Without Any Warning

A Samantha Jamison Mystery

Volume 2

A Novel

by

Peggy A. Edelheit

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Without Any Warning: A Samantha Jamison Mystery, Volume 2

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Copyright © 2011 by Peggy A. Edelheit. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Cover designed by Peggy Edelheit

Cover art:

Copyright © iStockPhoto #5704414

Edited by Winslow Eliot

http://www.winsloweliot.com

Published by Telemachus Press, LLC

http://www.telemachuspress.com

ISBN #978-1-937387-71-6 (eBook)

ISBN #978-1-937387-72-3 (paperback)

Version 2012.05.07

To The Girls!

Ro & Connie,

Renee, Liz & Val

Beth & Judy

To old girlfriends, new ones & those I have yet to meet

To my two favorite Pats, Magdalene, Moyra

Diane, Barb, Kathy, Sandi & Joyce

To all my readers

I could go on and on…

You know who you all are

& of course, Samantha

Chase your Dreams

& Remember,

Every Day is a Blessing

With Special Love to Bob

Who still owns my heart and is

My biggest supporter and confidant

Marc, Aaron & Jonathan

You guys are the best

Acknowledgments

IT Technical Support

Jon Denz

A Special Thanks To

Winslow Eliot, Editor

Without Any Warning

A Samantha Jamison Mystery

Volume 2

Chapter 1

Past & Present Accounted For

So, I was drumming my fingers on my laptop, staring out from my desk at those waves hitting the beach, instead of what I should have been doing: typing.

Not a good sign.

My unanticipated writer’s block was killing me, plus that damn view was throwing a monkey wrench in my routine, making it impossible to concentrate. The cursor blinked on the screen, but my eyes kept wandering to bicycle riders pedaling down the boardwalk.

When I rented this house on the island of Ocean City, New Jersey, I figured it was the perfect setup. You know, the beach, peace and quiet. The words would fly from my fingertips.

Right.

The problem was, every time I tried to focus, people, kites, surfers, bicycles, boats or something else caught my interest and there went my so-called good intentions. Even though the hurricane-proof glass muted the sounds outside, the visual distractions alone did me in.

Why was I there? To be honest, the real reason for being at the beach was to get away from everybody offering me advice on how to live my life and plan my future, and also to focus on writing. So, only my close friends, agent, and editor knew exactly where I was. A bonus? I wrote under a pen name. Otherwise, my phone would be ringing off the hook.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I loved my life. It was my former life, and everything that went with it, from which I was taking a break.

My theory? It was just a matter of self-discipline. If I wanted to pound out a new book, then I had to focus, tune out everything, that was all. I turned.

Would drapes help? Maybe in beige. How about blinds? Maybe I should move my desk over there...

I sighed, annoyed at myself once again. Like I said, I have a tendency to get sidetracked and I knew it was too soon for frustration to be setting in. But after a few more days of these rewrites, if the well was still looking parched, maybe then I’d panic.

I looked at my laptop, stumped, not having the vaguest idea why such a straightforward task eluded me. Then I remembered that the unexpected always happens when you least expect it—a valuable lesson I learned from my last book, The Puzzle, which literally rewrote my life.

I sat there, slumped back in my chair, wavering on the umpteenth opening, when my phone rang. Relieved, I smiled, receptive for one more excuse not to stay focused on what was proving to be a major brain-cramp.

As I reached for the phone, I noticed it said caller unknown.

“Hello,” I said, tucking some annoying, loose blond strands back on my haphazardly clipped, upswept hair. This beach hair thing was proving somewhat hard to tame.

“Samantha? Guess who this is?”

“Mona?”

A few years back, Mona had vanished after phoning and announcing that she was flying off to Europe to get married, her hurried words spewing the news while my mind tried to take it all in. Initially shocked, I barely had time to say I wished her the best when she abruptly ended the call. I had collapsed into a chair and stared at my cell phone, stunned.

Mona had promised to fill me in when she returned, but I never heard from her again. I searched for months, but every avenue I pursued became a dead end. Faced with her disconnected phone, no family to speak to, and not knowing her married name, how could I find her?

Now, as I heard her voice again, a trace of suspicion shifted in me.

Why was she calling after all this time? What did she want? Why hadn’t I been able to find her? As usual, my questions and intuition started tripping over one another.

“How did you get my cell number?” I asked, perplexed, because since we last spoke, I had changed it.

“Your editor Sandra remembered me, and after some major begging on my part, she swore me to secrecy, saying you’re renting a home on the beach working on your next book. Last I heard, you were building a home in Highlands, North Carolina, with your husband Stephen. So, you can imagine my shock when Sandra explained his unexpected death. Sam, I’m so sorry. I wish I had known...”

After all this time, how strange to be hearing from her! Knowing Mona, there was more, and I wanted to know the real reason she was calling. I waited impatiently for the silence to end. Besides, I was so thrown by her call, I couldn’t think of one damn coherent thing to say, but then I felt red flags going up.

“…That’s why I absolutely refuse to take no for an answer,” she said. “We must get together before more time slips away. You’re speechless, right? Look, I’m in your area and thought I would stop by. How about it, Sam?”

I was still in the disbelief stage as I checked my watch. “…Well sure! …Of course! …When do you want to come over?”

Would she finally shed some light on her last cryptic phone call?

“How about right now?” she asked, laughing. “No time like the present to talk about the past.”

Chapter 2

What Were The Odds?

“Now? What do you mean, now?” I asked, trying to process her words. “Where are you?”

She laughed. “I’m parked outside your courtyard.”

I hustled over to the window overlooking the gate area, opened it, and called down to her, “Mona!”

There she was in the flesh, waving up at me. I waved back, calling down to her, “I’ll open the gate so you can park.” My earlier instincts resurfaced and skepticism suddenly kicked in.

How would she explain her untraceable disappearance?

She parked, we hugged, and I led her inside. After a quick tour of the house, we sat comfortably fireside. It took the edge off the unpredictable March weather, but not her visit. I was still wondering why she’d contacted me after her long silence as we sipped our coffee.

“I don’t know where to begin,” I said. “It’s been such a long time, Mona, but first things first. How has married life been treating you?”

“I really wouldn’t know… I never got married,” she offered slowly.

I was taken aback by her response. “What?” That’s when I noticed for she wasn’t wearing a ring.

“I guess it wasn’t meant to be,” she admitted, shaking her head and averting her eyes.

Why had she deceived me from the beginning?

“What happened?” I asked.

Mona was embarrassed. “The truth? Joey lied to me and left me dangling out there in the wind.”

“Why didn’t you let me know? Or anyone, for that matter?”

“I was too humiliated.”

“But I’m your friend. That doesn’t make sense. I don’t understand why you ran instead of facing it head on. I can tell you from my own experience, it doesn’t work. You’re only postponing the inevitable.”

She half smiled. “I decided to run away, emotionally and physically. I even changed my name so no one could find me. Wasn’t that the craziest thing to do? But I was a basket case, Sam, and desperate. I felt I had no other option. So I fled and left everyone—including you—completely in the dark.”

“Wasn’t that a little extreme?” I asked. Strange was what leapt to my mind, excessive and bizarre. As she leaned away, her body language confirmed that any further probing at that moment was off-limits, so I let it go.

“Sounds crazy, I know,” she confessed, “but believe me, I had to. Look, I need someone I can trust right now, and you fit the bill. Samantha, I have no place to go. How about it? For old time’s sake?” She was teary-eyed.

I sat there, staring at her, on the fence. Were those crocodile tears? I wanted to believe her, but I was still trying to wrap my mind around her startling news and process her odd explanation.

Mona waited silently, fidgeting nervously with her purse strap in her lap. She couldn’t keep her eyes trained on one spot, and she constantly shifted position in her chair.

Was she playing me with this desperate plea?

A gut feeling finally kicked in full-force as a smile took hold of me. “Of course, and as long as you need to,” I replied, drawn in by her intriguing behavior, figuring, why fight it?

This might be the exact storyline I needed for my next book.

Mona let out a sigh and leaned back, visibly relieved. “I knew that I could count on you, Samantha.”

“Where are your bags? What hotel are you staying at?”

Mona gave a sly smile. “In the back of my car.”

I smiled back. “Don’t assume I’m still the same old soft touch. Believe me, I’ve changed… a lot.”

She drew back slightly, but recovered in a flash. “Then why are you helping me out like this?”

I bottom-lined it. “Stephen’s death taught me to go with my intuition whenever possible, and you’ve piqued my interest. Now, let’s go and get your bags so you can unpack. We’ll have time to talk some more at dinner.”

A little while later, I left Mona to freshen up, and headed to town to buy some food, still wondering about what she was holding back. I knew there was more to her story, but I would bide my time trying to weasel it out of her. Caution was kicking in, too, but as usual, I was impatient to know what her visit was really about. My fingers were already itching for my laptop, but first, I needed her story.

Unfortunately, dinner was a non-event, with Mona avoiding the subject of what had happened to her. So, we focused on me. I explained that I was currently renting out my log home in the mountains of North Carolina, where I also owned an antique shop in town. My employee, Martha, a gray-haired, seventy-year-old, rambunctious whirlwind, who managed to run circles around me, was currently overseeing it. I also mentioned I was still unsettled about how my life had turned out.

I deliberately didn’t mention others, as I was still unsure as to where they fit into my future. With my last book, I had learned to reveal as little as possible when dealing with the unknown factor.

Why? You always lost your edge.

Mona sipped her coffee. “So, you decided to come here temporarily to write without any more emotional distractions. I bet staying in Highlands didn’t help, either.”

“You’re right. Too much to process; Stephen’s death, relationships, and my questionable future. I had to get away to try and concentrate on what I wanted for a change. No strings attached and no emotional commitments whatsoever, for the moment. I know I’ll keep in touch, though, and eventually go back there when I feel I’ve had time to adjust mentally, but all the rest? I’m not so sure anymore. I need some time to think it all through.”

Mona sighed sympathetically. “Now, I ask you, Sam: Could our lives get any more complicated?”

I shrugged, thinking about my past and all the crazy possibilities of the future. I shook them all off. “I doubt it,” I finally replied. “As far as I’m concerned, my life has played out for a lifetime.”

More complicated? Come on! What were the odds?

Chapter 3

The Sands Of Time

After dinner, we bundled up and headed to the beach. The winds had eased, so I figured the walk might do us both some good; I needed to clear my mind, and she, hopefully, would speak in confidence to her former friend. Mona seemed her old self most of the time, but now and then she was withdrawn and quiet.

She listened attentively to the stories of my misadventures in the mountains, and laughed at the appropriate intervals, but she also seemed distracted, as though she was nervous about being outdoors.

Why?

As twilight slowly settled in, the boardwalk lights cast ghostlike shadows on the beach. Every so often, I caught Mona stealing glances all around us, confirming my suspicion that she was worried, about what? Without knowing more, how could I help her? Was she running away from someone or something?

What had happened to Mona?

Again, I tried to get her talking. “You know, Mona, I still can’t believe you’re here. Remember our nightly walks on the beach during our college breaks?” Hearing no response, I looked over at her. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I remember… In a way, I guess we’re still the same. Like you, I’m a survivor, too. But to tell you the truth, lately everything’s going south because my resources are tanking right along with my employment prospects.”

What did that have to do with her disappearance?

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Who knows? My credentials aren’t good enough? I’m tired of the job-rejection thing, too.”

I still didn’t get it. “You’re a competent financial analyst. I would think any hedge fund company would be glad to snatch you up. I don’t know of anyone more conscientious or detail-oriented. Where have you been since you left? Doesn’t experience count for something?”

“I guess they weren’t impressed with my current track record. I’ve been bouncing around a lot from here to there. You know, sort of restless over the last few years. Obviously, it doesn’t look so great on my résumé.”

“Why didn’t you try going back to work for your old boss? Surely that firm was pleased with your performance. Plus, you really got a kick out of all the challenges it offered. Right? Couldn’t they at least recommend you?”

“No!” Mona said tightly. “It was sort of complicated. I didn’t go back because I was Joey’s subordinate. I’m afraid my comfort level with him constantly around bordered on the impossible.”

So, this Joey was her fiancé and her boss.

I looked over at her as we walked. “You’re right. It would have made me uncomfortable too, working for someone who left me at the altar. Have you seen or heard from him since then?”

Mona shuddered. “No, and I hope I never see him or hear from him again.” She turned and looked behind us as we walked, her eyes scanning the horizon.

Searching for what? For who?

“It must have been pretty bad. I can understand.”

She stopped dead in her tracks on the sand, turning to me. “You don’t understand anything. At least your husband died on you, he didn’t humiliate you. Joey is the absolutely last person I ever want to see again. Period. End of conversation.”

“Well,” I replied, “I guess that was stated plainly enough, even for thick-headed me.” We continued walking.

What went wrong? Why such animosity?

What disturbed me was the hint of apprehension intermingled with anger that seemed to stick to every single word that related to this guy Joey.

Why?

Mona’s voice cut through my jumbled thoughts.

“…Listen to how I’m carrying on, when you’ve had your own problems. I’m so sorry all this had to come to the surface. And as usual, my timing is lousy.”

“No worse than mine,” I said, waving off her apology. “Don’t worry. Forget it.”

This Joey business is more complicated than I originally thought.

She made a feeble attempt at another smile before looking behind us once again.

Fear was sticking to her like the sand to our shoes. “Hey,” I said, “It’s time to head back.”

Chapter 4

Strike Three You’re Out

I woke with a start, bolting upright in my bed. Someone was down in the cabana. Most houses on the beach had reverse living. The ground floor had a cabana, leading to the beach patio, second floor was the bedroom level with a deck off the master, and the top floor had the kitchen, living room and another deck with spectacular views. Distracted by Mona’s visit, I must have forgotten to lock the cabana again.

I tiptoed through the bedroom, hefting my weapon of choice, Stephen’s old heavy metal baseball bat. Why? Because I hadn’t worked up the nerve to arm myself with a gun yet. I had come close in the past, but then figured I might do more harm to myself than to an intruder. Now I found myself reconsidering that former hasty decision.

I quietly opened the bedroom door, which led to the hall and stairwell that spiraled up and down. The moonlight gave a sliver of visibility, barely allowing me to see where I was walking without turning on the light. That was a good thing. The bad thing?

You know, there is always the bad thing.

What would I do if confronted by an intruder? Bunt? My nerves were making my hands shake. I stared down the hall. Apparently the noise hadn’t woken Mona yet. Good. I might not have been able to shut her up. She tended to get talkative in stressful situations. I focused my attention back on the stairwell and glanced down. I heard it once again. Now what?

Well, news flash!

I’m no hero. Someone was in the house, rummaging around in the cabana. After that, the intruder would most likely come up to the bedroom level, where we were. Damn, I realized I had left my cell phone on the night table.

Brainless.

I stood there, considering a strategy for my predicament.

It was sort of iffy.

My floors were hardwood. But if I made it this far, couldn’t I just as easily go back undetected? I hesitated, and took a chance, pivoting quickly to retrieve my cell.

Unfortunately, I lost my balance with the sheer weight of the metal bat and toppled a statue that smacked into the stair railing. It flew down the stairwell, creating a racket all the way down to the cabana, hitting the marble floor at the bottom. Did I mention the railing was metal, too? It echoed like a bomb detonating, with a final explosion at the end.

Gripping the bat tightly, I raced for my cell phone, punched in 911, and returned to the stairwell, peeking over the railing. That was when I heard the cabana door open.

No!

I raced out to the deck off the master to catch a glimpse of who it was, but only saw a leg and foot in the moonlight. They vanished near the corner of the house. Breathless, I quickly called in to report the intruder, giving my address to the dispatcher.

A commotion broke out in the hallway, and it sounded like it was coming my way. I was still leaning over the railing, so I turned to look back as Mona raced out onto the deck.

“What the hell is going on?” she shouted, hefting a large black umbrella.

What a sight she was: disheveled brown hair, bathrobe half-on, half-off her threatening, substantial frame. She was breathing heavily. A smile tugged at my mouth.

“What happened?” she asked. “It sounded like we were being attacked. Are you hurt? Did someone break in?” She came to an abrupt halt. “What are you doing on the deck in this cold weather, carrying a bat?”

I was trying hard not to laugh, and slowly losing the battle.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” said Mona. “You’re not gonna jump, are you?”

I turned around to face her completely, gripping my bathrobe tighter around me. “And what were you going to do with that umbrella of yours? Stab somebody? Or were you expecting rain?”

We stood in the shadows, weapons drawn, ready to go, and then we both broke out laughing.

“Hey, let’s get inside,” I suggested as I pushed off from the railing. “The police will be here in about three minutes.”

Mona took a swing with her umbrella. “Damn! That’s not fair. I was itching to strike somebody out!”

Chapter 5

Assessing Probability

With our feet propped up on the two other kitchen chairs, Mona and I idly sat at the table, sipping our coffee from extra large mugs. We’d both agreed we needed the additional caffeine after the previous night’s ordeal. I was still frustrated by what happened. How was I to describe to the police someone’s barely recognizable leg and foot?

“I’m so upset that I wasn’t able to run faster to the edge of the deck for a better look,” I complained, letting out a sigh. “I always get distracted and forget to lock that cabana door.”

“Sorry, Sam. I didn’t hear a thing at first. I was out cold. Chances are it won’t happen again, though.”

“It’s not your fault you didn’t pick up on it. I’m normally a light sleeper and somehow got lucky, that’s all. Well, sort of. I heard whoever it was, but then I kind of botched the rest.”

Mona stared at me. “May I suggest you stick to hiking, Sam? You were never really good at anything remotely physical that required equipment—that is, if my memory serves me correctly from our college days.”

“You don’t have to rub it in, Mona. I feel bad enough as it is. I have to replace that statue. That ought to set me back a pretty penny. This place is rented furnished, remember?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I forgot about that little detail.” Mona laughed. “But, just in case, you’d better start taking meticulous inventory.”

I grinned back. “Thank goodness my last novel is doing well,” I said. “I could certainly use the extra money.”

“With your luck,” she said, “and after seeing all the statues in this house, I strongly suggest you hustle with your current book. You’ll need some serious cash flow to pay for any potential future mishaps. This isn’t the mountains, Sam. Your exposure is greater here, both financial and physical.”

“Very funny,” I said, trying to keep it as light as possible.

Chapter 6

Making Calls And Having Reservations

A rough outline for my book began to take shape on the evening of the break-in, when my adrenaline was still pumping away and I couldn’t go back to sleep. Before I realized it, I was building a storyline around the events that had taken place ever since Mona stepped back into the picture.

And now this call. She was currently on the phone in her room, obviously in a heated exchange. Bits and pieces drifted in my direction. I fought the urge to eavesdrop. I swear I really did.

“Phil…”

“No… won’t.”

“You… that’s—crazy.”

“What…?”

“I can’t… back…”

“…Dangerous.”

“Life, damn it.”

“I’m sick—stuck…”

“I know.”

“I wasn’t… for this.”

“Don’t … trace…”

“It’s… a throw…”

“ …Time’s up.”

I typed in a wild frenzy, trying to keep up.

This was good stuff!

It was only the blanks that were throwing me off my game, but then in a heartbeat, the conversation stopped. She must have hung up.

I focused on what I had typed. It was incomprehensible, but intriguing. I sat back and looked down at my computer in utter amazement, and then at my hands, which apparently, without much input from me, mind you, had taken over once again without my permission. What had come over me? Why did I bother? None of it made any sense.

Mona opened her bedroom door and marched down the hall to my room. I discreetly closed my word document. My mailbox and cursor hovered innocently on the screen. I swung around in my chair, smiling. “Hi there. How’s it going?”

“I’ve had better days,” she replied grumpily. “These phone interviews get to me. I hope I didn’t disturb you too much. I may have raised my voice now and then. Sorry.”

Raised her voice?

“Any luck?” I asked, still smiling.

“Nobody seems to be hiring right now. It’s so frustrating. Maybe it’s the economy. Maybe I’m being too picky. Are you absolutely sure you don’t mind me staying for a while?”

What? After that phone call?

She had definitely roped me in with that cryptic conversation. “No, not at all!”

Interview? I didn’t think so!

“Hey,” Mona said. “I read in the local paper that Emily’s Café is open year-round. How about you take a break tonight and I treat you to dinner at the Flanders Hotel?”

It was a tempting offer that, under the circumstances, I finally decided to accept. “Well… sure. Why not? I’d love to. I have their number. Let me make a quick call to reserve a table.”

Chapter 7

Dining & Dishing

We had finished the last of our dessert and were drinking coffee.

“I could get used to this,” I said. “Thanks. I appreciate the treat, Mona.” Somehow, I had to gently nudge her into talking. I needed more to go on.

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do for you after allowing me to barge in on you when you’re trying write your next novel.”

“To tell you the truth, I needed a break. I can’t seem to stay focused, too many distractions. I’m beginning to think placing my desk under that bedroom window, facing the beach, might have been a major mistake. God knows I’ve made enough of those in my life.”

Mona nodded. “Hey, join the club. But let me ask you this, Sam. Is Stephen included in your last statement?”

I thought for a moment. “Stephen and me? A mistake? No. I don’t think so. Could I have changed his past? Another no. Could I have changed our future? That, I’ll never know. Not now, anyway. When I wrote my last book, I was dealing with Stephen’s death, but in the process of sorting through the truth, I found myself facing some major changes in my life, like not taking everything for granted. Hopefully, I’ve learned something from all of it. Still, this other learning curve? Going it alone? It’s been tough!”

