King Tide (Miami Jones Florida Mystery Series Book 7) by Stewart A.J

Author:Stewart, A.J. [Stewart, A.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jacaranda Drive
Published: 2017-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

I went back to tell everyone the news. I struggled across the pool deck with no sense of urgency. Something that resembled the remains of a deck chair flew past my head and barely earned a glance.

To say the mood was somber was to do the mood a disservice. Everyone had gathered in the lounge. Most were wrapped in blankets, but not the kind you get on airlines. Chef Dean stood with Neville behind the bar. There was a lot of brandy flowing.

I shook my head. “She didn’t make it.”

There were some gasps and howls. But no one cried. Shania looked like stone. Sam looked like porcelain. Emery had left crying behind and had ventured into previously uncharted emotional territory. She stared into an alternate dimension. Cassandra came close to tears but she was one of those stoic people they don’t seem to make many of anymore. The kind that live through wars without complaint. She was more focused on Emery than anything I had to say.

“What happened?” asked Neville. “What on earth was she doing out there?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Having a soak. But why out there, in this weather? I can’t say. ”

“You told her to do it,” said Sam. “You told her to go out there.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You’re a liar. You told me you told her to have a hot tub.”

“I did suggest a hot tub. I certainly didn’t suggest going outside in a hurricane. I had no idea where the hot tub was.”

“You say that now,” said Sam.

“No, I said that then. To you. And her. I suggested she ask Deshawn where it was.”

“Me?” Deshawn frowned but he wasn’t that wrinkly. “She didn’t ask me anything.”

“Then she asked someone.”

“What happens now?” asked Shania.

“Now you all stay here. Detective Ronzoni has asked that everyone remain in this room for your own safety until he says otherwise.”

“We paid for rooms,” said Anton. He was finally sitting next to his fiancé.

I wanted to tell him he wouldn’t know where his room was, since he’d barely left the bar, but I didn’t.

“I’m sure the hotel will fix you up. But we’ve lost two people today. Let’s not lose any more. Stay put. We’ll be back shortly. Ron”—I looked to my right hand man—“anyone moves, shoot them.”

Ron nodded like he would, despite not even owning, let alone carrying, a gun.

I asked the chef for some plastic baggies. Then I suggested to Neville that some food be brought out, and the chef recommended sandwich rounds for such an occasion. I’m not sure how he classified the occasion exactly, but I didn’t think anyone looked up for a slab of porterhouse steak .

Ronzoni was down on his knees on the opposite side of the hot tub when I got back. He had placed a foldaway ruler by a wet footprint and was taking pictures of it. I wasn’t sure where he kept the ruler, but maybe that explained why he preferred a suit to shorts. Lots more pockets, and less obvious than Batman’s utility belt.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.