Chapter 3
We both flashed him lighthearted scowls.
“It’s black tie, so dress nice, if that’s even possible.”
“I always look nice,” Jack said.
Daniels gave him a doubtful look.
Jack, in his natural habitat, could often be found wearing a Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and Vans sneakers. With his long blond hair and casual vibe, he looked like a beach bum. But when need be, Jack had style. Outrageous and eye-catching, but stylish.
“I don’t expect any trouble,” the sheriff said. “But with that kind of money floating around, be on your ‘A’ game.”
“We’re always on our ‘A’ game,” Jack said.
Daniels scoffed.
“What time is this thing going down?” I asked.
Daniels looked at his watch. “They want you there at 7:00 PM. Better get on it.”
“Seems like short notice.”
“They just want a police presence to supplement.”
We finished up at the station, then headed back to the Avventura to get ready for the evening.
JD and I boarded the superyacht, and Buddy waited for us at the salon door. I knelt down and petted the little Jack Russell, then grabbed his leash and took him for a quick walk. Fluffy reclined on the sofa, wagging her tail, the master of all she surveyed. It was her world, we just lived in it.
After I got back, we had enough time to shovel down an early dinner at Diver Down. We took a seat at the bar, and I filled Teagan in on all the happenings. She’d seen Kendall’s picture on the news.
“You think she’ll turn up?”
I shrugged. “You’re the psychic. You tell me.”
Teagan frowned. “I don’t know. I don’t want to go there.”
She never liked to use her supposed powers. But she always had good intuition.
My phone buzzed with a call from Isabella. “I looked into your girl. Her phone went dark Friday evening around 7:00 PM.”
“That’s about the time she left her apartment.”
“That’s the last place the phone pings the tower. Battery could have died. She could have turned it off. Who knows? I’ll let you know if anything pops up.”
I thanked her for the info, then ended the call. I couldn’t use any of the information she gave in court, but it sure came in handy.
JD and I waddled down the dock to the Avventura, fat and happy. I took a shower, then got dressed in a Di Fiore tux with cummerbund and tie. Understated elegance.
Jack, on the other hand, wore a black tux with tails and a purple waistcoat with a black brocade pattern.
Still elegant, but a little on the flashy side.
With his slicked-back hair, he looked part rockstar, part gangster.
He was often mistaken for a famous ’80s rock singer, but with the success of Wild Fury and his failed mayoral campaign, plenty of people recognized him for who he was.
That could be good or bad, depending on our situation.
We caught a Town Car to the gala, which was held in the Pearl Ballroom at the Seven Seas. It was the premier luxury resort on the island. With a host of suites, private cabanas, stunning views, and a white sand man-made beach, it was an oasis amid an oasis.
The car dropped us off at the main entrance, and the valet grabbed our doors. We climbed out and stepped into the lobby like movie stars.
Cameras flashed as paparazzi snapped photos, hoping to catch frames of Coconut Key’s elite and the many celebrities that inhabited the island.
The guests were dressed to the nines.
Elegant gowns, spike-heeled shoes, salon-styled updos, low-cut necklines, sparkly necklaces, eye-catching décolletage, and designer tuxedos. As usual with these types of events, it was a Who's Who of Coconut Key.
We followed the trail of socialites to the Pearl Ballroom.
Staff hurried about, serving hors d'oeuvres, handing out glasses of wine and champagne. There were several full bars where you could order the hard stuff.
I spotted a few big guys wearing tuxedos, standing by the main entrance.
The wireless earpieces gave them away. I figured them for private security staff.
Dressed in formal attire, they didn't stick out like sore thumbs—other than the fact that they filled out their jackets more than the average guest. The two guys near the door stood about 6’3” and were full of muscles.
I made my way through the maze of tables and chairs to the front of the ballroom. The guests would be served a full-course meal. The fee just to attend was astronomical. It certainly kept the riffraff out.
French doors opened to the beach. Teal waves crashed against the shore. There were plenty of entrances and exits.
It was a security nightmare.
Two long serving tables on either side of the main riser were decked out with priceless jewelry to be auctioned off.
Guests could get up close and personal with the stunning gemstones.
This wasn’t a crowd that was used to looking at things through glass cases.
As such, there were no security measures on the tables, other than two more guards.