“Amen to that!” Mona said. “I know exactly what that feels like, especially when I realized things weren’t about to change, only worsen. You see, in the end, I couldn’t ignore all the inferred threats. My choices?” She suddenly laughed sarcastically. “What choices? I really had only one. Walk away. My learning curve was to try to outlive my mistakes.”

I attempted to comprehend what I had just heard. Mona was staring out the window, obviously somewhere else. What did she mean?

What threats? Outlive what mistakes?

Should I say something? Ignore it? Keep talking? Or wait for something more? I chose to remain silent and for her to come around on her own.

Finally, she turned back to me and smiled. “I’ve been such a fool, Sam. How come some people never learn? They think they can do anything, correct any wrongs, and worst of all, they trust implicitly. That may be the biggest injustice. Absolute blind trust. When your trust has been betrayed, what do you have left? I can tell you from experience, not that much. I was rewarded with out-and-out betrayal, Sam.”

She turned away once again, staring off blankly. “Let me offer some words of advice, Sam: Trust no one.” She laughed softly. “Not even me.”

Those words were sounds of emotional defeat, someone reconciling with their fate. Which was what? Mona always knew what she wanted and she went out and got it. ‘No’ was not in her vocabulary—at least, not in the vocabulary of the Mona I once knew.

This new persona was difficult to read. She had changed in many ways. Although, when I thought back to the night of the break-in, I saw shades of the old Mona shine through, fearless, denouncing whoever was in her way, game for a verbal or physical exchange.

She swung around to face me, smiling. “This conversation has become so maudlin, it’s pathetic. Plus, that’s not what I came for when I thought of you. Sam, you’ve always been a fighter, albeit a quiet one, but still a fighter. I’ve always loved that about you.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” I offered. “We can skirt the boardwalk and walk along the beach. It’s not that cold, and we have just enough light left to get back. We’ll have some wine and talk about old times. How’s that sound?”

“Now you’re talking!” laughed Mona, getting up.

Although it had gotten chilly as nightfall descended all around us, our fleeces kept us warm as we headed south. We made our way across the sandy beach while rolling breakers crashed on our left and the lit boardwalk glowed at a slight distance to our right.

After we passed the commercial district and drew near the residential houses that lined the boardwalk, it became much harder to see. I noticed that it became more deeply shadowed because a few of the boardwalk lights weren’t working.

Normally, I wouldn’t walk on the beach after dusk, but I figured that with Mona for company, there was the power of two. Misgivings promptly surfaced the minute it turned dark. “I didn’t realize it was so late. Instead of walking along the beach, we probably should’ve walked the boards instead.”

“It’s not that far, is it? Besides, we used to do this all the time.”

“I guess so,” I admitted, and then smiled, turning in her direction. I was heartened to see that she was finally relaxing after recalling a few of our comical pranks while we walked. “You know, I’d forgotten how much I really missed that carefree part of my life, Mona. Thanks for reminding me.”

She grinned. “You see, Sam? Dining out and dishing with an old girlfriend works every time!”

Chapter 8

Under What Boardwalk?

“Remember that one college break when we buried that guy up to his neck in sand and the tide started coming in?” I asked, chuckling. “We thought we would die laughing! I haven’t thought about that in years.”

“It served him right,” added a snickering Mona, “after we saw him stealing money from our wallets. I have to admit, using our feminine guile, luring him into letting us bury him, was great payback. If I recall, the other lifeguards thought it was quite funny, too.”

I laughed. “The look on his face when we walked away was priceless. The heavy, wet sand was a bonus, too!”

“Yeah, but his friends dug him out just as the tide came in. That wasn’t fair,” replied a still-disappointed Mona.

“Now, come on!” I said. “Don’t tell me you weren’t expecting that to happen.”

“Look, Sam, as a lifeguard, he should’ve known how to get out of sticky situations. Right? I got cheated out of a Houdini moment that I was really looking forward to.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw a hand materialize out of nowhere and roughly latch onto Mona’s purse strap, knocking her off balance.

Without thinking, I whipped my leg up, giving a swift kick in defense.

I knew it connected when I heard a voice shout, “Bitch!” The attacker doubled over, away from us, and fell back into the murky shadows.

Mona, thrown by the assault, yelled, “What the… ?”

I grabbed her arm, yanking her back upright. “Come on!” I insisted, dragging her toward the boardwalk. I could barely make out her assailant, who was rolling in the sand and moaning in pain, as we began running in the sinking sand.

I had to give Mona credit. She was big, but light of foot. She ran right alongside me without one word of complaint—that is, until we approached the boardwalk.

Glancing around, I saw the shadowy form of our assailant staggering to his feet. We wouldn’t have time to get to safety.

“Duck under here,” I instructed over the rumble of the surf hitting the beach.

“Whoa! We’re going where?” she asked, coming to a halt. “I don’t think so!” She attempted to back away.

“Quick! Get under the boardwalk!” I ordered. I reached out and tried to drag her closer.

She wouldn’t budge.

“Look, we don’t have time for this now, Mona!” I whispered fiercely.

“But there are bugs and spiders under there! I hate creepy crawlies! Especially if I can’t see them! Besides, it’s pitch black under there! You know I hate dark, closed-in places! Are you completely out of your mind, Sam?”

“No! Now, move!” I gave her a quick, forceful shove and was finally able to push her underneath.

“Oh, my God! I think I’m going to be sick. I can’t do this, Sam!”

A shadowy figure approached the boardwalk, panting and cursing loudly.

I quickly covered her mouth, dragging her back further. It was cold, but she had broken out in a sweat. She tried to fight me off.

“Mmmf… mmmf,” she moaned weakly from under the grip of my hand, as the thunderous breakers hit the beach.

I whispered directly in her ear. “I think it’s your mugger, looking for us. Be quiet. Please.” And she was. She became perfectly still. Crouching low, we watched and waited as whoever it was raced back and forth, searching…

Eventually, the assailant took off for the ramp that led to the boardwalk. We heard his footsteps fade overhead, and then the sound of running in a northerly direction, away from us.

When I finally let go of her, Mona collapsed on the sand, breathing heavily. “I think I’m having a heart attack,” she said. “I have to sit down.”

“I wouldn’t do that, Mona,” I advised in the dark.

“Do… what?” she asked warily.

“Sit down,” I replied calmly.

“Why not? I’m feeling faint.”

“Remember what you said about bugs and spiders?”

“…Yeah?” she asked hesitantly.

“Now add to that crabs and… ” I never got to finish. She shot out of there like a bullet.

“Ahhhhhh!” She was hopping around in circles on the sandy beach, frantically smacking at her clothing. “Oh, no! Help, Sam! Help me brush my clothing! Quick! Ahhhhhh! I can’t see what’s on me!”

I promptly reached out and slapped my hand over her mouth again. “Shhhhh! What if he comes back? Quiet! Be thankful he didn’t get anything.” Finally, she stopped, and I slowly removed my hand.

“Let’s go!” she spat out. “And I mean now! That was too much. What kind of place are you staying at? He could have gotten my purse!” She shuddered. “…Or worse.”

“Don’t I know it,” I added quickly. “We were lucky. Let’s continue going south. My house is only about two blocks further. We’ll cross over the boardwalk there and enter through the cabana door.”

As we walked cautiously, keeping an eye out for her attacker in the dimly lit shadows of the boardwalk, Mona turned to me.

“Initially, this place reminded me of that song, you know, that oldie by the Drifters? Well, after crawling under the boardwalk, I’ve changed my mind. That was definitely not exactly what I envisioned when I heard those lyrics.”

I started to hum a few bars to keep us company for the rest of the way home.

“Very funny!” she shot back.

I swear, that girl had no sense of humor.

Chapter 9

Crystal Clear

The door closed loudly a few times. I should have been used to it by now, but I jumped with each distracting slam. Although a little sore from the scuffle the night before, I had managed to get up early in preparation for the cleaning crew. Like clockwork, they came once a week, right on schedule. It was part of the package with the house lease.

After the previous night’s escapade, there was no way I would even attempt to try and clean three floors. This crew made it look effortless. They each attacked a different area and had it done in no time. It was a nice bonus and the beautiful bowl of fresh fruit and bottle of French wine definitely helped seal the deal as I happily signed the papers for the pricey lease just before I arrived.

I sat there staring at the beach, taking a brief break from my laptop, mulling over last night’s unforeseen trouble that marred a perfectly pleasant evening out with Mona. Sometimes I took too much for granted, my safety in particular. Even though this was a well-protected area, the beach and boardwalk were public domains. Anyone could access the island from the bridges. Even so, an attack like that was rare and unexpected.

Or was it?

A loud scream pierced the air. “Get out of here! Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my bathroom?” Another scream followed. And then, “Sam, call the police! We’ve got intruders! Where the hell is my cell phone?”

“Uh oh,” I said. In all the chaos of last night, I had forgotten to mention that the cleaning crew was coming today. I also forgot to tell the crew’s boss about Mona.

I heard some commotion in Spanish. Three of the crew flew to the stairs for the other levels. Then I heard someone running down the hall. My hand flew to my mouth to stop my laughing.

It was Mona, wrapped in nothing but a bath towel, her hair dripping wet, brandishing her weapon of choice, the oversized umbrella. With her other hand, she held her cell phone.

“Whoever heard of 911 having a busy signal? That’s ridiculous! Answer, you morons. This is an emergency! I’m desperate!” She stopped short at my desk, panting and out of breath from her rant. “Thank God you’re all right Sam. Let me try again!” She dialed furiously as water dripped everywhere.

I grabbed her phone and promptly terminated the call.

She looked at me like I was crazy. “Hey, why are you so calm? I mean, after last night, I’d think you would be more on guard! I think you made a big mistake renting in this area. We’re being attacked night and day, for God’s sake! Give me back my phone.” She tried unsuccessfully to yank it out of my hand. “Give that back!”

I quickly tried to explain. “Mona, take it easy. They’re not intruders. It’s the cleaning crew. They come once a week and have their own key. It’s included in the lease. Relax.”

“Relax? Are you crazy?” She had worked herself into a frenzy and wasn’t listening to me. “I’m naked, trying to dry off from my shower, and this guy comes in carrying a ninja stick!”

I could just picture it. “Ninja stick?” I asked, trying not to crack up. “What are you talking about? You mean his mop?”

She stood still. “Oh!” Then she sat on the edge of my bed. “Is that what that was? I ran out, and then saw there was one more in my bedroom and another in the hall. I thought we were goners for sure! After last night, I envisioned all sorts of nightmarish scenarios. I figured the beach mugger came back with his whole gang.”

By that time, I could barely talk, I was laughing so hard. “They’re… the… cleaning… crew,” I repeated, doubling over.

“Hey, it’s not that funny,” complained Mona, and then finally looked down, noticing her drippy towel. “Well, I guess I sort of panicked, okay? How was I to know?”

“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to get it together. “I should have warned you beforehand. Please forgive me.”

“Oh, I’ll live, I guess,” she replied with a shrug. “I’m completely embarrassed, but I think I’ll survive.”

“Mona, didn’t you notice that all their shirts said ‘Crystal Cleaners’ on them?”

“You know, I thought it was sort of strange they were all wearing the same shirt, now that you mention it.” She began to laugh. “I thought it was a gang thing. I was so beside myself, I didn’t bother reading it.”

I tried not to, but burst out laughing once again. “I’m sorry, but it was a sight to see… you chasing some guys down the hall, wearing nothing but a towel, carrying that umbrella of yours.”

Mona bit her lip, and then she started laughing, too. “Don’t you dare tell anyone about this, or I will get even, I swear!” She was at the point of tears. “You know, I haven’t had a good laugh in so long,” she said, choking on her last words. “You are exactly what I needed at this time in my life.”

“Well, thank you. I’m glad I could be of service.”

Mona sobered. “No, I really mean it. I’ve been going through a rough patch. You’ve been a real life-saver, taking me in like this. I guess I’m a little tense, that’s all.”

I smiled. “You know, you are always welcome here. We go way back. Don’t ever hesitate to ask me for help or a place to stay.”

Why was she so tense and on edge? There had to be something more.

The house had been unusually quiet. Then a male, heavily accented voice called out: “Sam? Is the coast clear? Is it safe to clean? We have work to do.”

“Oh, my God. I am so embarrassed,” Mona said, and started to giggle again.

“Ella está un poco loca!” I yelled. She is a little crazy!

I turned back to Mona. “Don’t worry. It’s all crystal clear to them now.”

Chapter 10

A Sixth Sense And Common Sense

I kept trying to concentrate on my writing, instead of looking for another excuse to become distracted. Once focused though, there was no stopping me. That was when I tended to start tuning out everything, including the phone, which was ringing. Loudly.

I was obviously failing miserably, since I reached for it before voicemail picked up. I couldn’t imagine who was calling. I had just spoken to Sandra earlier, Mona was making herself presentable, and the cleaning crew had just left.

“Hello,” I said distractedly. I tried reviewing my notes.

“I need to talk to your girlfriend,” a man said brusquely.

“May I ask who’s calling?” I asked, not paying attention to his words, figuring it was regarding one of Mona’s interviews. I had long ago lost count.

“This doesn’t concern you. Put her on the phone. I gotta talk to her now!”

I sat up straight, instantly on guard. I hesitated before uttering another word. I knew this was no return call from an interview. Besides, why call my house phone? How did he get it? Mona had been using her cell phone.

After overhearing her one-sided conversation the other day, I figured this call had something to do with that. My protective mode took over. I tried to play for time. “Excuse me? I think you must have the wrong number. What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t,” he threw back. “Good try, babe, but I’m calling the shots, not you.” He laughed, and then abruptly disconnected.

Mona rushed in seconds later. “Sam, I can expl—”

I whipped around, staring at her. “Were you listening in on the extension?”

She hesitated. “Well… sort of.” She was finding it difficult looking directly at me.

“And I suppose you can tell me what just transpired?”

“I have a very simple explanation,” she said cautiously.

“You do? Great, because I would like to hear it, if you don’t mind.” I waited.

“I was expecting an important call,” she said slowly, “…and I figured you were too busy with your book… and that it might be for me. So I tried to save you the aggravation of being disturbed, but unfortunately I wasn’t fast enough. You got to the phone first.”

Talk about a lame excuse! The whole thing didn’t make sense. “Why was someone calling you on my phone? Why not call your cell?”

“I must have given yours by mistake and read the wrong number back to them.”

Why wouldn’t she know her own cell number? Why was it written down next to my number?

Something was going on here that she wasn’t telling me. “Are you in some kind of trouble, Mona? Because if you are I would appreciate knowing right now. Okay?”

Mona faltered and then sat on the edge of my bed, clearly uncomfortable. “Look, I lied to you before. I was never really getting married. I made all that up.”

Finally, the truth!

“Why?” I asked, surprised, but after some consideration, I wasn’t, not really. Mona had always been unpredictable.

It’s sort of complicated,” she said. “I had to get out of town quickly.”

She still wasn’t offering me much to go on. “And what was the emergency?” I asked, frustrated. “Why didn’t you get in touch with me afterwards? Maybe, I could have helped.”

“Look,” said Mona, “I think I have it totally under control. I swear. We go way back, right? Trust me on this, Sam. I would let you know if I was in any kind of trouble.”

Been there, seen it, done it myself.

Who was she kidding?

“Then how come I’m not quite convinced of that. What are you not telling me, Mona?”

“I’ll fill you in on everything when it’s all over. I promise. I want my life back, and you’re the only one I can trust right now. Of all the people I know, I was hoping I could count on you. How about it? Can you please wait?”

I sighed. It seemed that was all I was doing lately, sighing. At this point, I figured the only way I was going to help her and get to the truth was to go along with this insane and possibly dangerous request of hers. I sighed again, deciding to take a chance. “Of course.”

But a sixth sense and common sense told me that this was just the beginning of something really bad.

Chapter 11

Cleaning Up A Misunderstanding

Crystal was standing at my door. I figured she would show up sooner or later. She was the owner of Crystal Cleaners, a no-nonsense kind of woman with a no-nonsense approach to cleaning houses. She didn’t appear to be happy at the moment. I greeted her with a smile.

“Hi, Crystal. What brings you here?” I asked, knowing already. I guessed her workers weren’t used to being chased through houses with an umbrella when they were cleaning.

“Very funny, Samantha. Look, we’ve become friends. So, can I be honest here? You know me. Time is money. The season will be starting shortly and I can’t afford to have anyone quit. Competition is bad enough with other cleaning services trying to steal my help as it is. What is going on with your house guest?”

She cracked her knuckles. Crystal never stood still. A part of her was always moving. She was currently wearing a low-cut, skimpy top, but looked dressed in more clothes then she wore with all the tattoos she sported. Some were exotic and extraordinary, covering her well-muscled physique.

I made an attempt to smooth things over. “I’m sorry for any misunderstanding, Crystal. I’ve spoken to her about your crew. You know how close friends and family are, totally unpredictable.”

“Don’t get me started on family,” she groaned. “If it weren’t for my father-in-law causing so much grief for me and my husband… And his debts? That’s another story. I swear, it’s enough to make you crazy. Bad enough he drinks, but I also have to put up with his gambling up there in those casinos, not to mention his so-called friends. I’ve never been one to gamble away my paycheck. No way! Time’s money, you know? I work too hard. Every time someone calls in sick, nine times out of ten, I end up taking their place. I’ve got a bad back, too…”

I found myself zoning out and just watching her lips move. I felt terrible, and didn’t know what to say. I knew from past experience she wouldn’t stop until she was good and ready.

I held onto the doorknob, trying my best to steady myself from falling over with boredom. My hand was feeling numb already, but I still stood there, waiting patiently for her to take the slightest breath so I could jump on in and make my case. I forced myself to focus on what she was saying.

“So, I had to stop by and let you know how I felt…”

I cut in quickly. “Oh, and I understand all your concerns. Trust me, it won’t happen again.”

She laughed. “Oh, forget it, Sam. You know how I love to vent. Let’s get together for drinks, okay? Hey, I’ve got to go. I need to check on another crew.” She turned and started walking away. “If I don’t keep an eye on them…”

I watched her hustle down the walkway, still talking. “Sorry for the trouble, Crystal,” I called out. I closed the door, shaking my head in amazement. Once again, I had somehow accrued an odd assortment of acquaintances in my travels. In the past, I found their exploits made great writing.

But what about now? Good question! I only knew I had to get back to my notes and a story that was proving to be a challenge to write, because so far, I didn’t quite understand what was going on myself.

Where was the truth?

Then I smiled. That was the best part about writing. Throwing the dice first, without the first clue as to how I would proceed from start to home, and with no free pass in sight to get me safely there in one piece either. Would this one be any different? I didn’t think so.

Mona’s unexplainable overreactions were more than misunderstandings. That was for sure. In the meantime, I had my work cut out for me by writing down the intriguing, mystifying statements that she actually expected me to believe.

Chapter 12

Liability And Responsibility

“I’ll be right there,” I yelled as I made my way down to the front door. Mona was out job-hunting, but I had my doubts, especially after that strange phone call I had intercepted. “I’m coming,” I said as I loped down the last steps. I swung the door open.

A good-looking woman greeted me with a smile. Her brightly colored red hair was held back neatly with a clip, like she was trying to repress her sexiness and attractiveness. She had a red designer jacket draped over her shoulders.

“Hi!” she said. “I’m Pat Harris, the agent who’s handling your lease. Sandra, your literary agent, and Bill, my boss, mentioned me, I’m sure. I wanted to stop by and introduce myself.”

The name took a second to register. “Why, of course!” I said. “Come on in. How nice to finally meet you.”

I had heard a lot about Pat from Sandra, who was also my friend. Sandra met Pat while on vacation in Ocean City, and immediately thought the house on the beach was the perfect getaway for me to write. All the others on the beach for long-term leases were booked so, in spite of it being four bedrooms, it would suit me perfectly.

Sandra had also said the woman was no-nonsense and all business—except for one thing. When she had gone with Pat for drinks after viewing the property late one day, she witnessed another side to this proper professional, observing a flashy personality that surprised her. I gave Pat the once-over, sort of doubtful about that. She looked normal to me.

Maybe Sandra was exaggerating. I guess hanging around fiction writers so much left Sandra with an active imagination. I found it very hard to picture this respectable woman, I’d say in her early forties, to be anything but what she presented herself as: pretty, straightforward and very business-like.

Pat looked around the foyer. “At the market, I heard some interesting news from a friend of mine who works on the police force. The word is you had quite an exciting evening the other night.”

I almost asked her which night, but caught myself as I figured she meant the broken statue episode. I tried to play it down. “Oh, that. It was completely my fault.”

“What do you mean?”

“I forgot to lock the cabana. It was a careless mistake. I’m really more careful than that and don’t know why it slipped my mind.”

Pat leaned in and lowered her voice. “Confidentially speaking? I also heard that’s not all you weren’t conscientious about,” she said, eyeing me meaningfully.

“Oh, the statue. Right. Believe me, all of it was purely accidental. It was pretty dark and I forgot it was there. I was nervous and then the baseball bat got in the way too, and then I turned too quickly and…”

Pat smiled. “I’m only advising you to be more careful next time, that’s all. You know, lock all the doors.”

“Look, I’m sorry for the damage. Was it very expensive?” I winced, expecting the worst.

She grinned. “Actually, you were quite lucky; it was only a reproduction. Besides, you look like you’re a responsible adult living alone. I’m sure it was exactly like you said, an accident. You don’t normally have these kinds of things happen to you all the time, now do you?”

I wasn’t going there. I didn’t have the nerve and my lips were sealed. Now that Mona was added to the mix, it might be a good idea to keep quiet. Like a kid, I crossed my fingers behind my back. “No, of course not!”

