dentistry cabinet, where she would store beads that she wanted easily accessible, near the table, and pile the boxes in the center of the store, around the checkout area.

  By 11:00, everything was unloaded and set in place. Connie had even set up Ginger's little home-away-from-home outside the storage room at the back of the shop, where she would be both out of the way and within Connie's line of vision from the checkout counter.

  Connie still had to unpack the boxes, set up and price her product, and hang some pictures and mirrors, but she could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The move had gone smoothly, except for a few nicks and scratches on the wall that resulted from some missteps on the part of the movers. But she wasn't worried about it, since she still had time to add it to the punch list for Steve and Brittany.

  After the movers left, Connie and Grace took a seat on the sofa, where they could both take in the entire store and see the sidewalks and street through the large picture windows that comprised much of the front wall of the shop.

  "The store looks beautiful," Grace said with a broad smile. "Congratulations again, honey."

  Connie was so excited she could barely sit still. "To celebrate, I'm going to pick us up an early lunch at that sandwich shop down the street. I've been wanting to check it out."

  Just as Connie stood up to grab her purse, her landlord, Mickey Miranda, entered the shop. His silver-gray hair was combed back on the sides, and his bronze skin gave away how much time he spent on the beach. He wore navy swim trunks and a white tank top with a beach towel hanging around his neck.

  "Hey, Mickey," Connie said, using all her strength not to break into the 1980s song "Mickey" by Toni Basil.

  "Hi, Connie," he said, joining Connie and Grace in the seating area. "I was on the beach this morning and saw the moving truck. I wanted to stop by and see if you needed anything."

  "Thanks, but I think we're in good shape. While you're here, though, I'd like to introduce you to Grace Jenkins. She will be working with me in the store."

  "It looks fantastic," Mickey said after shaking Grace's hand. "You should easily be ready for your grand opening. It's two weeks away, right?"

  "Yes, two weeks from tomorrow. I hope you'll tell your friends about it and stop by."

  "I'll give that job to my wife," he said. "She has the gift of gab, if you know what I mean. We're both thrilled to have this space rented out again after everything that happened."

  "We were just talking about the previous owner last night." Connie decided not to mention the items she found under the floorboards.

  Mickey shook his head and bit his lower lip. "Yes, that was such a tragedy."

  "I can't help but wonder why she just up and left," Connie said. "Hopefully she's out there safe somewhere."

  Mickey let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, by breaking the terms of her lease, even if she came back, the shop would still be yours, so don't you worry about that."

  "Um, that's not what I meant," Connie said, a little surprised at his callousness toward his previous tenant who could possibly be in danger. Or worse. "It just seems strange that she would just leave her child behind like that. What do you suppose happened?"

  Mickey sat down on one of the armchairs and let out a deep breath. "It's true, she loved that little girl, but I guess drugs make people do strange things," he said with a shrug. "Victoria's father, Jordan Sugrue, came by about a couple of weeks before she went missing. He was concerned for his daughter. He claimed that Natasha had a history of drug use, and he had reason to believe she might be using again. He asked me to keep an eye on her and call him if I saw anything suspicious."

  "Did you? See anything suspicious, I mean?" Connie asked.

  Mickey tugged at the beach towel around his neck. "I popped in regularly but didn't notice anything unusual. Except for one night, after the store closed, when I found a drug needle in the shrubs out back. She was a little late with the rent on a few occasions before her disappearance, but business always looked pretty steady to me. Who knows? Maybe she was using her profits for drugs."

  "Maybe she couldn't take the pressure of running a business and being a single mom and turned back to drugs," Grace interjected. "Unfortunately, it happens."

  Connie thought about the ledger and the to-do list she found. According to the ledger, business was good. And one of the items on her list was to confront her accountant. Maybe there was a connection. If Natasha had reason to believe that her accountant was skimming money off the top of her business, that might explain why she felt the need to keep her own records. It’s possible that something went wrong when Natasha confronted the accountant.

  "I guess anything is possible," Connie said. She didn't want to reveal to Mickey the information she had. "By the way, I'm looking for a good accountant to keep my books. Do you happen to know anyone?"

  "A lot of my people around here use Tracy Peterson," Mickey said. "I think she did Natasha's books. I have her number if you'd like."

  "That would be great." There was no way Connie was going to hire Tracy, but this might provide her with the chance to get some information.

  Before leaving, Mickey wrote down Tracy's phone number and address on a piece of paper Connie had fished out of her purse, and she thanked him for his help.

  When Mickey left, Connie went out to get sandwiches for Grace and her and brought them back to the shop, where Grace was opening boxes and unwrapping pictures, mirrors, and other items that Connie had saved to potentially hang in the shop.

  "Grace, you have done far more than your share of work. Please, just relax."

  "Oh, sweetie, I'm happy to do it. I keep thinking how proud Concetta would be to see this shop."

  Tears stung Connie's eyes. She put her arm around Grace's shoulders, and they sat down for lunch at the large table.

  "Why all the questions for your landlord?" Grace asked, while they munched on their sandwiches. Connie got turkey and swiss with avocado and Grace tried the grilled chicken with Brie cheese and green apple. The sandwich shop was definitely a keeper.

  Although Connie had told her friends at dinner last night about the items she had found under the loose floorboards, at that point Connie hadn't yet read the contents, so she caught Grace up to speed on the details. She read from her phone a few entries from Natasha’s diary, where her love for her daughter was apparent.

  "Mickey had a point," Grace said. "Drugs can make people do things they otherwise would never consider."

  Connie swallowed the last bite of her sandwich. "True, but what if there's more to the story? Victoria will want answers when she gets older about what happened to her mother, and she deserves to have them."

  "She most certainly does, but you gave everything to the police. I'm sure th
ey will do everything they possibly can to find those answers."

  I'm sure they will, Connie thought, but a few casual conversations of my own couldn't hurt.

  Chapter 4

  After lunch, the women spent a few more hours unpacking boxes before collapsing into the nearest chair. The upholstered seats were far more comfortable than the metal ones from yesterday, and the table provided a solid surface to lean on.

  "I can't look at another box," Connie said, lifting her head to meet Grace's tired gaze. "Let's call it a day."

  Grace's weary expression, as she nodded in agreement, said it all.

  However, their plans for a quick exit were interrupted when another visitor came through the door.

  "I hope it's this busy when we open," Connie jokingly whispered to Grace.

  "I come bearing gifts," their visitor said with a friendly smile. His head was shaved, and he wore a black tank top that revealed well-defined shoulders and biceps. This guy definitely hit the gym on a daily basis. An impressive tattoo of an eagle in flight on his left arm caught Connie's eye. She thought she remembered passing him on the street a few times but hadn't officially met him.

  He handed Connie and Grace each a green smoothie. "I'm Gallagher McKeon," he said. "I own Gallagher's Tropical Shack, the restaurant and bar across the street. Or The Shack, as it is affectionately referred to."

  Connie loved the exotic feel that the thatched roof on Gallagher's restaurant added to her view.

  "Thanks," she said, introducing herself and Grace while she happily accepted the smoothie. "What's in them?"

  "Almond milk, lots of leafy greens, and some apple with a touch of honey to cut the bitterness. I saw the moving truck leave this morning and noticed you've been working all day, so I thought you could use an afternoon pick-me-up."

  "You look like a healthy young man," Grace said. "If it works for you, I'm willing to give it a try."

  Connie placed her hand on Grace's shoulder. "Don't let Grace fool you. This young lady does mini-triathlons. She could out-exercise me anytime."