The proceeds benefited the Children's Hospital. Wealthy people loved getting together to spend money on sparkly rocks for a good cause.
A woman in her mid-30s with wavy chocolate hair bossed people around. She fit the description of Delilah. She was my contact point for the event and looked like she was coordinating everything from the hors d'oeuvres to the security.
We approached just as she finished giving a server instructions. With a discrete flash of the badge and a smile, I said, "I'm Deputy Tyson Wild. This is my partner, Jack Donovan."
Delilah returned the smile and extended her hand.
We shook.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said.
"Likewise.”
"Thank you so much for coming. We have some priceless jewelry here tonight, and I would feel a lot better with someone from the county on hand.
Sheriff Daniels says you boys are the best. We have the best private security money can buy, but it never hurts to have more.
Catalina wants the evening to go off without a hitch. "
"I'm sure it will," I replied with a reassuring smile. “Who’s Catalina?”
“She’s hosting the event.” Delilah pointed to a sultry brunette in an elegant gown with a slit on the side that showed off her sumptuous legs.
The dress was full of daring cuts that drew the eye and sparked sinful desires.
The glimmering necklace she wore gave one a good excuse in the event of a failure to maintain eye contact.
The V-neck was one twist away from a malfunction.
Delilah then pointed out the current security staff, which we had already located. Four in total. "I’d like to get your assessment of the situation and talk about potential threats and weaknesses."
“Well, to be honest, we’re probably a little short on manpower.
We’ll have to break the ballroom into zones.
According to the law, none of the exits can be locked during occupancy.
That means the main doors, the side doors, the staff entrances, and the French doors all need to remain accessible.
I’d put one of your guys on each wall, covering the entrances and exits.
Jack will take the jewelry tables, and I’ll roam. ”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll introduce you to the boys.”
“I take it your security staff has been fully vetted.”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Ideally, background checks on hotel staff have been done.”
She lifted her brow with a bit of surprise. “Oh, I hadn’t even considered that.”
This should have been taken care of well in advance. I wasn’t sure the best money could buy actually bought a lot. These guys probably thought they were just babysitting a bunch of rich socialites. “Who hired the security staff?”
“Well, I did?”
“Have you worked with them before?”
“Yes, of course.”
“It’s a little late now, but if you can get me a list of hotel staff, I can have them checked out.”
“You don’t really think someone in the hotel staff would pose a threat?” Delilah said, dismissing the notion.
“Probably not. But we’re talking millions of dollars. I’ve seen people killed over fifty cents.”
A look of dread washed over her face.
"Well, the most important piece here is the egg," Delilah said, pointing to the hypnotic emerald. "40 carats. That alone is worth $2 to $3 million. But we're expecting it to go for more this evening.”
"Impressive.”
"If you need anything at all during the evening, just let me know. Like I said, I don't anticipate any trouble. I just think it's best to be prepared."
I didn't have the heart to tell her she didn't prepare as well as she should.
"I’d like to introduce you to Catalina," she said. “Then I'll take you around to meet the rest of the guys.”
I was not opposed to meeting Catalina at all.
Delilah escorted us across the ballroom to introduce us to the alluring vixen. An older gentleman and his wife were chatting her up. The man couldn't keep his eyes off her cleavage, much to the dismay of his wife. If that kept up, we might have another homicide on our hands.
Delilah waited until their conversation ended, then made introductions. We shook hands, and I didn’t mind holding Catalina’s. Her nails were manicured to perfection, and her makeup flawless. She looked at me with those sultry, hypnotic eyes. Those were the real gems of the evening.
"Thank you so much for coming on such short notice,” Catalina said.
"My pleasure," I replied.
"I'm just going to take them around, introduce them to the other staff, and implement recommended security protocols."
"Fantastic," Catalina replied. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask Delilah or me."
"Thank you," I said.
The ballroom had already filled up. It was a little late to be doing this kind of thing. It all seemed like an afterthought.
There were several more auction staff keeping an eye on the jewelry tables, but it just didn't seem like enough.
Commotion stirred amid the crowd, and there were shrieks as a man clutched his chest and collapsed.
By the time I got to him, somebody had already started CPR. I flashed my badge and shouted, “Coconut County.”
"I'm certified," the person attending to the man said.
Jack called dispatch and had them send EMTs and paramedics.