“Well, in that case, there shouldn’t be any further problems to be concerned about. Right?” She turned to leave. She hesitated at the doorway, staring back at me with a funny expression, as if trying to figure out the reason for my non-existent reply to her last question.

I quickly laughed. “My goodness! Absolutely not! I’ve got so much research I need to get done for my book. I can’t work unless it’s peaceful and quiet. You know how authors are.” I vigorously shook her hand goodbye.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” replied Pat, smiling. She started down the walkway, but then turned back again. “You know, after hearing about your wielding that metal bat of yours and then finally meeting you, I never would have pegged you for an athlete. I personally prefer wooden bats myself.”

Chapter 13

A Bill Here, A Bill There

After the initial shock of seeing how nearby these beach houses were to each other, I was still adjusting to their close proximity. Subsequent to being in the mountains and having my share of seclusion, this still seemed an oddity. Sandra had mentioned they made only so much beachfront. If I wanted the water and beach, I had better get used to it. I guess the lack of privacy to a certain extent was the price I had to pay if I wanted the spectacular view.

Raindrops glided sideways on the glass window in front of me. It was still lightly raining, forcing me to stick to my laptop and my book. So, I reluctantly reached for my notes to continue, but as I looked up, I noted some activity going on next door on the neighboring deck, adjacent to mine.

Two different sets of hands held two different umbrellas, two males observing the view. Both, I’d say, about six foot. I stared at them. Hmmm. Interesting.

I noticed my realtor, Bill, when one umbrella turned, revealing his profile. We had met briefly on the phone when I first inquired about renting, and then later, after I made the initial trip down to view several properties and share a few dinners. He was a friendly guy, sporting a dark mustache and hair that was slightly graying a bit on the sides. After that trip, his leasing rep, Pat, verbally took it from there. To my surprise, Sandra’s former suggestion for a change of setting was perfect and just what I needed.

I sighed. It looked as if my solitude was about to be compromised by this renter. Curious, I craned my neck, but his umbrella and coat obscured anything more specific.

Great, just what I needed. Not only would I have to put up with Mona and her antics, but now I had to deal with an unknown variable thrown into the mix next door. Oh well. So much for my low profile and serenity plan for writing.

Maybe, if I ignored whoever it was, I would still be able to have a tolerable measure of peace and quiet. Regrettably, that might prove hard to do because our decks were only separated by a gap of about twelve feet or so.

Maybe I should move the desk back to the small bedroom, which faced the street. But this view was so pretty! I turned my attention back to my laptop and began to type some thoughts. Mona was proving to be a harder challenge to figure out than I had originally assumed. She kept information about her departures and returns to a minimum. Currently, she was gone for the day once again. I noticed that when she made these strange forays out into the unknown, she only returned occasionally to join me for dinner.

Her nervous chatter over the course of the meal seemed mindless and baffling. Something was definitely up, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I was proud of myself, in that I had not been reduced to going through her things in her room…yet.

As far as I was concerned, no harm was being done in my helping her out for a few weeks while she got her life together. As long as it didn’t interfere with mine, I was taking a wait and see attitude. In the meantime, the clock was slowly ticking away on my curiosity.

Now, I heard of going for numerous interviews, but why the long absences? Where was she disappearing? No. I could never do that. Follow her? After all, I had to give her some privacy. We went way back, but still, she had changed. Was she the one who I remembered from college? …No!

My main questions at the moment were what had changed her? Where was she going? Why couldn’t I locate her in the past? Why was she still being so evasive?

Out of habit, I minimized my word document for a moment, while I paused to pay some E bills online. My cursor blinked, as I slowly scanned down the screen. Suddenly, my hand froze at the sight of the amount on the next E bill. That was impossible!

Whoa! Atlantic City? Can’t be! I quickly grabbed and thoroughly checked inside my wallet to verify what I was afraid I would find. I checked once again to make sure.

To my dismay, my credit card was, you guessed it, missing!

Chapter 14

Being Pinched Where It Hurts

I was shocked. I had yet to set one foot in Atlantic City, but apparently my card went on a binge recently without me. I got hold of the fraud division of the credit card company and cancelled it.

They apologized for not calling to check to verify the charges and would issue a new card and number. ‘Sorry for the inconvenience.’ I’d have it by mail in a day or two. My anti-theft insurance on the card had paid off.

On the other hand, apparently, I had not done well at the gaming tables at the Borgata. The withdrawal at the ATM and casino charges was mind-boggling. According to the total on my statement, I was not the greatest of gamblers.

Whoever used my card had apparently maxed out my limit. I checked the bill once again. My binge lasted exactly one day. It appeared that not only was I an unlucky gambler, but apparently, I went on a bender too. The bar tab was pretty impressive. I didn’t realize I had such a drinking problem. Or, maybe I had more friends then I realized.

Between the casino and the bar tab, I was apparently one lavish spender and suddenly a very popular customer, because my afternoon mail that day contained brochures for every casino in the whole area, all trying to entice me to spend my money at each and every one.

Did I mention the extravagant shows they offered too? On one of them, there was an invitation to go back stage and meet the stars personally after the performance.

I was starting to get real excited until I realized my drunken gambling days were numbered, now that my new probationary minimal limit would be kicking in with the new card. Annoyed and feeling totally violated, I decided it was time to take action and get moving on taking a closer look at the most obvious suspect, while asking myself the number one question of the day.

Now, who had the opportunity, took my card, and hit the Borgata?

Chapter 15

Room Number 707

So much for respecting other people’s privacy, close friends or not, I thought the next day, as I began tossing Mona’s personal things. I methodically went through all her dresser drawers and then both of her night tables. Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Not even a scrap of dirty laundry. I had to admit, she hadn’t changed one bit since college. Her room was meticulous, a hospital zone. She was a dream houseguest. Everything was perfectly folded and neatly stacked.

I started in on the closets, already knowing I would find shoes in precise rows and carefully hung clothes. Next, I plundered through her toiletries in the bathroom; tums, shampoo, conditioner, aspirin, blah, blah, blah. Nothing! I went back into the bedroom and bent down to look under the bed. Zip there too! I slowly spun around in a circle.

Now, where would I hide something I didn’t want someone else to find?

I walked up to a painting hanging on the wall opposite the bed. I gently lifted it off its hook and turned it around. A credit card? I eased off the tape, releasing the card and placed the painting temporarily on the bed. I checked my watch. Mona would be back shortly, so I had to move quickly. I peered at the card to take a closer look. No, it seemed to be some sort of hotel key card. I turned it over.

Aha! Finally! The Borgata! The only problem was what room? I spun around and suddenly spotted her purse strap peeking out from under her jacket on the chair that I had previously overlooked. She was currently on a bike ride on the boardwalk, and by chance, must have only taken her heavy fleece jacket.

I quickly emptied it on the bed and started pilfering through its contents. Comb. Cosmetics. Wallet! I stopped, opened it up and began methodically checking all the tiny compartments. I found a receipt for room service. I quickly scanned the receipt. Borgata. Room 707. My mouth fell open, as I read the signature.

…Who was Paula Foster?

I jumped, as the garage door abruptly slammed shut.

“I’m back,” Mona called out.

Panic-stricken at the thought of being caught in the act, I quickly slipped the receipt back in her wallet and threw everything into her purse. Then I grabbed the key card and reattached it to the tape, pressing it carefully in place.

My breath caught, as she hit the first step.

I rushed to grab the painting and carefully placed it on its hanger and swung around to the bed, smoothing down her comforter nonchalantly and looked up, just as she appeared in the doorway.

She entered her room, surprised to find me there.

“Hi!” I greeted casually. How did the ride go?”

Mona nervously glanced around the room suddenly on high alert and replied, “…Great ride. …A little chilly today …but if you bundle up …it’s okay.”

I stood upright, laughing easily. “I don’t know why I even bother coming in here to straighten up. You are the neatest houseguest I have ever had. You haven’t changed one bit in all the years I have known you.”

Thank goodness I had an excuse and the forethought to bring up bottled water for her night table!

She just stared at me.

“Oh, and by the way, I brought up some bottled water for you for later on.”

She immediately relaxed, flinging her fleece and herself on the bed. “Sam, this is such a great room and wonderful bed, and I am so exhausted. I haven’t pedaled a bike so far in years. In the beginning, it was great, but then when I headed back; it felt like the longest two miles of my life. What a boardwalk!” she exclaimed, as her eyes gradually fluttered closed from total exhaustion. “…If you don’t mind…I think …I’ll just take a …quick …nap.”

Relieved, I smiled. “Hey, I’m going up to make lunch.” As I approached her door to leave her room, I turned back. “It should be ready in…” I paused, checking my watch, relieved and still smiling, and in seventh heaven at not being caught.

“Oh, let’s say, about …seven minutes. Okay?”

Chapter 16

The Man In The Gray Suit

It sure didn’t look flannel to me. Looked more like expensive tailored wool. I tried to focus my binoculars to get a sharper image. My neck was in a cramp already, turned at an uncomfortable angle, as I sat at my desk window staring next door. The man in the suit was gazing out at the ocean with his hands in his pants pockets.

If he would turn just a little, I thought, I might get a better idea of what he looked like. Suddenly, he pivoted in my direction.

Caught red-handed! I quickly shoved the binoculars aside, busying myself, looking down at my riveting notes. Self-conscious, I could feel my face flaming shades of red. I tried to glance sideways without moving my head.

My breath caught. “Oh!” He was now laughing and still facing in my direction. If he thought I was going to look back that way again, he was obviously mistaken!

Minutes ticked by, as I reread the same passage several more times until it blurred before my eyes. I stayed like that, glued to my laptop and notes, not veering one iota towards my neighbor on the other deck, and was dying a slow humiliating death!

The doorbell rang downstairs. Grateful, I turned away in the opposite direction and swiveled out of my chair. It rang again. “Coming,” I called out, as I loped down the stairs. I whipped open the door.

“…Oh! …well ... …uh…” It was the mystery man from next door! I felt like a complete fool, standing there, not knowing quite what to say. My words and facial expression reflected multi phases of embarrassment, which was nothing compared to my mental hesitation.

He smiled. “I thought I should introduce myself,” he offered, “…seeing you were so interested.”

I swear not one word came to mind. I was frozen solid to the spot where I stood, gaping up at him. His sudden appearance left me feeling off balance.

He smirked. “Let me start then. I’m David. I’m your new neighbor. Well, I guess you already knew that, didn’t you?” He stood there smiling at me, completely relaxed.

I was in a state of uncertainty and still at a loss for a reply, even after hearing his name. I averted my eyes a second, trying to mask my discomfort at having been caught with my binoculars visibly trained on him.

He stood there waiting patiently, apparently expecting some kind of response. “Is something the matter?” he asked, looking somewhat confused by my strange reaction to his introduction.

“…No, I mean...yes. …I’m fine. …What did you say your name was again?” I asked, still upset about being caught off guard.

He held out his hand. “David,” he said in a timbre I felt sounded oddly familiar.

Who did he remind me of?

I reached over and shook it and then looked down and swiped my palm against my jeans, like I had just touched a ghost. “You remind me of someone.” The deep voice was bugging me! He was handsome, but a little older than I had originally thought, with a touch of gray past his prominent cheek line.

“Is that good or bad?” He asked, looking intrigued, casually leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

“I’m not sure yet. I just met you,” I lightly tossed back in his direction. “Are you here for very long?”

“After meeting you, I’m sorely tempted to extend my stay, but since I’m unpredictable, I really can’t say, as I tend to get restless being in one place for too long. That is unless something snags my interest.”

“You sure we’ve never met before?” I asked uncertainly, as I checked him out, ignoring his last words.

He glanced up and down at me. “I’m sure I would have remembered meeting someone like you, honey.”

I inhaled sharply. Of course! Spoken just as boldly as a complicated player from my recent past! Highlands! Clay!

“Would you like to come in?” I asked, remembering my manners, and like once before, more than intrigued by this brash behavior. Would I never learn?

The clock in the foyer chimed. David glanced down at his watch. “Hey, I’m sorry, but I have to cut this short,” he said. “I’ve got an appointment and I’m late. Maybe next time.”

“Suit yourself,” I replied offhandedly, glad the whole humiliating incident was mercifully drawing to a close.

“It was nice to meet you, Sam.”

“Same here, David,” I replied.

I slowly, but firmly shut the front door and then locked it. I was just about to walk back upstairs, but stopped and turned back to stare blankly at the entrance.

I had never once mentioned my name. Interesting.

Chapter 17

I Can’t Believe This. Can You?

I slowly climbed the staircase back to my room. I sat down heavily on the chair at my desk, thinking. He acted like Clay, my former friend/love interest/and adversary, but said he was David. He was cocky like him, but older. His timbre was similar to Clay’s, but not quite. He was alike in many ways, but then not really. Although presumptuous, Clay wouldn’t call me honey. David had.

Was I reading more into it than I should, or was I somehow missing someone or something that initially had potential, but wasn’t meant to be? I was inundated with unresolved issues that I still didn’t think I was ready to deal with yet. So I mentally moved on.

Of all the people who could have rented the house next to mine, it had to be another attractive man? My fate factor was being psychologically challenged with what was happening lately with all these random circumstances that now included a mounting list of new and old acquaintances.

I had a Harley girl who ran a cleaning business with a cleaning crew that came once a week, a possible dual personality individual as my leasing agent, a next door neighbor who I felt reminded me of another man who had danger written all over him, a real estate agent that obviously knew them all, a potential mugger on the beach, a burglar who almost got smashed with a statue, a girlfriend who was staying with me and hiding a hotel key behind a painting, and an anonymous compulsive drunken gambler who liked to high roll it with my credit card!

Did I miss anybody?

The doorbell rang. I sighed.

Now what?

I sat there like stone. I didn’t feel like getting up. It rang once more. I took a calming breath and slowly made my way to the stairwell. It rang insistently again. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” I snapped, sprinting down the stairwell. I firmly gripped the handle and swung the door open.

“…Oh …my …God!” I said, stunned.

“Very funny, Sam! What kind of greeting was that? Especially after all we’ve been through too!”

Shocked, I silently tacked onto that list an elderly, cantankerous, seventy-something woman.

“…Martha?”

“Well, it ain’t Angelina Jolie! That’s for sure! Now, get on out there and help bring my bags in. That cabby just dumped them by the curb. Well, I never! Can you imagine being so rude?” She shoved her way in after a quick hug from me.

Wait a minute! Who was watching my cat, Sneakers?

I suddenly had another disturbing thought, as panic set in. “Hey, who is watching my store back in Highlands?”

She waved off my concern with a shake of her head. “Don’t worry about a thing. It’s all taken care of! The shop is in good hands, including that feline of yours. I’ll explain later once I get myself all settled.”

“But Martha…”

“You know what your problem is? You’re a worrier! Relax! Trust me. I’ve got it covered.” She turned in place. “Hey, these are nice digs you got here! Look at all those statues! Boy, did you rent a slick place here or what? Just don’t stand there, get a move on! Then you can show me my room and the rest of the place. I’m plum worn out! My arthritis is kicking up. That long bus ride was a real killer.”

I passed on pushing Martha further for the moment and eventually heaved in her luggage, overwhelmed by all six huge suitcases. I was staggered by their size. “Exactly how long are you planning to stay? Are you sure you have enough clothes?” I asked sarcastically.

“Is it always this cold here?” Martha asked, ignoring my question and rubbing her hands together.

“Martha, it’s March,” I patiently explained. “It’s usually cold out at this time of year here.”

“But I came for the sun and beach!” she protested. “I wanted to work on a tan!”

“But this is New Jersey!” I answered, gritting my teeth in a sort of smile.

“Don’t you think I don’t know that?” retorted Martha. “I’m not senile. …Well, not yet anyway. Good thing I thought to bring my heavy coat, mittens and knit hat.”

“They’ll come in handy, I’m sure.” I said, as I started slowly lugging her bags up the stairs. “Follow me.” I tried once again to pin her down. “…Exactly how long are you here for?”

“Depends,” Martha replied. “But let’s not worry about that now. We have a lot of catching up to do first. Now, tell me which room is mine?” she asked cheerfully, as she followed me down the hall.

She stopped to look through one doorway. “Well, isn’t this a pretty room! I love the colors in this one!”

“That’s Mona’s room,” I said, finally reduced to dragging her bags along the hardwood floor. “Keep going, yours is at the end of the hall.”

She stopped dead in her tracks. “…Who …is …Mona? You have company? Well, why didn’t you say something in the first place?”

“She’s an old girlfriend from way back. College. Long story.”

My insecurities abruptly resurfaced. I’d thought I’d gotten over them through the hellish excitement of finding out the truth about how my husband had died the previous year, but now I wasn’t sure. Sometimes Martha made me feel like a weak idiot, pushing me on purpose, so I’d speak up. I was determined to stand my ground this time.

“Martha, now please stop with the small talk! Exactly who’s watching my store?” I demanded. “I’m not moving another inch until you tell me.”

She didn’t miss a beat. “Why, Jack of course, including Sneakers too!” she replied, trying to move me along.

Dread started inching up my spine. I could barely get the words out. “…Jack is a building contractor …and I might add …very busy! Can you please tell me …why he would be watching …my store?”

She stared down at the floor. “…Well …he had to be there anyway …to rebuild after that…fire.”

I closed my eyes and sighed, “I can’t believe this!”

Can you?

Chapter 18

Patience And Pinot Grigio

“Like I was saying, it all happened so fast,” Martha explained to Mona and me. We were sitting in the living room. Every now and again I glanced at the deck adjacent to mine, but my neighbor did not appear. “She just about wore my patience plum clean out. Why, that customer moved like lightning. When I turned my back, she lit that candle so she could see how it looked in the store setting. I told her, ‘No way!’ beforehand, when she first asked me. Do you think she listened? Of course not! When I hollered, she jumped a mile high, knocking it over. Of course, that’s when the rug caught fire, which the sofa was on, which was next to those drapes you liked so much…”

Martha stopped to sip her wine, and then continued on. “…All I have to say is thank the Lord for 911! …Now, about that wall damage…”

I was already on my second glass of wine, getting a mild buzz and feeling a little fuzzy. It seemed to help.

Mona was laughing hysterically, while trying to drink her wine without spilling any. She turned to look at me. “She’s a real stitch. Where did you ever find her?”

I turned to Mona. “From a friend! Can you believe it?” I let some more wine continue to do its magic.

“Were all your friends in Highlands like her?” Mona asked, laughing and wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Yes, one actually chased me for miles in the dark,” I said, sipping some more wine.

“Sam,” Mona choked. “You should write a book about all of them.”

“I did. It’s called, The Puzzle.” I refilled our glasses, mentally calculating the mounting monetary damages. “So much for investing my book profits,” I lamented sadly.

“Don’t you two get bored here?” Martha suddenly asked. “What do you do here for entertainment?”

Mona and I looked at each other.

“Me?” I replied, ticking off on my fingers. “Let’s see now, there’s running on the beach in the dark, baseball, art preservation. You know, I’m sort of partial toward vases.”

“I’ve grown attached to the boardwalk,” Mona said. “Remember that old song by the Drifters?”

After more mindless banter, I held up my hand to shush them both for a moment. “I just want to lay down some ground rules here at the house so there is no confusion. Since it appears I’m no longer residing here alone for the near future, we have to make sure personal space is respected. I need my quiet time in the morning to write. As far as minor daily chores, we can split that up amongst the three of us. You two okay with that so far?”

“Sure,” they both said, nodding their approval.

Mona piped up. “Hey, don’t forget to tell Martha about taking morning showers on Tuesdays.”

So I told her about the Crystal Cleaners crew story. And then I proceeded to tell her about the statue incident in the wee hours of the morning. Mona poured us more wine. Then I told Martha about the beach incident. Lastly, I told them both about the David episode, purposely omitting whom he reminded me of. I didn’t know how to explain that one.

“You actually got caught using your binoculars?” laughed Mona, trying not to spill her drink on the sofa.

“Unfortunately, yes,” I admitted, squirming in my seat.

“I don’t know about this,” said Martha. “With all the crazy stuff going on in the neighborhood, you two better be more careful. Sam, did you ever buy that gun you were thinking of getting?”

Mona abruptly turned to me and stared, doubtful. “Sam, you were actually going to get a …gun?”

“I was seriously thinking about it at the time.” I replied, smiling confidently.

Mona started laughing. “Somehow, I just can’t picture you brandishing anything Sam.”

“I agree,” added Martha, who also started laughing. “Have you ever noticed she’s sort of accident prone?”

Those two started discussing me, and telling stories about me as though I wasn’t even in the room. I patiently sat there, laughing with them, while they spun their yarns, as I poured us more Pinot Grigio.

Chapter 19

Black Jack And Red-faced

I figured it was time to check out the tables, gaming tables that is. So, when Martha kept bugging me to take her to the casino so she could try her hand at gambling, I finally caved. It was either I go with her, or she went alone. On top of that, I couldn’t very well let her loose in Atlantic City all by herself, so we headed out one day before noon.

Why then? She said she was more alert earlier in the day and didn’t want to risk missing her big chance at big bucks on some mental relapse. Now, I could expand on that subject nonstop, but wasn’t going there. At least not now anyway.

I have to tell you, that Borgata was impressive and massive. Once we entered, we were swallowed up by all that was going on simultaneously: restaurants, shops, voices chattering, music, lights, gambling and of course, occasional muffled cursing.

Martha nudged me. “If you don’t mind Sam, I can’t wait. I feel real lucky. I’m going to hit the slots. I’ll catch you later.”

I wish I could say the same thing about myself. I roamed aimlessly, not sure what or who I was looking for, playing a little roulette, black jack and such. I was trying to familiarize myself with the place and getting comfortable. I found the casino fascinating, as people moved about, totally focused on searching for an open seat as they quickly brushed by.

