Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
O nce we get back to shore here in Bimini the sun is setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the beach as we relax under a few giant umbrellas.
Bess, Nettie, Wes, Ransom, and I are sprawled out on lounge chairs, the sound of the waves lulling us into a state of blissful contentment. It’s the perfect end to a day full of adventure, and I can’t help but feel grateful all of us came out of it with all of our limbs attached. And not only has Ransom treated us each to a fruity concoction to rehydrate the entire lot of us, but Wes bought some banana bread from a local vendor and we can’t seem to wolf it down fast enough.
“This is really good banana bread,” I say, genuinely stunned by how amazing it is.
Bess nods in agreement. “Did they have angels whipping this up? I think I taste heaven.”
“More like they bribed the devil for the recipe.” Nettie laughs. “This stuff is sinfully delicious.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Ransom takes another bite while looking my way with a wicked gleam in his eyes and I have a sneaking suspicion I know what he’d like to take a bite out of next. Me .
“All right, Trixie”—Wes props himself up on his elbow and looks my way—“how’s the case going? Got any leads? Give us a rundown on your suspects, Detective Troublefield.”
I sigh, adjusting my sunglasses. “It’s been a wild ride, to say the least. Jennifer Mitchell is certainly on my list. She’s got the fa?ade of the perfect friend, but there was some marked tension between her and the deceased. In fact, I witnessed it firsthand. I’m not sure what they were arguing about specifically, but I do know it had something to do with Jennifer’s fiancé, Marcus. And since Lucy had a habit of sleeping with her friends’ boyfriends and husbands, it doesn’t bode well for her reputation.”
Wes gives a wistful tick of his head. “Sounds as if our victim had been setting herself up for an eventual homicide.”
Nettie lifts her fruity red cocktail. “And who says wishes don’t come true?”
Bess groans and covers her face with that infamous hat of hers as she continues to work on her tan.
“Who’s next?” Ransom says with a marked scowl on his face, and I’ll be the first to admit it makes him that much more cutthroat handsome. He may not approve of my investigation, but I certainly approve of that wicked gleam in his eyes.
“I spoke to Hetty King,” I say. “She’s the event planner that landed them all on the ship to begin with. She’s the one that told me about the stuff with Jennifer. She also told me that Lucy was the reason Amber Walker divorced her husband—she’s another woman here with the bachelorette party. And well, Amber said she heard something strange between Lucy and Hetty. She said they had some bizarre arguments where Lucy kept calling Hetty by her own name.”
Bess pulls her hat back a notch to get a better look at me. “If it means anything, Nettie has called me by her name plenty of times when she’s drunk.”
“I do it when I’m sober, too,” Nettie admits with a nod. “Sometimes I like to invoke it as an expletive. It has a nice ring to it.”
“Oh, Nettie .” Bess groans twice as hard before covering her face once again with her hat.
“Anyone else?” Ransom asks while touching his knee to mine.
“Yes, me.”
“You?” Wes sounds slightly amused and equally horrified.
“Don’t you dare confess without a cartographer present,” Nettie is quick to wag a crooked finger my way.
Bess sits straight up and tosses her hands in the air at the thought. “I give. What in the world would a cartographer have to do with this?”
Nettie scoffs at her bestie. “Everyone knows if you want to map out a getaway, you hire a pro.”
We share a sickly laugh at that one.
“She might be onto something,” I say with a sigh. “With Quinn on my tail, I feel the sudden need to hire both a lawyer and a cartographer.”
“That snooty, uptight redheaded witch has it out for you, Trix.” Nettie doesn’t bother mincing words.
“Who cares?” Bess cries. “The woman couldn’t find her own shadow while standing in the sun, let alone solve a homicide. Ransom, who do I see about filing a formal complaint against the woman for harassing my friend?”
“Me,” he says with a growl. “And as much as I’d like to file a complaint right alongside you, I need to understand the fact that she’s running off what she thinks is evidence. Trixie was at the scene of the crime.”
“So was I,” Nettie shrills and half the beach looks our way. “If Trixie does time for this crime, then I’m going down with her.”
“I’m sorry, Trix,” Bess says with a wave. “But I don’t look good in prison blues or orange or khaki, or whatever hues they’re wearing behind bars these days. I’ll bake you a cake with a knife in it.”
“As long as it’s a chocolate lava cake, you’re on,” I tease before offering a mournful smile to Ransom. “You’re right. Quinn is paid to investigate and I should probably be on her suspect list. But if she’s thorough, she’ll discover she’s wrong.”
Ransom closes his eyes for a moment. “And if you’re thorough, and I know you are, you’ll beat her to the punch and find the killer.” He tips his head to the side. “Mind if I join you on your way to the finish line?” He picks up my hand and kisses it.
I bite down on a laugh. “Bring your gun and we’ll call it a party.”
“Now we’re talking.” Nettie lifts her drink. “To guns, booze, and broads. Or as Elodie Abernathy informed me, it was properly called the fling before the ring .”
“ Oh! ” I cover my face with my hands for a second, and I know she’s referencing my impending bachelorette party. “She would call it that.”
“To a party to remember,” Bess says, getting up and joining the toast. “Let there be diamonds and dirty dancing!”
Ransom shakes his head. “Et tu, Bessie?”
“What the heck,” Wes says, lifting his drink. “Here’s hoping for a sassy yet classy soiree.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Ransom says and we toast up high before imbibing.
Jennifer and I might be headed for the altar, but Lucy Taylor is headed for the cemetery and it doesn’t seem fair.
It’s not fair.
Someone out there cut her life short, and I’m going to make sure to do the same to their freedom.
Quinn Riddle might inadvertently let them get away with murder.
But no one is getting away with anything on my watch.
Whoever killed Lucy is going to pay.
I’ll make sure of it myself—right after I have another bite of that sinfully delicious banana bread.