Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
MIA
“Where exactly did Grace see … the vultures?” Jason asked Chris.
Mia paused before cracking the egg into the bowl. She’d already cracked four eggs, and the last egg in the bowl would have meant that the five of them, herself, Jason, Chris, Sarah, and even Grace, would have an egg each in the Eggs Diablo she was preparing.
The dish was quick and simple, a recipe she’d seen online and had asked her housekeeper, Ann, to make for brunch several times. She and Alex loved the spicy marinara sauce the poached eggs swam in. Mia figured the others would enjoy the eggs, and she was certain she could recreate the dish, as she’d watched Ann make it a few times. How hard could it be?
With a batch of Bloody Marys, Mia figured they could have breakfast at the table beneath the covered terrace. The warm sun and gentle breeze that greeted her when she’d stepped out on the balcony following her shower suggested what was sure to be a gorgeous day in paradise and they should take full advantage of it. Following breakfast, Mia would recommend a trip to the beach for water activities and sunbathing.
But now Jason was asking Chris about vultures, as though he was actually curious about Grace’s nonsense. Which was ridiculous. Jason had no right validating Grace’s claims by showing interest. It was disloyal to Alex, and Mia expected Chris to point that out, but Chris was a coward, despite his loyalty to Alex. Mia might have to chasten Jason herself.
“You can’t possibly believe that Grace was serious,” Mia told Jason.
“She seemed pretty serious to me.”
“But she wasn’t,” Chris said, shaking his head, his expression contrite. “Mia, I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into her, or why she said that?—”
“Maybe she said it because she saw it,” Jason said.
Mia scoffed. “Vultures eating Alex’s head?”
Jason sighed, rubbed his eyes. “Vultures eating … something.”
“But not … Alex,” Chris said. “Something else. Something that scared her.”
“Or someone else,” Jason said.
Mia looked away from his pointed gaze and tapped the last egg against the rim of the bowl.
“Someone else?” Chris asked. “What do you mean? ”
“Maybe it wasn’t Alex,” Jason said. “Maybe she saw someone else’s … head.”
“Whose head could she have seen?” Chris asked.
Mia’s hands shook as she separated the broken shell, allowing the yolk and egg whites to fall into the bowl.
“I have no idea,” Jason said. “Maybe we should go and have a look.”
“But I already looked,” Chris said. “Grace took me to where she thought she saw … Alex … and there was nothing there.”
Jason rubbed the fine stubble on his chin. “Maybe the vultures dragged it into the forest.”
“Are you serious?” Mia glared at Jason. “Do you hear yourself? You sound as crazy as Grace!”
“But what if Grace did see something?” Jason asked. “She was adamant. And she’s not the type to imagine weird shit.”
Chris shook his head. “Alex can’t be dead.”
Mia let out a frustrated exhale. “Alex isn’t dead! I told you, he took Phil to the mainland.”
Jason said, “I’m not disputing that. I’m saying that Grace was … too sure … about what she saw. And I don’t mean Alex, but … maybe someone was killed on this island. And decapitated.”
“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
“This is a large island,” Jason said. “Maybe we’re not the only ones here.”
“Alex rented this island for the seven of us,” Mia said. “There’s not supposed to be anyone else here.”
“But it’s an island in the Caribbean,” Jason said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Anyone with a boat could drop an anchor on the opposite side and we wouldn’t even know it.”
Chris looked thoughtful. “That is possible.”
Mia shook her head. “Seriously? You too?”
“I’ve read about drug dealers using these uninhabited islands for drug drops,” Chris said.
“This island isn’t uninhabited,” Mia said, feeling as though she was losing control of the situation, as though maybe she never had control and had only been fooling herself. “It’s owned by some Middle Eastern prince or something who uses it as income property. Alex told me the guy has never even set foot on the island. Never even seen it. This island is just a line item in his vast real estate portfolio.”
“I get that,” Chris said, his expression apprehensive. “But … what if the drug dealers don’t know that this island belongs to a Saudi prince? What if?—”
“Okay, fine!” Mia shouted. “Let’s go. Come on …”
Jason scowled. “Go … where?”
“Let’s go see where Grace supposedly saw Alex’s decapitated head,” Mia said. “Chris, you can lead the way, right?”
His eyes furtive and uncertain, Chris darted a quick glance at Jason, who now seemed reluctant, even though he'd been the one to start the foolish conversation.
“Well, what are the two of you waiting for?” Mia demanded. “You want to see if Grace was telling the truth. Let’s fucking go!”