I meandered around, while wondering what stories lurked beneath the surface, as I lingered here and there, watching all that gambling going on. Their collective concentration could be felt clear across the room.

“Well, look who’s here!” a male voice announced.

I spun around. It was David, my next-door neighbor.

“Hi,” was about all that was capable of traveling across my lips. I hadn’t expected to see anyone I knew.

He looked down at me, grinning. “Why, you look as good as one of those desserts at their famous buffet.”

I felt as though I was being examined like a specimen under a microscope. I nervously ran my hand through my long hair. My electric blue top was one of those drapey off-one-shoulder things. Back at the condo it had looked good with my low-slung jeans and black boots. My leather jacket was on my arm.

But now I felt self-conscious. I was much too dressy for mid-morning. Uncomfortably, I looked around at the other women and reassured myself that I was dressed just about right for a casino. I mean, after all, this was Atlantic City. Once inside, no one really cared what time it was. Everyone kept on gambling till all hours.

I smiled, verbally positioning myself. “I guess that was meant as a compliment?”

“Absolutely,” David replied. He leaned in a lot closer. “Hey, are you all alone? How about we go over and have an early drink and become better acquainted?”

“Now? Uh… No. I’m here with….” I swear, I don’t know what made me say it, but like an idiot, I did, “….with my …mother.” Once I started, I couldn’t stop my motor mouth. “Dear sweet old mom. She’s here for a visit, taking up all of my time since she arrived. She always wanted to see what a casino looked like, and, well, here I am! I should get back over to those slots and check up on her.”

“What does she look like? Maybe, I saw her. I just came through there.”

“I doubt it,” I quickly replied. “She dresses so low-key and plain-like. I doubt you’d ever find her over there.”

Well, I couldn’t for the life of me remember what that unpredictable woman had on, because when the two of us left the house, she wore a black coat and black knit hat.

Then I heard my name shouted out from somewhere behind me. That familiar voice meant trouble. I cringed. I wanted to die on the spot, afraid to move because of what new problem might be waiting behind me.

“Why Sam!” Martha called out loudly. “You will never guess what happened to me!”

David, who was staring over my shoulder, began laughing. “My goodness! That’s not your mother, is it?”

Red-faced, I spun around. My imagination did not do the vision before me justice. “Oh!” was all I said. There stood Martha, now decked out in a bright red coat, red knit hat and red earrings dangling from her ears! I looked down at her feet. Her black shoes now sported bright red bows.

“Mother of God!” I gasped.

Chapter 20

This Better Be Plenty Good

I was pacing back and forth at my house in front of Martha. “…Red? …Red? What happened to all that black? I know you were dressed in black when we went in there. I’m not that crazy!”

Not yet anyway.

Here I was making an effort at keeping a low profile, trying to nose around unnoticed, when she yells loudly, and I mean at full volume, calling out my name in the middle of the casino!

“Why, I was wearing the same ones,” Martha protested. “I’ll have you know, young lady, that vintage coat and hat are reversible. It saved me a ton of money from buying double. I’m a senior citizen and on a tight budget. I just added the bows and earrings because I thought they gave the outfit a nice touch. Why are you so upset?”

“Don’t you think you went a little bit overboard?” I asked.

“…Well,” said Martha, “reflecting back, I did wonder why everyone looked a tad underdressed and kept staring at me the whole time I was there.”

“Didn’t you think it might be because it was a little on the bright side? Besides, this isn’t Las Vegas, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s New Jersey! You already told me that!”

“That’s not what I meant...” I countered, already mentally exhausted, slumping into a nearby chair in my living room. I couldn’t explain any of my suspicions about Mona or David. I had to come up with some kind of plan first. Martha cut me off from further thoughts on the subject.

“By the way,” she announced. “You will never guess! I met a hottie at the slots! He was flirting with me right and left. I figured, it had to be my lucky red outfit. I tried ignoring him because I heard gamblers are a tricky lot, but he was persistent as all get out and wouldn’t give up.”

She leaned in for further emphasis. “Just to be safe, I checked out his license and his AARP card. And guess what? We have a date Saturday night for the movies! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to ask Mona for some fashion advice on what I should wear on my hot date. Maybe, I should ask her to go shopping with me for something real spectacular.”

I’m telling the truth when I say, that initially, I had very good intentions and probably knew better, but now, after living with those two for housemates? Plenty of trouble was almost certainly heading my way.

Guaranteed!

Chapter 21

Seven Pays Off Big Time

I originally rented a place at the beach to put some space between what transpired since the death of my husband, Stephen, and the uncertainty that followed. His past had unexpectedly become my present and my history simultaneously, but that was all behind me now, I thought, as I scanned the newspaper in the peace and quiet of my room with my feet propped up before me on my desk. I had the good fortune of having the house all to myself. Martha and Mona were out on a shopping spree at the outlets in Atlantic City.

My phone rang. “Hello,” I answered, resting the newspaper on my lap.

“Sam, it’s me, Bill, your favorite realtor. You got a minute to see me?”

“Sure. When do you want to get together?” My calendar was free and clear. Only a book deadline loomed … but that was for the future.

“How about right now? I’m just down the road, finishing up a meeting with a client.”

I lowered my feet from their perch on my desk. “Sounds just fine with me. Come on over.”

“Great. I’ll see you in five,” he replied, and promptly hung up.

Almost before I knew it, we were sitting on my kitchen bar stools, looking out to the ocean and sipping mugs of coffee. He certainly didn’t waste any time in getting directly to the reason for his unexpected visit.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something for several days and feel somewhat uncomfortable about approaching you on this particular subject matter.”

I slowly set my coffee mug down on the counter. “Why, is there a problem?”

I swear, I always ended up asking that same question.

It seemed there was always a problem, just a different person to go along with it each time.

“No,” he said. “At least, I don’t think so. I’m just curious about a few things that have been bugging me since last week.”

“Go ahead, ask away,” I said, as I tried to rack my brain about what it could possibly be.

“Well, I’ve told you that being in real estate, I often take clients to dinner or the casinos, letting them see for themselves the value of the night life that’s close by, but not really in their backyards. I show them around and point out the best places to go. Right?”

“Sure, I remember.” I couldn’t quite get a bead on what all this was leading up to.

He shifted in his seat, awkwardly. “…I still feel sort of hesitant even bringing this up, but I thought you ought to know, being that we’ve become friends.”

Not exactly friends, but maybe friendly enough. “Know what?” I prodded.

Finally, after wavering a bit, he began to explain. “…I know she’s a very close friend of yours, but I thought I had to let you know what I saw. …Could be, it’s nothing at all.”

I grew uneasy, but somehow managed to get straight to the point too. “…What exactly did you see, Bill?”

“What was your girlfriend’s name again?” he asked, while thumbing his coffee mug, trying to remember it himself.

Uh-oh…Trouble. “Mona.” I smiled and shook my head. “I bet she was partying again,” I added, laughing nervously.

“Yeah, she’s the one,” Bill said, nodding, but not smiling. “Well, I was walking with a client through the Borgata, showing him the casino and restaurants, when who do you think I see? Mona! At first, it didn’t register, but then it hit me, and I did a double take, backtracking and taking another look, realizing why I almost didn’t recognize her.”

“Why?” I prompted again.

He shifted again on his stool, obviously not very comfortable with any of this. “She was wearing a wig of long black hair, that’s why! She was with this tall, distinguished-looking gentleman, talking up a blue streak, as they were about to enter the hotel elevator.

“I know I should have walked away, but being that they were the only ones going in the elevator, my curiosity got the better of me. So, I waited and angled myself off to the side to see where it was headed.”

Now, I knew that the Borgata didn’t have a thirteenth floor. That was a gambler’s notorious bad luck hotel floor. On the other hand, I took a mental leap at what I knew was probably coming. “The seventh floor?” I blurted out, jokingly.

“Why, yes! That was it exactly! Then it headed right back down to the lobby, but no one came out.” Bill stared at me, his eyebrow arched suspiciously. “Now, how did you know it was that floor, Samantha?”

I smiled innocently. “Lucky guess?”

To my relief, Bill just laughed. “I’m bringing you next time I hit the Borgata,” he said, shaking his head in amazement. “Yes sir! Bringing you might pay off big time.”

Chapter 22

How Lucky Can You Get?

I felt myself getting mentally drawn in, slowly, deeper and deeper. As I typed in my laptop, I realized how the whole Mona thing was becoming a complex web that was growing by the minute.

Okay, this is what I had so far.

…A close friend runs away from something or someone. She hides a hotel key card behind one of my paintings in her room. She’s also in possession of a receipt for room service, signed with someone else’s name, at the Borgata for room number 707. She’s spotted by Bill going to the seventh floor of said hotel with a man apparently while wearing one long black wig.

I sat back trying to put this all together. It seemed strangely possible, considering her odd conversations on those separate occasions when she spoke of the past, and my observance of her now-and-then skittish behavior. She had obviously sought me out, knowing I was a safe haven, but from what? For what purpose? What happened to make her run to me and then disguise herself under a wig? Who was the man she was seen with at the casino? Why was that receipt in Mona’s purse signed by someone called Paula Foster? Was another woman involved in this with Mona?

This whole thing was starting to unsettle me. I felt like I was being ever so gently steered in a certain direction by my intuition though. It hadn’t failed me in the past, but as usual, I was constantly left with unanswered questions.

What would I find or uncover?

It seemed I had a knack for getting myself into situations that weren’t always in my best interest, but they eventually led me to the truth. Hesitant to walk down that path once again, this time, I had to play it safe. I needed sure-fire protection. Let’s see, maybe a horseshoe, rabbit’s foot, lucky penny, or… I paused and thought back on my recent past.

No. I needed accident and life insurance instead!

Chapter 23

Through The Looking Glass

Intrigued, I had been watching from my kitchen sink window people coming and going from the house next door for the last couple of days. I saw no sign of David, though, which I thought was odd. The foot traffic was constant. No one seemed to be dressed out of the ordinary, kind of nondescript. Too nondescript? I was furtively scanning down below, while I unloaded the dishwasher, putting away dishes and glasses, as a perfectly good excuse for standing there.

David and I shared the same courtyard, so, if anyone noticed me, it would appear normal enough to see me puttering around in my kitchen. When all else failed, believe me, I could putter with the best of them.

My phone rang. I was annoyed because I wanted to keep an eye out for anything unusual and not miss a thing. “Hello,” I said, matter-of-factly, somewhat distracted, as I wiped the sink and counter, while still maintaining eye contact with the courtyard below.

“Hi there, neighbor. I see you’re an early riser, up and about like me.” It was David!

I know it didn’t make any sense, but without thinking, I turned around, expecting to see him directly behind me.

“No, Sam, over here,” he said. I turned back, staring down at the courtyard and then heard him laugh. “No, I’m over at my dining area window, directly facing your kitchen sink window.”

My eyes traveled back up and I looked straight out. I caught my breath. There was David, clear as day, smiling and raising his hand, saluting me, apparently enjoying his cup of coffee and laughing, obviously seeing the humor in catching me off guard. Again.

“Oh!” was all I could think of to say. Caught in the cross hairs! How long had he been standing there? Was he watching me all this time staring down at the courtyard? Had he seen me snooping all those other days?

Damn! I was blushing toward the red zone. We were both staring in a straight line at each other, separated by only a number of feet, with one exception. We were in completely separate houses. He could probably spot food on my chin from his place. I swiped it just in case.

“I see you haven’t had your coffee yet. How about coming over for a cup?”

I looked down at myself. My one hand reached up to my wayward clipped hair, and then to my bathrobe. I had gotten lax from living in total privacy with no one around in the North Carolina mountains. I filed a mental note to myself: As soon as it was feasible, I would ask to have lace curtains installed, for me to still see through, but would shield me from any future embarrassment.

I had grown complacent with the house next door being vacant because it was still preseason when I arrived, so I rarely gave it a second thought. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one catching the views. He was watching me, as I was watching him.

How convenient for us both.

I glanced over at him again, considering his offer. His invite was a perfect opportunity to verbally poke around. I was sort of interested who this individual was and might actually learn something. What could be the downside of going over for a cup of coffee? I could think of only one right up front. Bad coffee.

I was particular about my coffee and my men.

My curiosity finally outweighed my fastidious taste buds. Besides, I wanted to find out how this guy knew my name in the first place. I smiled over at him across the way, speaking into the phone. “Sure, why not? Give me a few minutes and I’ll be right over.”

I sat in his kitchen moments later, eyeing him, as I slowly sipped my coffee, sizing up what kind of person he was. Then I said, “Thanks for the invite. The coffee is superb. Score one point for the new neighbor.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you over,” he said, “but I’ve been sort of busy lately.”

He didn’t have to finish the ‘as if you didn’t know,’ part of the sentence. I silently thanked him for saving me the verbal embarrassment with a smile. I was still mystified though. Why all the foot traffic coming and going? I refused to give him the satisfaction of outright asking him, waiting to hear him volunteer some info.

I smiled slyly. “Lucky you,” I noted. “Your timing was flawless. It’s absolutely amazing what you can see when looking through glass windows.”

He smiled back. “I thought so too. How fortunate they worked to our advantage.”

Chapter 24

Getting To Know Who?

“Okay,” I confessed a little while later after he poured me a second cup of coffee. “So I was just a little curious about who was living next door to me. It suits me, working here, and I didn’t want anything to compromise that.”

“Do I look like I’m a threat to your personal space?” David challenged, as he sipped his coffee.

I set my mug down on the counter. “Honestly speaking? No. On the other hand, I don’t know anything about you.”

“That’s a fair answer,” he said. “So, go ahead. Ask away. What would you like to know?”

“For starters, why here? Why now? It’s off season.”

“You jump right in, don’t you? Probing questions too. I like that,” he said.

I took another sip, savoring not only the delicious coffee, but the conversion, too. “I wouldn’t want to sit here and waste a good cup of coffee now, would I?”

David laughed. “I must admit, your self-confidence is quite refreshing.”

“Thanks. But, you still haven’t answered my questions, have you?” I asked, not wanting him to veer from the subject.

“You’re right. First, let me start with the reason for the rental. I’m a widower and I’m trying to get my life back on track. The fact that it’s still off-season is of no importance. I wanted time alone, that’s all. Let’s see. Why here? Why not?” he asked, looking around.

“This is just as good a place as a cabin in the woods, a house in the mountains, or any other location for that matter. The whole thing in a nutshell? I needed to get away from all the old memories and old familiar places, wanting something completely different that I’ve had no previous ties to. You know, a fresh start.”

I nodded sympathetically unable to speak right away thinking of Stephen.

He smiled, slightly embarrassed. “Sorry, but it’s sort of complicated explaining how strange I’ve felt lately.”

I leaned forward. “Hey, I understand. I found myself questioning my past, present and future, and then finally realized that I needed to go in a new direction.”

“I knew you would understand, since Bill filled me in about Stephen,” said David. “Well, I guess, that settles it. We aren’t very threatening to each other at all. Got any more questions?”

I set my coffee mug down. “Is that how you knew my name was Sam?”

David nodded, smiling. “Yes. Bill suggested I give you a call, making a point of emphasizing what a wonderful neighbor I would have next door if I were to go through with the rental, you know, quiet surroundings and all.”

I was about to take another sip and stopped before I choked. Quiet? I didn’t think so. Obviously, Bill didn’t mention the statue incident, thank goodness. I realized David hadn’t been around for the baseball catastrophe or cleaning incidents either. Why bother explaining, when he was under the impression I was quite normal and not a magnet for trouble.

“Oh, I’m sure,” I countered, “eventually you’ll see another side to me you might not have expected.”

He leaned in. “Do you mind me asking you a few questions?”

“No, not at all,” I replied, realizing I had better be on guard. After all, he was the one who called me. Was it innocent curiosity on his part? I had no idea. But I wanted to be in a flexible position for a change. It wasn’t often I held the upper hand in an exchange.

“Tell me that woman at the casino wasn’t really your mother, because both of your dress codes seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum. Not that she didn’t appear to be likable under all that…red.”

He actually managed to keep a straight face with that statement. I had a feeling he already knew the answer, but was not exactly sure who she really was. I laughed. “She’s not really my mother, just a friend visiting for a while. I wasn’t ready to deal with you in the middle of the day, when I had my hands full with her running around loose and unaccounted for at the Borgata.”

David smiled. “Then maybe we should get together some evening when you’re not babysitting. After all, we seem to have bonded over caffeine. Surely there’s no harm in that, right?”

I smiled back. “You know, getting to know you over this little get-together wasn’t all that bad. How about we have lunch instead?”

Chapter 25

Rolaids And Roland

It was Friday night, the night of Martha’s big date. She was as nervous as a cat, pacing back and forth, tugging at her clothes and patting her hair. “How do I look, Sam?” she asked for the tenth time in ten minutes.

Now, that was a loaded question that I’d skirted by smoothly saying what she wanted to hear ten times over, and pretending to be engrossed in reading the paper so she wouldn’t press me. I set the paper down on my lap slowly, giving myself time to come up with a decent answer. She was wearing a turquoise knit suit, turquoise shoes and, you guessed it, carrying a turquoise purse.

“Mona helped you pick that outfit out?” I asked skeptically. I couldn’t believe Mona’s tastes had changed so much these last few years. I needed to have a talk with her. Maybe she was more stressed out than I thought.

“Heck no! She got fed up and wandered off to another store. She was getting bored with me constantly changing my outfits. You know, that girl has no patience. She sure fidgets a lot for a grown woman.”

“How many did you try on?” I asked, curious how this fashion faux pas happened.

Her eyes darted around nervously. “Not that many,” she said in a righteous huff, gradually edging away from me.

“Martha …exactly how many did you try on?” I pressed.

“…Okay,” she finally admitted. “So, maybe I did try on everything on the rack. So what! You know, this was quite an investment for me. I had to get the color just right so I could change all the pieces out and mix and match with some of my other clothes. You know, money doesn’t grow on trees, and a person my age is always on a strict budget. I can’t afford to make an expensive fashion mistake.”

I sat there looking at one, but didn’t have the heart to tell her. “I can truly say, Martha, that it’s …one of a kind.”

“You really think so?” she said, all excited. “I added this red scarf for a dash of color to jazz it up a little, too.”

I pointed to a chair. “Martha, how about you sit a minute and tell me a little something about this Roland fellow you’re dating tonight. What do you know about him? I feel sort of responsible for you. You wouldn’t be down here if I hadn’t rented this house by the beach. Please humor me, okay?”

She reluctantly sat down across from me, toying with her red scarf. “I pride myself in having a good eye for people, and he seemed friendly enough. Why he even said he knew your cleaning lady, Crystal, after we got to talking for a stretch. Like I told you, I checked him out, looking at his driver’s license and his AARP card too,” she said proudly.

I gently shook my head. She was going to be the death of me, but I had to trust her judgment. “How old is he?”

“Well, he’s a little bit older than me, but pretty spry for a gentleman of his advanced age.” She started acting nervous and seemed about ready to spring from her chair.

“Martha. You’re evading me again. How old is he?”

“Let me see,” she said looking at the ceiling, stalling. “…I think his license read ninety. …Or was it ninety-one? I’m not sure, to tell you the truth because I read it so quickly. You know, I was never a whiz at figuring out math. I let the register do it for me.” She moved to get up.

My mouth dropped open. I quickly raised my hand for her to wait. “And he still drives?” I asked, cringing, already, visualizing in my mind the obit for the next day, boldly splashed across the headline of the local paper.

“Oh no!” countered Martha. “His son won’t let him. Roland said he just likes to renew his license and show it off to all his friends. It’s a macho thing, I guess. He said he damn near killed himself last time he drove the car, getting it stuck under the back end of a school bus at a red light. Claimed he didn’t see it.”

“…Martha, those buses are painted bright yellow!”

“I know, but maybe he’s colored blind! You never know. Anyway, don’t worry. We’re going to the movies on the boardwalk. He’s taking a cab here. We’re walking over. After that, we’re grabbing pizza at Mack & Mango’s.”

Well, that sounded innocent enough. The doorbell rang, and Martha sprang out of the chair. “Oh, my! There’s he is! Gotta go!” She quickly scrambled down the stairs. “I’ll be right there, Roland!” she shouted, rushing toward the door.

I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes and sighed. After that conversation, I should have had a drink, but I went for the Rolaids instead.

Chapter 26

Mona, Mon Ami And Me

I was ready for surveillance. Hey, I’d read my share of old detective novels! I slid on my sunglasses, black beret, and then tied my long, all-weather coat at the waist with a single objective in mind. The time had arrived for me to shadow Mona on one of her daily mystery disappearances.

I reached for the door handle, shouting I was going on errands, but instead, waited around the corner in my car, which was parked off to the side. It was raining so poor visibility was my perfect camouflage. I was hoping she wouldn’t notice me following a car or two behind her.

Within minutes, she eased on by. I lowered the newspaper I was using to shield myself and smoothly slipped into traffic two cars behind her. She headed north, and then followed as she drove over the toll bridge towards Atlantic City. I wondered if she was going back to the Borgata to meet with the mysterious gentleman that Bill had described.

Instead, after numerous turns and traffic lights, she surprised me by veering off into an inexpensive motel parking lot. She jumped out, locked her car and quickly headed for cover under the protection of a canopy that ran the length of the one story motel. I parked across the street where I wouldn’t be seen to watch. She searched through her purse, and proceeded down the walkway, then stopped at a specific door, looked both ways, and then opened it and disappeared inside.

I sat there confused. Why was she going to a motel? For what purpose? A minute later, another car pulled up next to hers, a nondescript, dark sedan. Two men wearing raincoats, I know that sounds so clichéd, but it’s true, got out and then walked directly towards the same door, knocked, and were promptly let inside.

A few cars passed me on the street as I sat there trying to figure out what was going on. Who were they?

Binoculars in hand, I scoped for the room number and zeroed in on it. Well, I’ll be! It was number seven!

I waited patiently for about an hour, keeping close tabs on the door to that room. Finally, the two men exited and drove off, then a minute later, Mona emerged, too. She closed the door, locked it, and drove away in her car, heading back toward the island.

Why had she met with those two men? I had to take a chance and find out what was going on.

I got out of my car and ran across the street, walking past mystery room number seven and headed directly toward the motel office. I pulled my collar up, tucked my hair inside it and slowly swung the door open. A bored young kid was manning the desk, watching a small television on top of the counter. I cleared my throat loudly to get his full attention.

He turned in my direction, annoyed apparently by my poorly timed interruption. “Yeah, what?” he snapped.

I had to talk quickly in case Mona came back unexpectedly. “I thought I saw an old friend of mine leave number seven a minute ago. It’s been years. Of all places! I couldn’t believe it. Will she be shocked when she sees me. I can’t wait to surprise her. I just know that once…”

He held up his hand to stop me. “Okay, lady. What? What?” he asked impatiently. “All this chit chat is making me miss my show. Get to the point! What do you want?”

I stood there, hesitating, and then said, “…Is number seven registered under the name of Mona Burman?”

“Crazy broad,” he mumbled, while opening the motel register and quickly checking the names.

Obviously, this motel had not arrived at the internet/computer era. I wondered why? I looked around the lobby. The words hourly rates abruptly came to mind.

“No,” he said and slammed the register shut.

I opened my purse and quickly slipped him a twenty, deciding to take a long shot. “Try another name. How about Paula Foster, her pen name. She’s an author.”

He eyed the money, latched onto it and ripped the book register open once again, quickly running his finger down the names. He stopped. “Yup, that’s her.”

I heard a car pull in. Afraid to turn around, I whispered, “Mind if I use your side exit?” I didn’t wait for permission and headed straight for the door, running out into the rain.

“Go for it,” he called after me, and then cranked up the television volume full blast.

I hastily ran around the corner, skirted some trucks, jumped into my car and drove off, making a fast U turn and aimed for home, more confused and disturbed than before.

What were my friend, Mona, and now me, involved in?

Chapter 27

Now What? Well, I’ll be! Are You Sure?

Compared to the rest of my life lately and Martha still being tight-lipped about Roland, shopping for groceries was tame stuff. My two guests were eating me out of house and home. Since the alternatives were eating out or going hungry, I eventually found myself scanning row after row of goods, making a visual effort at all the nutritional choices. Barely paying attention to my surroundings, I accidentally bumped into someone else’s cart. The woman turned to me, and then smiled.

“Hi,” I said, recognizing Pat, the leasing agent. “I’m so sorry I bumped you.”

“That’s okay,” she said, smiling back. “I hate shopping, but I’m in between appointments to throw some things in my trunk until I’m finished for the day. It’s so hard to find the time anymore to get anything done.”

“Tell me about it!” I replied. “I certainly don’t miss the nine to five at all. I must admit, writing does have its fringe benefits.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that, Samantha. I know you’re a writer, but I can’t find your books anywhere in the bookstores or library.”

“I write under a pen name. It’s Peggy A. Edelheit.”

“Oh! Well, that explains it. Why did you decide to go and take the anonymous route?”

“It’s a long story, but I’ll make it brief. I started out not wanting anyone to know what I was really doing on the side. Someone I was very close to would have taken offense. Once my books gained a following, and I was going at it full-time, I figured I might lose my loyal fan base that I had worked so hard building up if I changed it at that late date.”

“Sometimes though, you have to rock the boat,” advised Pat. “I did. I left my job, switched careers, got a realtor’s license, and haven’t looked back since moving here.”

“Really? I never would have guessed. I thought you were an Ocean City native.”

“No. I was out in California at a brokerage house for a while. Then I moved to New York, vacationing here on weekends during the summers. Eventually, I found what I wanted, and made a career switch to where I wouldn’t get lost in the crowd or be worried about dodging cars and people. As far as I was concerned, the rat race was finally history.”

“Well, I’ve had some dodging experiences myself since I’ve arrived here,” I admitted.

Pat laughed. “So I’ve heard. I thought most writers kept a low profile when working on a book. If I’m not mistaken, wasn’t that why you came here at the tail end of the off-season, to write in peace and quiet? I understand from Bill you now have a houseful of company on your hands.”

“Initially, I had good intentions, but unexpectedly ended up having to take in first one friend, and then another. Because of their circumstances, I couldn’t refuse.”

“I know how it is with family and friends, can’t live with them and can’t live without them.”

In my peripheral vision, and off to the right, but at the other end from where Pat and I were talking, I noticed a familiar figure reaching down to grab something from the pharmaceutical aisle we were standing in. Before I could holler to Mona and let her know I was standing there, Pat looked over, too. She gave an exclamation of surprise.

“Oh!”

I turned back to her. “What?”

“Well, I’ll be! If it isn’t Tina! Tina Davis! If you’ll excuse me, I need to catch up with her.” She was definitely talking about Mona – there was no one else in the aisle. “It’s been years. I can’t imagine what she’d be doing here on the island. We worked together in a brokerage house in California a few years ago. I didn’t expect her here.”

I turned to look at Mona, who still had not seen us, and then back to Pat. “Are you sure about that?”

“Absolutely! Why, I still can’t believe it! I gotta go. Catch you later, Samantha.”

“Yeah.”

She called out to Mona. “Tina! Hey, it’s me, Pat!”

Another shopper pushed by with a shopping cart, but I was still able to see Mona freeze after first hearing Pat’s voice, and then her face reflected recognition. Thank goodness my body was obscured in the ensuing chaos, but I could clearly see Mona standing at the other end of the isle with a shocked expression when she recognized Pat. Then she spun around and bolted for the nearest exit.

What was going on? Who was Tina Davis?

Chapter 28

Bouncing Balls, Breaking Bread & Bonding

Mona was on one of her anonymous trips after I promised, once again, to give her some time, Martha was checking out the boardwalk, and I was covered up, basking in the sun on my deck on a chaise lounge that I dragged up from the garage. It felt great. Solitude. Sun. Serenity. I was peacefully mulling over in my mind what I had entered into my laptop earlier in the morning and slowly fading fast into my favorite place, the sleep twilight zone.

Something bounced off my lap. I opened my eyes and looked up toward the sky, but didn’t see anything. I slowly but surely drifted off once more. A few seconds later, something bounced off my lap again and then lightly fell to the deck. I opened my eyes and scanned the area around me, and noticed two ping pong balls lying next to me on the deck. “What the...”

Where did they come from?

I sat up and stared down at the boardwalk, but only an occasional jogger or bicyclist whizzed by, focused on what they were doing. I turned back to my living room glass sliding doors. Nothing. Odd. How were they falling onto my lap? Eventually I shrugged, relaxed and closed my eyes once again.

I gradually felt myself drifting off. Suddenly, another one hit me squarely between the eyes, lightly bounced and then hit the deck. I snapped upright to a sitting position, hopping mad, trying to spot the evildoer. I looked down to the boardwalk again, then turned to my right and stood up, scanning the ramp leading up to the boardwalk. Then I heard a voice to my left and turned around to face next door.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for fifteen minutes,” David announced from between his potted trees. There he was, wearing a tailored jogging suit, standing next to a table set for two. “It’s well past noon,” he noted, “and I bet you haven’t eaten yet. Care to join me to break some bread?”

As the aroma penetrated my space, suddenly hunger reared its ugly head. When I wrote, I became oblivious to the time of day and negligent about staying on any sort of schedule.

“An invitation!” I said, smiling. “How timely! Are you my mystery ping pong thrower?”

“I must confess I am one and the same. There’s a rumor going around you like to eat now and then, I’m guessing, lobster bisque, grilled garlic bread and chocolate mousse? Could that possibly be true?”

I feigned indignation. “I can’t believe you would resort to such an underhanded stunt like that just to get a girl over for lunch.” I was trying to look annoyed, but made the mistake of getting another whiff. Garlic! I totally caved. “…I’ll be right over,” I said, pivoting and heading straight for the stairs.

An hour later, we sat sipping hot coffee, looking out to the ocean and listening to the breakers hit the beach. It was a cool day and the coffee was the perfect finish. All through lunch I entertained him with tales of Martha’s escapades. What I really wanted to talk about were his frequent visitors, but didn’t quite know how to cunningly broach the subject.

Instead I threw him a compliment. “That was absolutely delicious. Where did you get the take out?”

David recoiled, offended. “Hey, I made all of it myself. It’s a hobby of mine, cooking. I find it very relaxing.”

I stared at him, surprised. “Me too!” I said, reclining and thinking back to Clay. Another time. Another man. Also another accomplished cook! How did I manage to stumble upon these guys? I stared at David, as he looked at the water. What else did he have up his sleeve that I wasn’t privy to?

“Thanks for the rave review,” he finally said, smiling. “By the way, how is your book coming along? Anything you want to share that I would be interested in? Any intrigue?”

If he only knew.

My hands were cramped from typing and my brain was cramped from trying to figure out what the heck was going on. “Time will tell, I guess.”

“How unfair,” David complained. “I worked hard on that lunch, hoping to find out something interesting.”

I took a chance. “I might reconsider if you promise to come clean with me.”

He turned to me, confused. “Come clean about what?” Then he smiled. “Why, I haven’t even known you long enough to get into trouble yet, have I, Samantha?”

For some unknown reason, I suddenly decided to back off. I would keep my questions in my back pocket for future reference, and decided to take another route.

“What do you do for a living, David? You have an unfair advantage. You already know so much about me and my writing, but what about you?” I sat and waited, slowly sipping my coffee to see what he had to offer.

“That’s a fair enough question. Buying and selling are my specialties. I search for unusual objects of art for clients. And so I’m always hounded by all sorts of people, day and night. It gets annoying sometimes, but pays very well.”

Oh, so that explained all the foot traffic!

“What got you interested in that particular field?” I asked, curious for more.

His expression changed immediately, turning somber.

“That is if you don’t mind me asking,” I quickly offered.

He stared at me, and then said, “No, I don’t mind. You see, I enjoyed traveling, plus it gave me the opportunity to meet interesting people. That’s how I met my wife.” He paused. “…Six months after we met and were married, she was killed by a hit and run driver.” He turned away and stared toward the ocean. Another uncomfortable silent pause ticked by before he finally continued speaking.

“…That was a year ago and I’ve been on the road ever since, that is, until now. I felt maybe I needed to stop and reassess what I really wanted out of life. I was wearing myself out, just trying to forget. You might say I’m trying to regroup, collecting thoughts instead of art for a change.” He turned back to face me. “By the way, for your information, you’re the first one I’ve shared that with; how I’ve really felt.”

For a minute there, I didn’t know what to say or how to respond. All I could come up with was how my feelings and instincts had guided me in the last several months.

“When I reassessed my priorities after Stephen’s death, it changed my whole life. I totally get where you’re coming from. It changes how you view everything. And I mean everything.”

He smiled, “Some people just don’t appreciate how hard it is, getting on with living again. I knew you would understand.” Then he leaned back and stared out at the ocean once more.

I turned away from him and stared out at the water too.

We sat there for some time looking out and watching the breakers tumble to the beach, and in those moments, shared an unexpected bond of mutual understanding of silence.

Chapter 29

Listing Liabilities

Since the moment I woke up that particular workday, I languished in bed, reflecting, and feeling lazy as a cat, giving in to the luxury of lounging in a tub of luscious bubbles and sipping my coffee. Around mid morning, I finally got around to fine-tuning some observations and slipping in additional thoughts as I typed, listing one after the other.

I thought about asking Mona for answers to her face, but I had a strong feeling she wouldn’t tell me or she’d make up a lie, and then she’d be much cagier about her actions, which would make it harder for me to follow her and find out what was really going on. But after a week of fruitless surveillance, I finally decided to ask her to lunch and take the lead on this thing.

I considered what else was still bothering me. Why was Mona traveling a few random times a week to a questionable motel room, listed under an alias and meeting two men? For what purpose? Exactly, who were they? As usual, more questions followed. Who was Paula Foster? Why did Pat refer to Mona as Tina? Who was Tina Davis? Was California one of the places Mona resided in?

Most likely.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t mentioned much more since early on. Apparently, I was the one always doing all the talking. Somehow, she persistently managed to get me going from one story to the next, which by the way was how my life was going, from one story to the next. This one was obviously following the same complicated path.

You know, I’m firmly convinced I wrote for a living to actually keep my sanity intact. My life hadn’t seemed so remarkable until I put it all down on my laptop.

Then it read just like fiction.

I thought I would snag Mona for an hour to question her casually to try and loosen her wall of secrecy. I’d been watching for some time, while she constantly looked over her shoulder and cautiously edited what she said.

I also didn’t want things to get out of hand with someone getting emotionally or physically hurt. Maybe, I could list some positives for a change. Maybe, I could take charge and prevent something disastrous from happening.

Maybe.

Chapter 30

Digesting Excuses & Life Lessons

Even though it was cool, the sun was shining, so I felt optimistic about how my friendly interrogation might proceed. When I last spoke to Mona earlier in the morning, before she left, she seemed in an upbeat mood. Two good omens? Maybe. Still, the lesson I’ve learned so far was that my life and Mona’s were completely unpredictable. I looked up, spotting her rushing over to our table at Luigi’s.

“Hi,” she greeted. “Sorry I’m late. I had an interview.”

Ha. I sat back, digesting that excuse. “I already ordered two meatball subs for us, figuring it would save some time.”

“Great! So, how did your morning go?” she asked, still breathless from rushing. “How is the book coming along?”

I had ordered sodas and Mona started sipping hers.

“Well,” I said, “after wasting half the morning in a battle of lethargic overload, I finally managed to knock out several pages. I know I’ll have to heavily edit them tomorrow, but it made me feel good to accomplish at least that much.” Determined to turn this conversation in a specific direction, I asked, “That look you’re giving me is saying, no offers?”

“Same old, same old. Nobody seems to be hiring. I was thinking maybe I might go and try one of those casinos in Atlantic City. Maybe, I could get a job in accounting. I heard they always had openings in that department, and I’m desperate at this point for anything, even doing payroll. You know me, I’ve always liked working the numbers.”

I almost choked, as my soda backed up into my nose when I heard the words, Atlantic City. All I saw in front of me was Mona wearing that long black wig. To tell you the truth, in my mind, it sort of looked good on her. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I had to try and stay focused and on message this time. I needed information.

“Are you okay?” Mona asked, looking concerned, as she reached her hand across the table and patted my shoulder.

I nodded, coughed once more and then asked, “What casino in Atlantic City?”

I guess, I already knew. I just wanted it confirmed.

“…I thought I’d try the Borgata. What do you think?”

A clever excuse in case she was ever spotted.

I was starting to enjoy this wordplay for appearances sake. What more could she possibly divulge that would surprise me? Well, maybe I really shouldn’t engage in that game. I’d taken that attitude in the past and paid dearly for my naiveté. I’ve since learned to allow myself some verbal maneuverability. All clichés considered, I had to cut to the chase or this would be a wasted lunch, info wise that is. I aimed at the heart of it.

Plus, I was tired of playing her game. “Tell me Mona, exactly what were you expecting when you arrived at my doorstep? A secret place to hide? Why me?” Although my unexpected candor scored, she handled it with style.

“You know me too well, don’t you, Sam?” She smiled, already knowing what I was thinking. “Apparently, you learned a lot in my absence. Tell me, was it that bad when Stephen died?”

“Yes, it was. I learned a few life lessons last year, and fending for myself was one of them. I found men didn’t understand what a woman was willing to go through to justify her existence, and of course, what she was not willing to go through when the truth was finally exposed.”

“I guess I’m not the only one to have underestimated the new you. You are the same, Sam, in many ways, but then again, you are totally different.”

I smiled momentarily, but then sobered, saying, “Okay, let’s cut the mindless meandering and get straight to the point. What have you gotten involved in this time, Mona?”

“What do you mean this time?” she countered.

“What are you running from and why?”

Mona sighed heavily. “I used to think I was running from myself in one way or another, but this time it’s different. I’ve somehow gotten involved way over my head, and it appears to be something that doesn’t include a happy ending like in the movies. This is real and toxic. But I still feel I can handle it alone. All I’m asking is for you to please let me stay so I can straighten it all out.”

I sat there staring. “That goes without saying, Mona. Of course, you can stay. How could you ask such a ridiculous question? I’m disturbed in not knowing what to do. Obviously, you are in trouble, but unless you confide in me, I can’t help. Don’t you get it? Try to understand my frustration at seeing a friend disappear, then reappear, and then I’m forced to watch from the sidelines all the mental stress she’s under? Let me help. You can trust me.”

“I know that, Sam. It’s a matter of safety. That’s all.”

“Whose safety?” I asked, not connecting the dots.

“…Yours! I don’t want you involved in something this complicated and potentially dangerous.”

Mona,” I shot back. “I’m already involved.”

“How so?” she asked. She obviously didn’t get it either.

“Think back,” I replied. “I’ve been here for weeks all by myself, and not one single incident occurred. Ever since you’ve arrived, we’ve experienced an attempted mugging on the beach, and an intruder sneaking around in my house in the dark. And I’m not even addressing that strange phone call. Now, please tell me. Why is that, Mona?”

Her eyes nervously darted in my direction from her sandwich. “Coincidence?” she asked, half smiling.

“Yeah, right. Don’t make me laugh.” I crossed my arms and sat back, waiting for some kind of explanation.

Mona shifted uncomfortably. “All I’m asking is, for now; let me figure this out for myself. What you don’t know can’t harm you. I can’t say anything more than that. I recognize that sounds ridiculous, but I need more time to straighten it all out on my own. I appreciate your concern, but I’m sure, that if I can just explain my actions to certain people, they will understand why I did what I did.”

I hated to admit it, but in some bizarre way, it made sense, plus, I felt she was telling the truth when she said she was trying to protect me. But at some point, she might have bitten off more than she could chew, a lesson and a warning we all needed to digest at one time or another in our life.

Myself? I was still chewing on mine.

Chapter 31

RSVP ASAP

How this got arranged, I’m not quite sure. One moment, I’m talking to Martha, who mentioned she was talking to Mona, who mentioned she met Crystal on Tuesday, and the next thing I knew, I was off the island, and it was girl’s night out with second drinks in Atlantic City for all of us. This was trouble waiting to happen, as far as I was concerned, but I went anyway. Why? That’s not quite so easy to explain, but let me try.

Now, I have to stipulate that women are an intriguing breed. They tread where they shouldn’t, are intrigued by situations and any after-effects that might spontaneously happen. Some like to plow through layers of emotional debris, overlooking other’s former transgressions, the unknown, and any potential possibilities that might follow.

Okay, so I am getting a little wordy here, but you get my drift. Some women like to flirt with disaster, knowing there is always an easier way out, but still choose to take the riskier choice. Why? Because they can, and because they enjoy the invitation to challenge their former weaknesses.

I was sitting on high alert in the bar of one of the casinos with Mona, Martha and Crystal. I was also a nervous wreck and working on my second glass. I wasn’t peeling back anything; I was knocking back wine instead, hoping I could make it through the evening without a major incident. Something told me that wasn’t on the agenda. This combination of a friend missing in action for several years, a candidate for the geriatric ward, and a tattooed Harley girl was lethal, and I wasn’t sure where I fit into that crazy mix.

But I had to admit all was going fairly smoothly until ‘he’ walked into the bar. I swear, I think it was something in the air. We all turned simultaneously, as though a magnet was pulling us all in the same direction without any of us knowing why. Who? Why, tall, dark and handsome David. That’s who.

“Whoa!” said Mona, leaning forward.

“Well, hello there good looking,” commented Crystal.

“I gotta put on my glasses for this,” said Martha. “Well, look at what we got here!” she said, perking up.

My mouth popped open to speak, but nothing came out. Now, what was he doing here? The three of them all turned to me at once, waiting. Obviously, I was the only one who hadn’t made a comment.

Mona nudged me with her elbow. “Have you suddenly gone blind? Or are your hormones on vacation?”

Martha had turned back in his direction. “Holy mackerel!” she suddenly whispered. “Who is that redheaded bombshell with him?”

Again, we all turned simultaneously in his direction, as he turned to his obvious date, who apparently had just rejoined him. With upswept auburn hair, flawless make-up and a very low-cut, sexy cocktail dress on, she was an absolute knockout.

Pat, the realtor.

All that came out of my mouth was, “Uh oh.” But my mind was saying, ‘Trouble with a capital T, again.’

Pat intertwined her arm with David’s and smiled up at him, while batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.

I turned to Mona for her reaction. “Mona…?”

There was just one little problem. Mona wasn’t there!

“What the hell?” laughed Crystal, looking all around. “Where’d she go?”

Martha grabbed the tablecloth, lifting it up in the air and bent downward to have a look. “Mona! What in the heck are you doing under the table? Are you drunk? Somebody quick, grab her.”

“No! Don’t touch me!” hissed Mona from under the table. “Quick, will the three of you just sit up like I am not here, for God’s sake? Please! … Do … it … now!”

We all jerked upright, smoothing down the tablecloth, just as David and Pat approached our table.

“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise!” greeted David, smiling at us.

Pat aimed her pearly whites in my direction. “We thought we’d stop by for a quick drink at the bar before the show started. How nice to see you again, Samantha!” She already knew Crystal because of all the rentals and their requests for cleaning services on a weekly basis.

After faltering slightly, I made the necessary introduction to Martha, still mindful of Mona somewhere under our table. It was hard to ignore her because she kept banging down on my foot with her fist. Obviously, claustrophobia was in play. Or maybe she’d found a spider or two.

I decided to savor her discomfort for putting all of us on the spot. I smiled at David and Pat, as I gently nudged Mona’s hand away with my other foot. “They decided on a girl’s night out,” I happily explained, “and I tagged along.”

Crystal, somewhat confused by what was going on, played right along, trying not to reveal what we were concealing at our feet. “So far, I have to admit that it’s been interesting,” she ventured, smiling at David.

Martha darted her eyes downward, nervously tapped her fingers on the table, and then looked back up to David. “So, you’re the new renter next door to us. Now, I just don’t know why Sam didn’t mention what a looker you were!” She glanced my way, suspiciously. Then she turned back to David. “There’s something sort of familiar about you. I just can’t place it though. Have we met before?”

David nodded in affirmation. “Remember me? The casino? I certainly remember you. You were the lady in all that red.”

“Yes! By golly, you’re absolutely right! I completely forgot! Heck, if I was Samantha, and I had you next door to me, I wouldn’t tell anybody either!”

Pat laughed briefly. “Sam, I can see why you invited her to stay awhile. She’s hilarious!”

Martha stared Pat up and down. “You know, I’m like family. I don’t need an invitation. I just show up like you two did tonight. It makes things much more interesting that way!”

Chapter 32

Truth Be Told?

They finally left us, had a quick drink at the bar and then departed for their show. The three of us started talking simultaneously as we bent down, scrambling to get Mona out from under the table. Strange looks were thrown our way from across the room as Mona, once again, sat among us, quickly brushing herself off and breathing heavily. “I hate dark places,” she spat angrily.

“What in the world was all that craziness about?” asked Martha. “Have you gone off your rocker? What in the world would possess you to jump under the table like that? You know, that’s not normal.”

“I don’t know what is going on,” said Crystal, “and I really don’t care! I haven’t had so much fun in I don’t know when. To think I thought this might turn out to be a boring night. Was I off base on that one! You girls are an absolute riot! Now, for the record, would someone please tell me what’s going on here?”

Mona was still mentally and physically shaking off the fear from her, oh so close encounter. I had a slight advantage, already knowing she did not want to be seen by Pat for some particular reason. It was clear she knew her, but something had happened in the past and I wanted to know what it was. Without giving away my previous knowledge of the supermarket incident, I wanted to hear how she was going to talk her way out of her bizarre behavior and her reaction.

All eyes were on Mona.

“What?” Mona asked all of us. “Haven’t any of you seen anybody trying to avoid being seen by someone else before?”

“Not quite in that fashion,” remarked Martha. “That was the icing on my cake, that’s for sure.”

We all waited, sipping our drinks, still looking at her. Mona was gulping hers. She finally leaned back against the club booth we sat in, exhaling with a loud sigh. I could hear her mind working, trying to think of some way out of this without explaining too much. She finally half smiled. “What the hell. Why not?” she mumbled to no one in particular.

“Well?” asked Martha impatiently. “We’re waiting!”

“Hey, you even have my attention now,” said Crystal. “Do you know this David guy? Did he jilt you or something?”

Mona turned to Crystal. “…No.”

“So it’s about Pat?” she asked.

I noticed her squirming in her seat, so I added more pressure. “Yeah, what about Pat?”

“…Well, we knew each other a few years ago and were interested in the same guy,” Mona finally admitted. “It appeared I won. What happened didn’t exactly set well with her, and I didn’t feel like having a confrontation with her right now. That’s all.”

“Does she know you’re in town?’ asked Crystal.

“…Maybe.” Mona replied carefully.

“What do you mean, maybe?” asked Martha.

“I think she spotted me in the grocery store the other day. I took off before she could corner me. I was hoping she would eventually think it was simply mistaken identity.”

“Really?” I asked with a sarcastic edge.

Who was she kidding?

Mona turned to face me, clearly not enjoying our interrogation one bit. “…Well no, not really. She apparently got a good look at me. I barely made it out of there in my car. That crazy woman chased me clear across the parking lot! On foot, too! But I got away just in time.”

“What happened to the guy in between?” asked Crystal.

“Truth be told? He cut out on both of us, taking not only her car, but her money too. It happened a while back.”

Chapter 33

It’s A New Day & A New Dawn

I was sipping my coffee out on the deck, wearing my fleece jacket, and watching the first flecks of sun, as a new day slowly rose over the horizon. I was also mulling over what took place at the bar the previous night and wondering when it would finally dawn on Mona that eventually she was going to have to cough up the truth.

“Mind if I join you?” asked Mona, hesitantly from behind me.

Evidently, Martha, the up-at-dawn, early bird riser, was sleeping in, I noted, after glancing at my watch. “No, go right ahead and help yourself,” I said, as I shoved a chair out from under the table with my foot.

I had my feet propped up on another chair and was leaning back, trying to catch the first rays of morning sunshine. It felt really good. Apparently, Mona, by the looks of her, did not.

She appeared extremely uncomfortable after sitting down with her mug of coffee. “…I’m sorry,” she offered.

“That’s it?” I shot back, as I turned towards her. “Certainly you, of all people, can do better than that!”

“I should have been more forthcoming. You took me in without a second thought and this was how I thanked you, blindsiding you with secrecy and evasion.”

“It was always that way with you, wasn’t it?” I leaned back and closed my eyes.

She laughed nervously. “And you were the only one who tolerated me and all my baggage.”

“Yes. Well, I think we all have emotional baggage. It’s just that some of us have more than others, that all.”

“You see?” Mona pointed out, finally smiling. “That’s what’s so great about you. You are never judgmental or morally superior about people and their problems. You just accept and adapt.”

“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice trying to accept my past and adapt to my future,” I replied, smiling.

“I know,” said Mona. “But right now it’s a game of life or death and if I’m not careful, Sam, I won’t have a future, and that’s no joke. In due time, I promise I will explain.”

We both sipped our coffee in silence, Mona with shaky hands holding her mug and worry lines creasing her forehead, and me frustrated yet again, but thinking about the prospect of waiting for a new day and a new dawn of explanations in the near future, while this strange and foreboding feeling just sat there like a rock in the pit of my stomach. My patience was slowly running out.

What was next?

Chapter 34

Predicaments & Plausible Possibilities

I sat at my laptop, considering. Our conversation had meandered without Mona being more forthcoming about her predicament. Not helpful, but expected.

After much pleading from her, I relented, and said I was willing to look the other way for a little while longer, but then she had better come up with a good explanation for, what Martha referred to as, all this craziness going on.

What I didn’t want to do was push too hard and scare her away. No Mona. No rest of the story for my book. Period! Besides, how would I ever find out the answers to all the questions I had about those years cast in doubt?

Once hooked, I was like a dog with a bone. I continually surprised myself and never underestimated my resourcefulness. There were other ways to get around this. All I had to do was come up with one that worked.

My phone rang. I hesitated, as I looked for the caller ID. Let me tell you, old habits die hard. Past history had taught me, time and again, to be very cautious.

Oh! “Hi David,” I said, casually considering plausible reasons for his phone call.

Okay, so I was really interested in why he was calling.

Besides, I wanted to find out how and why he was out on the town that night with that hot momma, Pat. Somehow, I never would have connected the two of them as potential dating material.

Of course, after seeing her dressed to kill, he would be crazy not to consider all his options. After all, he was free, single, and good-looking. I was pleased to see him out and about after our lunch and his unexpected, revealing conversation on his deck.

“Hi there,” he greeted cheerfully. “Have you got some free time? I was hoping you weren’t planning anything because I thought we might go for a ride together.”

Chapter 35

Make It Who For The Road?

After my acceptance, David explained that he would be waiting in the courtyard for our so called, road trip? Grabbing my purse and jacket, I hustled down the staircase. I set the alarm, locked the door, hustled down the walkway and then swung open the courtyard walk-in gate, but abruptly came to a screeching halt. Uh, oh!

There he stood, casually leaning against a creamy white and overwhelmingly magnificent Harley Davison motorcycle. He smiled at my reaction. “Ready?”

My eyes were riveted. “Uh… Where’d you get that?”

“I brought it down last week when you were out for the day. It would have spoiled my little surprise today if I started it, so I pushed it across the courtyard from my garage.”

“But I thought we were going out for a ride, David.” I stared at the huge, gorgeous bike, trying not to show complete panic.

“We are. On my Harley Soft Tail.”

Failing miserably, I was quickly descending into full terror mode. “…But I thought it was in your car!”

“Samantha, it’s just too beautiful out. You don’t think I’m not going to take advantage of seventy five degrees, do you?”

I brightened when I suddenly thought of something. “Hey, I don’t have a helmet! Remember, this is New Jersey!” I felt somewhat relieved by my quick defensive thinking.

He moved off the bike, revealing another helmet swinging from the other handle bar. “No problem,” he replied, gesturing toward it. Then he gave me a puzzled look.

I guess I was looking sort of pale at that point.

“You have ridden on a motorcycle before, haven’t you?” he asked, suddenly having second thoughts on our venture.

I waved off his concern. “Of course!” I replied, while trying not to hyperventilate. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

He visibly relaxed. “Great! Then there’s no problem. Here, let me help you with your helmet.”

After stowing my purse in the saddlebag, closing the gates and exiting the courtyard, we finally took off. I hung on for dear life with my eyes squeezed shut for the first few minutes, but as the warm breeze blew past me, I slowly opened them, one at a time, simply out of curiosity.

Within minutes, we came to a stop sign. David turned back to me. “Samantha, try and relax a little. Trust me. You’ll be fine.” He was trying not to laugh.

I hadn’t realized I had him in such a death grip. “Oh! Sorry!”

We set off once again. Concentrating really hard, I tried to lean into the ride, as he instructed, and gradually I began to enjoy myself.

“Wow!” I exclaimed, as we left the island, riding smoothly over the Ninth Street bridge. The water glistened like tiny crystals from the reflection of the sun. Some boats dipped slightly in the water while they passed through the no-wake zone below. It felt as though we were flying.

David turned slightly so I could hear him. “I thought I would share with you why I picked this place. Between the bicycles, boardwalk, beaches and water, it’s great, don’t you think?”

“Especially on a day like this!” I replied, captivated and totally into the ride, as we turned down a narrow side road.

After thirty minutes of skirting around sights, he pulled into a restaurant on the bay.

“I reserved a table by a window for our lunch.”

The sunlight was still bobbing and weaving on the water’s jewel-like surface as we quickly made ourselves comfortable and ordered food. “This is perfect,” I said, amazed by the view. “And the ride was great!”

David smiled, relieved. “Good. I was a little concerned back there in the courtyard. One look at you, and I thought my spontaneous idea was toast.”

“I almost backed out,” I confessed, “but I didn’t want to sound like a wimp.”

“I’m glad you hung in there, Sam. To some people, riding a motorcycle is very intimidating.”

“I hate to admit it, but I’ve never ridden on one before.”

“I realize that now. My ribs still have your imprints.”

“Sorry. I thought I might fall off.”

He smiled. “I’d never let you fall by the wayside.”

I was pleased and a bit embarrassed and changed the subject. “I noticed you’re into the nightlife scene. I was glad to see that.”

He eyed me curiously, and then finally understood. “Oh, you mean Pat, the other night at the casino.”

“I was surprised you knew her,” I said.

“I didn’t at first. Bill arranged it. He thought Pat might show me around town because he was too busy. She said she didn’t mind, and so we made arrangements to meet.”

I sat there, shaking my head. “Now, I’ve heard of full service agents, but where’s my counterpart? I leased too, but ended up seeing the local sights with Miss Geriatric Ward, Miss Harley Biker and Miss Construed! I might have a discrimination case here with that agency. I think I got the raw end of this deal.”

David laughed. “You know, if you want, I could always arrange for you to go out on the town with Bill.”

“I don’t think his wife would be too comfortable with that suggestion,” I replied. “I heard that Atlantic City is a vice town in more ways than gambling.”

He suddenly froze, staring at me, as though he was filtering my response for something more.

What was that all about?

Was I reading too much into people’s responses lately? Or were there subtle vibes I was gradually picking up on?

Now, who’s the one on guard about someone they weren’t so sure of?

David shifted his eyes and stared out at the water for a moment, and then turned back to face me. “So Sam, what’s the final verdict? Was the ride and lunch worth the risk?”

“Sure. Two things surprised me on the road today. I found out I definitely like Harleys, and you, David, are one very intriguing person who, so far, is full of surprises.”

Chapter 36

Drinking Wine, Making Time & Whining

Friday night arrived with unusually warm temperatures. My female buddies were antsy to walk the boards after our spontaneous get-together. Having consumed enough wine to mellow us all out, they were in a playful mood.

Crystal joined us for dinner too, because her husband pulled another night shift. After that club incident, and when they all mentioned the boardwalk, I was mentally prepared for just about anything.

It wasn’t full season yet, but the warm temperatures had brought everyone out. Many savvy vendors latched onto the opportunity for early sales and were open for the weekend, which made for a carnival-like atmosphere. It had been a rough winter, so everyone seemed ready to play when twilight set in and the boardwalk lights automatically turned on.

After locking up and checking my front door twice, I caught up with the others as they casually strolled up the ramp to the boardwalk. By the time I reached them, they were already arguing animatedly.

“What did I miss?” I asked, annoyed with myself for taking so long with my security paranoia. I double-checked everything now because of my midnight beach intruder.

Mona turned to me, laughing. “Crystal whistled at some young guys walking by and won’t own up.”

“Excuse me? I certainly did not!” protested Crystal. “I’ll have you know, they usually whistle at me!”

“Who are you trying to kid?” chided Mona. “They were kind of on the young side though, don’t you think?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Crystal bragged. “Listen, when I whistle, you’ll know it, honey, regardless of their age.”

“Well, if you didn’t do it, and I didn’t, then who did?” accused Mona.

“I did!” All eyes turned to look over at Martha. She smiled. “I appreciate a good piece of real estate too, you know!”

Crystal started to laugh, edging over toward Martha. “Hey, I’m walking with her tonight!”

Mona turned to me. “Maybe, she drank too much wine, Sam. She is somewhat older, you know.”

I looked over at Martha. “Do you want stay behind?” I offered. “I’ll go back with you if you want.”

Martha gave me a dirty look. “What? Are you nuts? And miss all the action on the boardwalk?”

Crystal turned back to me. “Is she for real? What kind of vitamins does that woman take?”

“At my age,” lectured Martha, “time is of the essence! Now, let’s all get a move on, girls! Time’s a-wastin!”

Mona hustled over to catch up with Martha. “Hey, aren’t you going to wait for me?”

Martha shook her head. “If you didn’t have that second dessert, we might be making better time with an earlier start!”

Mona huffed, trying to keep up with her. “I totally resent that crack!”

Crystal kicked off quickly, maneuvering over to the other side of Martha, but directed her comments to Mona. “I saw you pour that extra glass of wine, too.”

I brought up the rear, watching the three of them bickering and swaggering down the boardwalk, heads swiveling back and forth so they wouldn’t miss a thing as they argued away, each jockeying for position, as people darted in and around them.

I finally caught up, easing in beside Mona. “I didn’t see you take that extra dessert. Which one was it?”

“Oh, brother!” whined Mona. “You too? Somebody, give me a break!”

Chapter 37

Walking On The Boardwalk, Watching Those Guys Go By

I stopped mid-stride, and stared straight ahead. The others stopped too, wondering why. “Uh-oh,” I said.

Headed straight for us were the two men I had seen enter and leave Mona’s motel room. They were dressed casually this time, but I still recognized them by their faces. With no coats and hats, more detail came into view. One had brown hair, toned body, and was good-looking. The other was more bookish, with black hair and wore thick glasses. Both were plowing a path in our direction.

I saw Mona go completely still, inhaling sharply. She turned slightly in my direction, whispering, “Sam, play along.” She then turned back, fixing a grin on her face.

“Hi, Phil!”

That Phil? From that cryptic phone call I overheard?

He stopped in place, looking around at the rest of us, as though trying to memorize every detail his eyes were registering.

“Well, look who’s here!” Phil said, feigning surprise. “And who might these good looking babes be?” he added, still checking us all out from head to toe.

My personal parameters felt violated. Babes? This guy was so full of himself. “Lame” quickly flashed across my mind. Involuntarily, I looked down, expecting to see him wearing white socks with sandals. Who were these two? What was their connection to Mona? Why was she talking on the phone and meeting with them? My mind buzzed with speculation. Some good. Some bad. This time, I was definitely hanging around to find out.

Mona gestured toward each of us, as she made the introductions, “Phil, this is Samantha, Crystal and Martha; my friends. I strongly suggest you watch it. They are nobody’s babes.”

“Well, this is quite a surprise, Mona, finding you out here, especially well after dark,” cracked Phil, nudging four-eyes, his cohort, and laughing.

There was something about them I didn’t like, plain and simple. “Why is that?” I asked, sharply. “Is she only allowed out during daylight hours?”

Exactly who were these two idiots?

Phil latched his attention onto me, like a laser. “You don’t get it yet, do you?” he asked, throwing me a nasty look and clenching his fists tightly.

That word ‘yet’ hung out there. Was it a warning?

“Then what exactly did you mean?” I asked, annoyed, edging closer to him, while noticing his hands twitch at his sides.

Mona’s head swiveled in my direction. She seemed surprised by my tough attitude and my overtly protective stance. Breaking into a grin, she turned back to them, emboldened. “And why wouldn’t I be out on such a beautiful night? You don’t own me in the slightest.” She leaned in. “Nobody does! Got that?”

Phil stared hard at her. “I’m just advising that it might not be too safe out here. You never know who you might run into.” He turned to the other guy. “Right, Tony?”

This Tony had remained silent, but his eyes betrayed him. He missed nothing, as he slowly and meticulously scanned all of us. The words “cold and calculating” came to my mind as I stood watching, not sure what would happen next.

“Well, macho man, Tony,” Martha’s voice challenged. “What do you have to say for yourself?” I could feel her breathing hard behind me. “All you’ve done is stare. Didn’t your momma ever tell you it’s impolite to stare like that?”

We turned in her direction. None of us girls spoke. We just smiled instead.

Martha smiled too, still glaring at the guy wearing those thick glasses. “Are you his personal chaperone?” she cracked. “Or are you here for the caramel popcorn at Johnson’s?”

Tony turned towards Martha, slowly adjusting his glasses. “I’ve got nothing to say to you, old lady,” he spat angrily, clearing his throat.

Before Martha could reply, Crystal pushed forward, coming right up on Tony, nose to nose. “Oh, yeah? Now, why is that? Phil here didn’t give you permission?” She turned back to Phil, her eyes climbing up and down him, and then focused back on Tony. “Why he ain’t got nothing on you, honey.”

Tony was trying real hard not to stare at Crystal’s traveling tattoos. It was obvious he was losing the struggle. His face turned crimson from the neck up, as he started cursing and back-peddling away from her, saying, “Phil, let’s ditch these broads. We’ve got work to do.”

Crystal got right up in his face once again. “Oh honey, don’t leave me now. I’m just starting to think there’s some kind of chemistry going on here between the two of us.”

I heard a snicker behind me. Martha was covering her mouth with her hand, trying to stop from laughing.

Phil stepped between Crystal and Tony. “Yeah, I think you’re right. Let’s get out of here.” He nodded to all of us. “Ladies, it was interesting. Mona, I’ll be seeing you,” he said. They turned and strode away.

Abruptly, we all burst out laughing, staring down that boardwalk watching those guys go bye-bye.

Chapter 38

Sugar Coating The Truth

We were still standing there on the boards, as a sea of people parted around us on their way down the boardwalk. None of us seemed to take notice; we were too busy focusing on Mona, who was suddenly looking everywhere, but back in our direction.

Finally, she gave in, sighed and turned around. “What?”

Crystal inched closer. “Okay, what’s with those two?”

“What do you mean?” Mona asked innocently.

Martha laughed heartily. “You know something? You are one strange broad!”

We all turned towards Martha, and then turned back again to regard Mona.

I finally took the lead, trying to get some kind of handle on all this. “What is with those two?” I asked. I didn’t want to let on I knew where I had seen the three of them meet. For the moment, their motel rendezvous was conversationally off-limits. But Mona had to say something. She was cornered.

“…It’s a long story,” Mona finally replied. “Believe me, none of you want to know right now, and I certainly don’t want to let any of you get involved.”

I tried to gauge her words. “What do you mean get involved?”

“Look, I got caught up in something that I thought was nothing, and unfortunately, it has turned out to be something.”

Martha coughed pointedly. “What did you just say?” Then she looked at Crystal and me. “Sounds like a bunch of gibberish, if you ask me. We may need an interpreter for this one.”

Crystal edged closer to Mona, making direct eye contact with her. “Listen, I’m sure we’ve all been there, just different circumstances. If you’d rather not confide, we totally understand. When you’re ready, you’ll tell us. Right girls?” She turned to Martha and me for agreement.

Reluctantly, Martha and I both nodded. I personally was looking forward to some kind of explanation to all of Mona’s crazy behavior these past weeks and wanted to press her on it, but then thought maybe, I better not. She probably didn’t want to reveal anything to the others that might compromise whatever was really going on.

Maybe she might divulge what was up when we were alone at the house. Mona was into something more complicated than I had anticipated because it was making her act very strange. If I played my cards right, I might have a better shot of her speaking more freely when the timing was right and she wasn’t so wound up.

Mona took a deep breath. “Look, I just don’t feel confident saying much now, but, just so you all know, I’ve got everything safely under control.” She eyed us each individually. “We probably all have a past we wish we could sweep under the rug. Well, I’m no different from all of you.”

Martha laughed. “Ain’t that the truth! Boy, could I make your toes curl!”

I laughed too, thinking of my own past history. Mona had hit the mark with that one. “I agree with Crystal,” I added. “When the time is right, you’ll tell us. Until then, I suggest we all go and get a Kohr’s ice cream.”

“Now, you’re talking!” laughed Crystal. She hesitated a moment, looking Mona up and down. “Well, I guess under these special circumstances, we could make an exception for you just this one time.”

Mona held up her hands in defeat. “I know, I know, I’ll pass. I’ve already had enough dessert, and I shouldn’t risk my health.”

“Trust me,” said Martha laughing. “I know from past experience, eating ice cream won’t kill you, but the truth just might!”

I nodded, smiling. How true! How true!

Chapter 39

Testing Each Other’s Patience

I was troubled about Martha. Earlier in the morning, I breezed passed her in my sprint out the door to keep my eye on Mona, but right after lunch I made a concerted effort to corner her to ask why she was acting so strange.

Maybe she wasn’t feeling well. Even though she was spry for her age, I still kept one eye on her just in case. I spotted her taking an iced tea out to the upper deck and sitting down. So, I poured one for myself and joined her.

“Hey, there,” I said, setting my glass down on the table. “Are you feeling okay today?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, quizzically.

Had I previously imagined her odd behavior? Even though still somewhat concerned, I started doubting what I had noticed. “Martha, when I saw you earlier this morning you appeared a little pale and I was worried. That’s all.”

Martha hesitated, and then laughed. “Oh that!” Then she shook her head and stared. “Nearly gave me a heart attack!”

I stiffened, preparing for the worst. “…What did?”

“The phone call I received this morning.” She started snickering and leaned back in her chair, trying to hold back.

My curiosity kicked in. “Out with it!” I swiveled to face her, giving her my full attention. I had learned in the past that this woman was always full of surprises. I never, never underestimated her on what she might say or do!

“We were…” She tried, but couldn’t continue and began laughing once again.

“Come on!” I prodded. “Let me in on it!”

Finally, she said, “Well, you know that Roland and I have been seeing each other for weeks now. Right?”

“Yes. So?”

“Well, we thought we might take it to the next level,” she explained, trying real hard not to laugh.

I stared at her. Now, I knew what that meant for me, but maybe she meant it another way. I just didn’t quite know how to put it out there and yet still be respectful.

Martha looked at me for some kind of acknowledgment.

“…And what level was that?” I finally asked.

She glared at me, frustrated. “Now, what kind of stupid question was that? I swear, Sam, sometimes you really push my patience! You know that?”

“…Well, it’s nice to see you are both interested in a long-term relationship.” I finally said, carefully working my way through this bizarre conversation.

“Exactly my point!” replied Martha. “Where was I? Oh yeah. Well, I decided that we both should get tested.”

I leaned back. Seniors probably had concerns too, but what were they? I took a stab at vague. “You know, I understand why you might be apprehensive.”

“You see? I knew, you of all people, would understand because you’re never judgmental about anyone. I’ll tell you, I’m not looking forward to the blood work though. I hate needles.”

My initial hesitation fell to the wayside when it finally hit me; what she might be referring to. Just in case, I tried for some decorum. Maybe, I had it all wrong. “Why, if you’re only interested in being companions?”

Martha did a double take and started laughing again. “Heck, Samantha. If I wanted a companion, I’d get a dog!”

That stopped me. I leaned in a little closer. “Martha, wait a minute. Tested? …For what? …Where?”

“We registered anonymously at a clinic to be tested for STDs; sexually transmitted diseases.”

“…Why nameless?” I asked, thinking to myself, you know, maybe I should be taking some notes here.

“Well, I heard that the health insurance companies keep records when you get tested for STDs, so that’s why we did it anonymously.”

I couldn’t believe she was worried about premium rates at her age, and I was having this kind of discussion with a senior citizen. Obviously, I had much to learn. “…Go on.”

“So, I had the blood work done and they said they would call me back if I tested positive for anything within two weeks. Well, this morning, I get a voice mail on my cell phone, instructing me to call the clinic as soon as possible.

“I called back and this woman verifies my info and then tells me that she is so sorry to inform me that I tested positive for syphilis. I yelled, ‘Are you joking?’ She said she definitely was not, and for me to come in to discuss the results and all the treatments currently available.”

I sat there. “Syphilis? That’s terrible! What did you do?”

“I hung up the phone and immediately started sweating, thinking, my God, what in the world do I tell Roland? We have a date with destiny tonight!”

I swear, I tried to speak, but no words came out!

“Then,” Martha continued, “I quickly googled syphilis, because I wasn’t quite sure exactly what it was! I found out that it eventually affects your brain and makes you go crazy at the very end! I just about fainted right there on the spot! And to think that after all these years, I was actually worried I’d end up getting Alzheimer’s!”

I choked on her last words and my iced tea went everywhere. All this time, I thought old age might be boring. I gulped, gasped, and waved off her concern, anxious for her to finish. “No. I’m fine. …Please continue,” I finally choked out.

“Later, after that initial phone call, I got another call from the same person I had spoken to earlier at the clinic. She apologized all over the place, saying that evidently, she read the form wrong and although the first test was positive; the confirmatory and final test definitely was not.

“She explained there are many false positives with the first test and that’s why they test it a second time with a more accurate analysis to confirm. She had never bothered to read the whole page. Now, I ask you. Was that woman an idiot, or what?”

I sat there unsure how to counter that statement without sounding like one myself. “And, are you okay now?”

“Although shaken and traumatized earlier, I’m sort of laughing and seeing the humor in it, now. I’m telling you this whole nerve-wracking incident better be worth it!” She stood. “I’ve got to get myself done up. See you later.”

I stared after her as she walked back into the house. You know, now that I really thought about it, Martha not only tested my patience and imagination, but she suddenly had me questioning my own sexual karma.

Chapter 40

Marketing 101

At the last minute, I remembered the farmer’s market, and of course, ended up in traffic in search of a coveted parking space. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had decided to show up late on that bright and breezy morning instead of hitting the beach. I snatched glimpses of succulent tomatoes, green lettuce, radishes and cherries displayed on some of the vendors’ tables. There were also used flea market items for sale too. After several minutes of patiently driving around in circles, I found a slot and hustled, bag in hand, over to make some purchases.

About a half an hour later, I had more than enough to get me through the week, but as I turned to go, I recognized two figures deep in conversation off to the side. There was David, speaking to Mona behind a vendor’s tent, its flaps lightly fluttering around them in the breeze.

They knew each other?

I promptly worked my way over behind a stall, not only to observe them without being spotted, but hopefully to hear what they were saying. As I edged closer, it appeared that they were arguing instead of talking.

“Of all places, what are you doing next door?” Mona asked heatedly. “I can’t believe this! What a total screw up!”

“Listen, I don’t follow your rules. Got that?” David tossed back, glaring at her. “You keep changing the name of the game and freelance too much. Besides, your history together was a no-brainer, and I became impatient for some inside information. Under the current circumstances, I didn’t think anyone else would mind. By the way, her involvement is a major problem. What’s with that?”

“I don’t have time to go into it now,” replied Mona.

“And I don’t like what I’m hearing,” countered David. “It makes things way too complicated. And you know how I hate complicated.”

“I know, I know. That’s what he said too,” said Mona.

I froze. Who said? What was going on? What was scarier was that the she they both referred to in their testy conversation sounded like it was me.

David’s eyes strayed toward the people shopping and passing by. “He’s right, you know. It would be a lot easier if she weren’t. Complications tend to cause casualties.” He turned his attention back to Mona.

Mona met his gaze. “It’s too late, David. She’s already involved and is asking too many questions. She’s getting closer than she should, and I don’t like it. What am I going to do?” She looked up at him. “Got any brilliant ideas, Einstein?”

“Watch your back and don’t slip up. The rest should fall into place. Ease off a little. Your obvious comings and goings are giving her more than enough of an opportunity to catch you with your so-called undesirables. Get my drift?”

Mona smiled. “Very funny. What a clever choice of words. Maybe, I should be giving you the same advice.”

David laughed. “You’re just a little touchy, don’t you think? Hey, we all have to do things we don’t want to. You made your choices long ago and now unfortunately, a lot of people are paying for them. That’s just the way it is. You gotta deal with it, Mona.”

“I don’t have any other alternative, do I?” she complained.

“No, you don’t!” replied David. “Once you opened up that can of worms, you set everything else in motion. Too late for any regrets or change of heart. You’re in it until it’s all over.”

“That means her too,” Mona sighed wistfully, concern in her voice. “If only I could go back and change the past.”

“Well, you can’t.” He looked at his watch. “I’ve got to get back. It’s late.” They glanced at each other, quickly nodded and separated without another word.

I suddenly felt a variety of emotions, disappointment, being one of them. Maybe, I was jumping to conclusions. Maybe, they weren’t talking about me at all, but someone else. If so, who? Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anyone. Okay, so that left only me. Why me? But as I stood there watching them walk away, I had a sinking feeling it was most likely, you guessed it, yours truly.

David had me convinced he dealt in antiquities. Was that a ruse? For what? Was he ever really a widower? What was he involved in with Mona? What were they both planning? Who was he working for? Who was the other he they both referred to? Phil? Joey? Question marks flew everywhere.

Did I really want to get in deeper, putting myself at further risk? I thought back to the fear and determination in Mona’s eyes in the beginning when she first arrived. What was she afraid of? Why did she feel I was the only one she could turn to? She previously claimed she had no one else. If she only trusted me, then why did I suddenly feel my trust was being betrayed?

Like everything else in my past, this was something I had to figure out. Why? Because, as much as I hated to admit it, this involved me. I was completely wrapped up in their network of lies.

I thought I was simplifying my life and getting away from further distractions of intrigue. The past was the past, but I was wrong, and like once before, I was finding myself paying for those assumptions.

Raindrops began falling as I slowly made my way back to my car. I suddenly felt overshadowed by more than the ominous clouds overhead. I was more knowledgeable than I was before I arrived, but unexpectedly had a lot more to worry about, most notably, my safety.

I looked at my watch. One minute past one. The market was closing, and from what I just heard from overhearing Mona’s and David’s conversation, so were my questionable chances of solving this thing. And as usual, the clock on this thing was ticking away.

Chapter 41

A Clever Window Of Opportunity

I stood at the dining area window with my glass of wine. The Caesar salads were freshly prepared for dinner, and I had a minute to consider my situation as I looked out at the courtyard, streets and rooftops beyond. It was early evening. A siren could be heard in the distance, quickly approaching. It passed on down the block, its lights flashing. Fender bender? Swimming accident? Who knew? Life went on. Mine however, seemed on hold.

Trust me, I never went looking for trouble, but it always seemed to find me. I should be used to it by now. My current doubts had me questioning my competence. How would I pull off this clever task of prying information from David, a near-stranger, who seemed, in my opinion, a pro at nondisclosure and deception? Still, it might end up being the perfect opportunity to catch him off guard.

The doorbell rang. Mona and Martha were fortunately occupied elsewhere. I hurried on down to the foyer as composed as could be, not wanting to appear too eager for my impromptu invitation. If I had learned anything in the past, it was how to persuade information from others. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. I had a pretty good winning streak though that is if you bothered to keep score. I always did. It helped boost my self-confidence.

There stood David, flowers and wine in hand.

Was this guy polished, or what?

“Hi! Glad you could make it,” I greeted warmly. “Come on in. I’ve got everything ready on the table upstairs.”

“Thanks for the invitation,” he replied. “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”

I bet. “I have some Brie and fresh grapes for us outside and wine already chilled on ice.”

We sat out on the deck, talking about nothing special. The waves hit the beach and we watched the last rays of sunlight slowly fade behind us. For good measure, I finally lit a few candles to keep us company. I was pulling out all the stops. Expensive wine was first, and then chilled shrimp and Chicken Caesar salad. Believe me; I could lace a bowl with garlic among the best of them. My coup de gras? Crème Brule. A pretty good cook myself, I could be devious to get what I wanted too.

“So,” I said, edging my chair closer for a more intimate exchange, “I’d like to ask you something.”

I could tell the pricey French Cru had scored. He smiled, totally relaxed and mildly buzzed. “What?” he replied, thoroughly into the tranquil atmosphere I had created.

“I thought I saw you at the farmer’s market the other day. I was surprised because I didn’t expect to see you there. You know, being you’re so busy collecting all those art objects coming and going from that house of yours.”

David took another sip, or I should say, swig of his wine, and then he helped himself and poured some more. I could tell by his body language that he was stalling for something to say. “Well, how about that!” he finally said, sipping more of his wine.

What did that mean? ‘How about that!’ Exasperated, I pressed further. “What were you doing there? Shopping for another one of your irresistible recipes?”

His forced smile revealed he’d been caught red-handed. I was sure he was trying to come up with a believable excuse. As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t one good enough after what I heard that morning. I just wanted to see how he would spin this one. He was obviously prepared and went right to the heart of what suddenly lay between us.

“You saw me with Mona. I assume you haven’t asked her yet, right?”

I smiled. “You know, I knew there was some kind of cosmic connection with us from the very beginning. No, not yet, I’m asking you, first. I figured your answer might be more interesting.”

He turned, visually scrutinizing me, and then abruptly smiled. “You have a great sense of humor.”

I nodded. “So I’ve heard. After that whole ordeal I went through in the past year, that’s what kept me somewhat balanced, that and my writing.”

“But the truth finally ended all your uncertainty though, didn’t it?”

I went still. How did David know so much about me?

He stopped sipping his wine, wearing an expression of,

‘I think, I’ve just blundered.’

Even though disturbed by his slip of the tongue, I was more interested in how he knew. It reminded me of conversations with someone similar from my past. Clay. “Now, would be a good time to give me an explanation. Don’t you think?” I asked firmly.

He sipped more of his wine, hesitated, and then said, “…Mona told me.”

Knowing my name was one thing. This was different. “What else did she tell you?” I asked. For good measure, I also threw in, “I didn’t know you knew her.”

“I didn’t. We bumped into each other accidentally at one of the stands. She said she was visiting a friend, trying to decide what to make for dinner. She loved to cook and came to get inspired, and so, decided to give the market a try.”

I leaned forward, trying not to laugh. Obviously, inventive comebacks weren’t his forte. “Now, why would she confide in a total stranger, who by some twist of fate, conveniently happens to be my next door neighbor?” When he didn’t respond, I went on: “There’s only one thing wrong with that picture you describe. Mona doesn’t cook. She’s the supreme take-out queen. Weren’t you aware of that?”

“…I am now,” he replied, smirking sheepishly. “I thought I had you pegged, Samantha. Apparently, you’ve been observing closely, and know more than you’re admitting. I humbly now stand corrected.”

Been there. Heard that before. “Why are you here? How about some answers? You know, ones that are believable.”

“The less you know the better. You see, Mona’s gotten herself into a thorny situation.”

I finally had enough spin for one night. I stood, shoving my chair backward. “Let me try and guess.” I leaned in, invading his personal space, figuring, what the heck, let me take a shot at this. “You’re here to protect Mona? Right?”

He stood too, bent forward and leaned in closer, nose-to-nose, and then suddenly winked. “...No, Samantha. I’m here to protect …you!” He straightened and smiled. “…I guess this is where I exit stage right,” he added and did exactly that.

I stood there, wordless. I just had the perfect window of opportunity to learn something more and totally blew it!

Now, who was caught short for something clever to say?

Chapter 42

Moving Targets

I mentally replayed what David said and what he didn’t. The chilling implications threw me. Why was I being protected? From what? My knees felt weak as I stared out at the darkness and the ocean beyond, sipping my wine. I looked over at all I had prepared on the beautifully candle-shadowed table, where I’d foolishly buried any chance of plying my culinary skills. What a joke! Here I was honing in for the kill, and he just moved all the players.

Mona appeared in the terrace doorway. “…Hi,” she said uncertainly, as she slowly approached me.

“Hi, yourself,” I replied halfheartedly. I motioned to my harebrained culinary tactic going to waste. “Have you had dinner yet? My big evening fell through with a loud thud.”

“I know, he just called me on my cell. Look, I think we have to talk. I’ve put you in a precarious situation and I owe you some kind of explanation.”

I turned to face her. “Well, it’s about time!” I walked over to the table and sat down heavily.

Mona joined me. She looked at all the untouched food.

“Wow! This really smells great! I’m starved.” She grabbed David’s untouched plate and dug in heartily.

I was incredulous. “Mona! How can you eat? At least have the decency to fill me in first.”

She abruptly stopped, setting down her fork. “How about some wine then?” she asked, pointing to the almost empty bottle.

I shoved back from the table, got a glass, poured the rest of the wine into it, and not so gently placed it in front of Mona with a thump. “Okay! Explain! This better be good, too! I think I’ve been patient for an explanation regarding your bizarre behavior and actions long enough. Don’t you?”

She slowly sipped her wine, and then eyed me cautiously. “…Remember your last book involving Stephen’s death?

My breath caught. I didn’t like where she was going with this. “…Yes.”

Mona started fingering the edges of the tablecloth resting on her lap. “I don’t know exactly where to start.”

“How about at the beginning,” I said, leaning back.

“It’s a long story, but I’ll try and make it as brief as possible. I guess the whole thing started when I caught Joey’s company skimming big money from the bottom line and altering the spreadsheets. At first, I thought there was some kind of mistake. There wasn’t.

“He was altering my work after I initially input the numbers. I couldn’t believe it never dawned on him that after he left the office, I might recheck my own work once again just before it went upstairs into the safe. Intrigued by his strange behavior, I dug deeper, taking a closer look at other paperwork and then followed his sloppy paper trail. He became too trusting with me around his safe, figuring he had nothing to worry about.”

She took another sip of wine. “When I figured out what was going on, I confronted Joey, saying I was leaving because of what I found out. The whole operation was illegal, and I wanted nothing more to do with him or them. He laughed, saying it was too late. I couldn’t quit because I knew too much already. Besides, I had previously signed off on all those spreadsheets. And guess who would’ve taken the fall?”

“What happened then?” I asked, fascinated by her story.

“He thought he had me. What he didn’t count on was I had already made a disc for my own protection, showing the money trail going into a fictitious account and then being transferred on to an off-shore numbered account.

“You see, I became suspicious, after I realized there were two discs, one for the IRS and one for themselves after catching Joey on the sly, pocketing the original disc and replacing it with another, more sanitized version. That was when I compared the two discs.”

I sat there listening, rubbing my forehead, and then offered, “And so you were caught in a no-win situation.”

“You got that right. Sometimes, I’m my worst enemy, being too meticulous. Everything always had to be in its place, rechecked and in perfect order. Like you, I’m a Virgo to a fault! And to think at one point, I actually considered a permanent relationship with him! Sam, I was so naïve and stupid! Come to think of it, so was he for being so confident and letting incriminating material lie around, taking for granted that I’d never catch on.”

“Then what happened?” I asked, still mentally sorting all the facts and players.

“When I initially tried to walk, he threatened to kill me.”

“Did you go to the police?” I asked, in astonishment.

“No, I was reminded by Joey that he and his boss had close ties somewhere in the department. No way was I going down that road. So, I went to the FBI instead.”

My mind was doing double-time, trying to get a grip on what she was telling me. I had a slight inkling of what was next. “…Who was Joey’s boss?”

Mona hesitated, and then blurted, “…The mob.”

She quickly saw the look I threw her.

“…Sam, I swear, I had no idea. The FBI told me after I mentioned a few names. And to think I thought Joey was the idiot! I should have known better. I knew the job paid too well to be legitimate, but that? Then the final shoe fell.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“I got sloppy. Joey found Stephen’s address on my computer – I’d forgotten to delete it after I had arranged for pick up and delivery by the post office of the disc. He pretty much figured out what had to be in that package after I confronted him with what was really going on. Joey was nobody’s fool. Neither was I at that point. I had no other choice. Being scared to death, I up and ran.”

Somehow, I still wasn’t getting my connection to all this. “What does this have to do with me?” I asked.

“I’ll get to that. You see, the FBI put me in the witness protection program because I was filling them in on inside names, big time. I identified some Mafia made guys I had witnessed going in and out of their offices by photos. The big negative was afterward. Every time I moved, Joey somehow found me, so I had to get a new identity and move once again.”

I sat there, listening to her incredible story, but it sure seemed believable, as the facts were finally starting to fall into place. “That’s why you disappeared off the map and I couldn’t trace you!”

“Exactly! Then I gave my original disc to the FBI, but the morons who were assigned to me, lost it! Here I was, caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the mob, and no evidence to save my ass. Thank goodness, I mailed another back up copy to your husband, Stephen, as extra insurance for my own protection.

“…You what? But, where’s the disc? Stephen’s dead!”

“Well, Stephen emailed me that he stashed it in the puzzle, Sam. My problem is what do you think he meant by that? Any ideas?”

“…I’m not sure,” I said, unnerved by her words.

Mona stared at me. “I have absolutely no idea how they found out, but you need to figure out what Stephen meant because they’re now targeting you.” She paused. “…They think you have the disc with all their information on it.”

I sat there, stunned.

How could Stephen have possibly known that the book I wrote after he died would be called The Puzzle?

Chapter 43

Parceling Packages, Words & People

After lunch, I must have dozed off on my chaise lounge, again. I wasn’t sleeping well after that confession from Mona about the disc. Sleepless, night after night, I tried to figure out what I was supposed to be looking for. Even harder than that, where? I also double-checked my locks and alarm, jumping every time I heard a strange noise.

My ears perked up at the sound of the front door opening and closing. A minute later, I heard next to me, “Good Lordy! Look what the mailman just delivered.”

Startled, I sat upright. There stood Martha, staring down at me expectantly, holding out a plain brown, taped box. I took it, and guessing by the heft of it, immediately became suspicious.

Martha pushed my feet to the floor and sat down next to me. “Well? Are you going to open it? What could it be? Who could have sent it? Hey, help me out here, would you? I forgot my glasses! Where’s it from?”

“Hold on!” I said, slowly turning it over.

My last stomping grounds!

“It says, Highlands, North Carolina,” I replied. “Other than that, there’s no return name or address anywhere on it.” I tried to shake off an odd feeling I was getting. I could think of any number of people, but which one had sent it, and for what reason?

Martha was prepared with a knife to slit the tape. “Let’s see what’s in this baby. Here,” she said, handing it to me.

I looked at her. Her eyes were riveted on the box. “How convenient,” I chided.

She gently punched my arm. “You already know how nosy I am. Why would I change now? Come on! Start slicing that thing!”

Just then the doorbell rang. We silently turned and looked each other.

“Damn!” complained Martha. “What lousy timing!”

“I’ll get it,” I said, standing up. Martha could not tear her eyes from that box sitting on the chaise lounge. I could already visualize what would take place the minute I left it with her. “I think I’ll carry this with me,” I said laughing, and then quickly snagged it up in my hands.

The doorbell rang insistently again and again. Martha slumped in disappointment, knowing she would have to wait. “You might as well go see who it is,” she said, crestfallen.

I quickly descended the stairwell to the lower floor with Martha shadowing me closely. I guess she didn’t trust me with the box either. “Get rid of whoever it is,” she said. “Tell them we have more important matters to attend to.”

I turned toward her. “You know, patience is a virtue.” I turned back and open the door single-handedly.

Then stepped back hastily. I could hardly believe my eyes. There stood Betty and Hazel, the two elderly friends from Highlands, who worked in Clay’s bookstore.

“…What …are you two doing here?” I asked, moving to the side as they entered the foyer.

Peering over my shoulder, Martha gaped. “Well, I’ll be! If it isn’t the bookworms from Highlands.”

“Very funny,” said Betty, tucking in strays on her bun, and smoothing down her skirt. “That’s no way to treat friends, Martha. You know, sarcasm never did play well with me.”

“Who said we were friends?” laughed Martha. “Aren’t you two too old to be traveling all this distance all by yourselves?”

“Tsk! Tsk!” chastised Hazel, fussing with her slightly disheveled, curly gray hair. “We’re the same age as you, you old curmudgeon! You gave us the slip.”

I stared, as they went at it again, swiveling my head with each remark. Somehow, I had to take charge. “Ladies! Why the commotion? You’re friends! Why are you here?”

Betty stepped forward, pointing an accusing finger in Martha’s direction. “She waited until we were out of town and took off for your place without us. That’s what!”

“She promised not to leave without us,” accused Hazel. “We were in Atlanta visiting and she took off in the middle of the night. Because of that, we missed primo beach time.”

“Why, everybody knows it’s too early!” said Martha, eyeing me and winking. “This is New Jersey!” She laughed and then turned back to them. “It was a pretty good exit plan, though. Don’t you think? Besides, I had to get a jump on you two to get the first fish in the pond over at Atlantic City. You both have a reputation as geriatric magnets, and I couldn’t afford to take any chances. I needed an edge of at least a few weeks to maintain the goal I set for myself.”

I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. “Ladies, please! I…” I never finished, as I suddenly spotted luggage at their feet, lots of luggage. When was all that dragged in? I had fleeting thoughts of my still somewhat slim manuscript slowly fading into the sunset.

Martha shrugged. “Hey, we can settle this later. If we all pitch in, I think we can lug this stuff up the stairs.” She turned to me. “Which bedroom should I put them in?”

Like I really had a lot left to choose from.

I sighed. “There’s only one left, the one near the end of the hall. Is that okay, ladies?” I asked, as another small box was discreetly shoved into my hands.

“Why, that will be just fine, Samantha” replied Hazel. “Here, this gift is for you.”

“My! My! Will you look at this place!” exclaimed Betty, looking all around, as she began hefting some of her bags up the stairwell. “This place is definitely uptown!”

“Hey! Be careful!” warned Martha. “Watch the statues! Mark my words! They’re an accident waiting to happen!”

I juggled the two parcels as they all talked at once about the locals and gossip from back home in Highlands, catching snippets here and there as we slowly made our way up the stairs.

“…Hey, watch that suitcase!”

“You don’t say!”

“My word!”

“…Her?”

“Well! …I never would have guessed!”

“…Lordy!”

“What? …She’s pregnant?”

“…Must be something in the water.”

Chapter 44

Ketchup & Catch Up

“Hey, how about passing the ketchup,” ordered Martha. “It’s almost all gone!”

Dutifully, Betty handed it over. “You haven’t changed one smidgen. You still put ketchup on everything.”

Martha ignored her and smothered her hotdog and fries with the red gooey stuff. “…Whatever!” she huffed.

I had grilled a quick dinner, considering the unexpected company and the burgeoning population now occupying my house. I quickly defrosted hot dogs and burgers, tossed a salad, cut up some fruit and opened up a few bottles of chilled wine. It worked for me and, apparently, it worked for everyone else.

After a while, I hoisted my wine glass in the air where we were all seated around the table out on the deck. The air was mild and refreshing.

“I’d like to make a toast! Here’s to unexpected get-togethers. May they always bring good fortune!”

…I may have had one too many.

Mona was unusually silent. Everyone talked pretty much simultaneously, as remarks were thrown recklessly around to stir up trouble, while more wine was poured. She turned to me as we ate with question marks written all over her unspoken thoughts. Her raised eyebrows said, ‘explain!’

I leaned back, whispering, “Aren’t they great? I’ve missed all this chaos. This is what I tried to explain when I told you about these women from North Carolina. They know what they want and they go out and get it. Nothing stands in their crosshairs. They bond and verbally tangle all at the same time. God forbid a man should get in between! I’ve known a few that have. Trust me when I say, it wasn’t a pretty sight!”

Following some funny, but humiliating, stories and much laughter, the air was silenced by the loud intrusion of my doorbell ringing insistently, nonstop.

Everyone sat there. A lot of staring traveled around.

Martha reluctantly turned to me. “Should I get that?”

“No, I’ll get it. You sit tight. Excuse me everyone. I’ll be right back.” The clamor of conversation and laughter immediately resumed as more wine passed between them.

I eased my chair back after taking another sip for fortification. I was developing a strong aversion to answering the door and needed stimulus for whatever awaited me at the bottom of the stairs. I was a fast learner.

Well, maybe I wasn’t. But my past was my past. Eventually, I did get the message. I headed down the stairwell. My thighs were like steel lately from all this up and down. As I swung open the door, my jaw dropped.

There stood Barbara, all the way from North Carolina. She was without her significant other, Jack, my former house contractor in North Carolina, friend, and, believe me, as close as a member of a family can get.

“What are you doing…?” I said, shocked, unable to finish.

“How about, I’m glad to see you!” Barbara said, as she gathered me into a firm hug. Slim and athletic, with her dark hair gathered at her neck and dressed impeccably as usual, she handed me a package. “Jack tried to stop me, but I had to come and see what all the fuss was about with your ocean retreat. Besides, I missed you and didn’t think you would mind some extra company. Wow! This is really something you have here!” She looked around.

I stared down just then, noticing her luggage. “I can’t believe this!” I said, stepping back. My mind was racing, mentally scrambling where I could put her. Ah! The cabana with the convertible queen sleeper! It was the last room at the inn.

Barbara glanced up the stairwell. “What’s all that racket up there?”

“Like the old saying goes,” I replied, laughing. “The gang’s all here. Come on in. Let’s go up and catch up.”

Chapter 45

A Novel Mystery Of Three

After some more wine and an abundance of gossip, everyone gradually drew silent, and kept glancing at those three boxes in the middle of the table. Like an obvious cliché, the air was thick with anticipation. I sensed restlessness simmering all around me.

Mona, as usual, spoke first. “Well, Sam, what are you waiting for? Do you need a gold engraved invitation, or what? I’d be more than happy to rip them open myself.”

Then Martha chimed in. “I don’t know about you, but I’m sure I can speak for everyone here that we’ve all waited long enough.”

I turned toward Betty and Hazel. They demurely nodded, for once in total agreement with their reputed arch-rival, Martha.

How unusual.

“I had no idea you all were bringing something too!” exclaimed Barbara. “My, how exciting! And to think, I thought I was the only one delivering a package to Samantha.”

I turned to face Barbara. “What do you mean, delivering? Isn’t this your package?” I glanced down at the three boxes.

Why, they were all exactly the same size!

“Well, it’s really from Jack,” explained Barbara. “I told him that since I was coming here anyway, I would deliver it to you personally. I sure am curious about what it is.”

“You mean you don’t even know what’s in it?” I asked.

“Well no, not really. He wouldn’t let me peek either. But knowing Jack, I bet it’s something real special.”

Martha caught my eye. “Don’t forget the mystery box you received earlier today.”

“What mystery box? Which one on the table is that?” Mona asked, staring at the other two identical packages.

Martha pointed, as Mona quickly snatched it up, inspecting it more closely. “From Highlands, North Carolina,” she announced. “There’s no return name or address on it. That’s kind of odd.”

Betty turned to Hazel. “My gracious! How exciting! Three identical boxes! Why, this feels just like one of those mystery novels!”

Chapter 46

One For Money

I was about to grab the box that was delivered earlier in the mail when Martha immediately placed her hand on top of mine. “Wait! My money’s not on this one!”

We all turned to look at her, wondering what was up. “Why not?” I finally asked. “I thought you couldn’t wait to tear into this one the moment it was delivered.”

Martha’s eyes darted around the table. “Well, I didn’t expect you to receive three identical boxes. I only thought it might be fun to open them in reverse order. That’s all.”

“What do you mean, reverse order?” Sometimes, I couldn’t figure where Martha was coming from because she challenged all coherent, rational thought processes.

“Why not open the boxes starting with the last one delivered and work your way up to the first. It might be more interesting. How about it, girls?” Martha eyed all the women seated at the table.

I could tell, as they all nodded vigorously, they were into the secretive three-box idea and what they might contain too. To tell you the truth, at this point, I was itching myself, eyeing the blade of the knife that was lying innocently on the table next to me. “Fine! That works for me!” I replied impatiently.

I quickly slid the last box over to where I sat at the table. I picked up the knife and gingerly slit along the tape that bordered the edges. I glanced up. All eyes were riveted on my hands and the package. I set the knife down and started to lift the flaps and then slowly removed the tissue paper. All of them cautiously leaned in.

“Oh!” I gasped, as I looked inside.

It was the former glass framed picture of Stephen that I had smashed against a wall in frustration and anger after his death. The sight of it hit me like a blow to my solar plexus. My eyes teared up as I gently pulled it out of the box. It was now set in a frame that was made from intricately carved dark walnut. I couldn’t speak. Not one damn word.

Martha said, “Why, Sam, that frame is just perfect. Jack sure picked a real winner there.”

Barbara leaned forward. “I hope Jack didn’t offend you for doing this. He has a good heart, Sam. I’m sure he meant well.”

I lightly ran my fingers over the delicately carved frame. I smiled, remembering. “No. It was a very thoughtful gesture on his part, doing this for me.”

Hazel cleared her throat. “Remember his legacy to you was a belief in a future full of possibilities. Why, Jack chose just the right gift.”

“I agree,” said Betty. “He will always be a part of your history, Sam. Don’t ever forget that. I think it was a very appropriate and touching thing for Jack to give.”

Mona smiled. “Sam, they’re absolutely right. Even though you were left with a void in your life, it’s been transformed into so much more, with people who care about you and love you. Don’t ever feel that you’re alone. Not anymore.”

Martha coughed loudly. “…Okay everybody, let’s not get too lovey dovey here,” she remarked. “Like your life, Sam, I think it’s time to move on to the rest of what lies before you.” She pointed to the two remaining boxes. “I don’t know about anyone else, but my curiosity is just about killing me. Somebody pour me some more of that Pinot Grigio! Let’s get moving and get this show on the road!”

I wiped away a tear and laughed. For some inexplicable reason, Martha’s flighty impatience always kept me grounded in a crazy sort of way. “…I’m game!” I agreed. “Where’s that knife?”

“A toast!” announced Martha. “To unexpected surprise packages! The first of which was one for the money!”

Chapter 47

Two For Show

Hazel and Betty slowly nudged box number two in my direction. They were as antsy as two kids in a candy store, their eyes reflecting excitement.

I grabbed the knife, and was about to make my first slit, when Betty’s next words threw a wrench into the mix of emotions that were already churning around inside of me.

“We hope you like it,” she said. “We just can’t wait to see what it is!”

I started and then stopped mid slit. “What do you mean? You don’t know what is in yours either?”

“It’s not from us,” replied Hazel, eyeing Betty, and then smiling and winking at her in approval.

I got the ‘I didn’t like what I was feeling,’ warning sign. “Who is this from then?”

“Why, your former neighbor, and our boss at The Book Worm, Clay, asked us to give it to you.”

I dropped the knife. Was this some kind of joke? “You’re kidding me! Right?” Even I knew when something wasn’t in the cards, you moved on. First Stephen, and then Clay.

“No. Go ahead and pick up the knife and get to it, young lady! I can feel myself aging right here on the spot,” chastised Hazel. “Now, come on, Sam. You’re driving us all crazy.”

A slight tremor started in my right hand and quickly spread to my other. The lure of opening these boxes abruptly lost its’ appeal. I began slicing the tape slowly, postponing the inevitable, suddenly reluctant to face the unknown.

Why?

Because death made me doubt everything. Ignorance was not bliss. What I thought was permanent, wasn’t. Like before, my trust factor was of two minds. Long-term commitments were history and currently not on my radar. I was only avoiding a lot of hurt that I didn’t want anymore.

I lifted one flap, and then the other, peering in. Everyone else held their collective breath. “Oh,” I exclaimed, as I got a good look at what it contained.

“What?” Martha asked. “Come on. Tell us, Sam.”

Mona eagerly peered over my shoulder. “Well, I’ll be!”

Martha got up and came over right behind her. “You can say that again!”

The others started to talk all at once.

“Come on!”

“What is it?”

“Can we see too?”

I sat back relieved, but still perplexed. I leaned in, taking it out. It was a framed painting under glass of a woman alone on a beach wearing a long dress and holding a parasol. Long ago, I had mentioned how I always wanted to be alone at the beach to work and think things through. It was tied with yellow ribbon with a note tucked underneath the knot.

“Tell us what is says, Sam!” prodded Barbara.

Mona laughed. “We’re all friends. Come on!”

I felt nervous vibes from both Hazel and Betty, who sat patiently waiting across the table. I tore it open and read the computer printed note out loud.

“Life, like a puzzle, eventually with the passing of time, reveals the whole picture, its significance and its worth, but only to the one interpreting its importance. Your caveat? Forget the big picture and examine the grains of sand; the small pieces.”

His note fascinated me, but gave me a chill at the same time. “How odd!”

“How mysterious!” said Hazel and Betty simultaneously.

“Well, if that isn’t the strangest note I have ever heard in my life,” exclaimed Mona, shaking her head. “Sounds like something from a Chinese fortune cookie, only longer.”

Hazel leaned in after casting a quick glance at a nodding Betty. “All we know is that Clay said, considering the timing and the circumstances, Stephen would have thought it a fitting gift to give you now.”

“It sounds like he might be speaking between the lines,” offered Barbara. “You know, like in a riddle? It was sort of cryptic, don’t you think? I wonder what he actually meant?”

Me? I had no idea what it meant. I only knew that I was unsettled by his words. Like Stephen, he knew me well, but not as well as he thought he did. I felt like ants were crawling all over me. I was itching to change where I was sitting at this table called my life. What was I missing? What exactly did he mean by those words in his note? I found them disturbing.

So far, Martha observed everything silently, but finally voiced her opinion. “That man always intrigued me from the moment I laid eyes on him when he was just a child. One thing I have learned about Clay, he never offers personal observations lightly.” She looked directly at me. “This only goes to show, Sam, he’s suggesting you two aren’t finished yet.”

That, I found even more disturbing.

Chapter 48

Three, Are You Ready?

“No!” said Mona unexpectedly, as I was about to reach for the third box. “Don’t open that yet!”

I pulled my hand back sharply, startled by her sudden outburst. I was as jumpy as a cat in a dark alley.

“…What?” I asked, somewhat tentatively. “Don’t you want me to open the last one?” Was I still reading too much into everyone’s behavior, my own included?

“I do,” Mona replied, “It’s just that I need a refill. I’m out of wine. See? My glass is empty!”

I looked her in the eye, but she conveniently shifted her gaze toward the third box.

Hmmm. Was she stalling for time? Why?

I wondered if she knew what was in box number three. But then again, how could she? It was postmarked from Highlands. She had been living with me.

My brain instantly started jumping all over. Didn’t she say she gave Stephen the disc? But then, she said he told her he had hidden it in my book. How could that be? He was dead before I wrote and finished my last book, The Puzzle.

How did he hide something in my book before he even knew it existed?

“Thank you,” Mona said, after Martha refilled her glass.

Martha, impatient as always, shoved the third box in front of me. “This makes number three, Samantha. Are you ready?”

You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone’s eyes were riveted on the third box. Even I felt the tension as I gradually slit the last of the tape on the box. I took a deep breath and slowly lifted the two flaps. “What the…?”

Mona quickly shoved her chair back and stood to get a better view of what I was stuttering about. The others quickly followed suit. We all stood there silently staring down. The only thing in that box was a single disc in its plastic case, all by itself at the bottom.

Chapter 49

Getting Under My Skin

“Well, I’ll be!” said Barbara, laughing. “This whole thing was starting to get under my skin with everyone so jumpy and all! Now, who would have guessed such a little thing was inside that oversized box?”

Hazel shook her head in amusement. “Someone sure has a strange sense of humor!”

“You can say that again!” exclaimed Betty.

“He’s a hunk!” laughed Martha. “’No age barriers in that department!”

“I don’t get it,” added a confused Mona. “Why such a big box for such a small item?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, mystified.

We were all staring down at a Michael Buble disc. His picture was inside the cover of the plastic case. I checked the outside of the box again. The package was sent anonymously, having had no return sender’s name.

“Who would send me such a gift?” I asked. Then goose bumps rose on my arms.

Could this possibly be what I thought it was?

“Why, he’s one of my favorite singers,” said Martha, quickly reaching into the box, and extracting the plastic case. “Well, let’s play this baby! He’s sure got a sexy voice.”

Mona pushed back from her seat at exactly the same time as I did. Apparently, our minds were suddenly on the same wavelength.

Was it the disc Mona had mailed to Stephen? If so, who had mailed it?

If it was what we thought it was, than nothing would be playing on that thing because it was only a computer disc with numbers on it. I couldn’t believe this was happening to us. We both scrambled after Martha, who was heading straight for my disc player.

“We’re supposed to be having a good time here.” Martha said, laughing as she darted into the family room. “Why not add a little atmosphere?”

For a senior citizen, she sure moved in a flash. By the time Mona and I came to a screeching halt behind her, she had already deposited it into the machine and pushed play.

Mona and I just stared, holding our breath, open-mouthed, as music unexpectedly started playing and Michael began to sing his heart out with a classic Sinatra song.

Chapter 50

Chain Reaction

“Well, last night’s events were a complete nerve-racking bust,” said Mona grumpily.

It was the next morning, and other than singing along with Michael Buble and his music, the prior evening ended on a restrained note with everyone finally heading off to bed, looking forward to an early stroll on the boardwalk the next day.

Just in case one of the others returned, Mona and I were sitting out on the deck, sipping coffee by ourselves where no one would hear us discussing the prior evening. We were tossing opinions back and forth and getting nowhere.

“By the third box,” I said, still frustrated, “you and I had the same thoughts. For a minute there, I thought we might have been lucky enough to hit pay dirt. My biggest fear was the others getting involved and putting them at risk.”

“Me too,” replied Mona. “But it felt sort of exciting when we both thought we may have located the missing disc.”

“But what I don’t understand is why Stephen didn’t say something to me?” I asked, mystified.

“Maybe, to keep you safe on the off chance someone made a connection down the line? I don’t know. But from what you’ve explained about his workaholic attitude, I can also see why it wasn’t his main concern at that particular time.

“Besides, Stephen was an accountant and had tons of discs lying around too. I guess he figured, what were the odds of anyone tying me to him? And on top of that, where would they even start looking if they did find out? It would be like looking for a needle in a hay stack, one disc among all the others.”

“You might be right,” I said.

“Plus,” Mona added. “Our only contact was by email and then I sent him the disc. So, he let it go and forgot about it. Everything was going like clockwork until Joey discovered Stephen’s email and address on my computer for the mailed disc.”

I nodded. “And Stephen had no way of knowing that.”

“Exactly! That’s probably why Stephen never gave it a second thought.” replied Mona. “He felt all was safe.

I sighed. “Who could’ve predicted Stephen’s totally unexpected death would have ultimately changed both of our futures so drastically? It’s like a chain reaction gone terribly wrong with me unfortunately now ending up on their radar.”

Why did Stephen tell her he put it in my book? Where was it?

Chapter 51

Stop! In The Name Of Who?

I hopped on my bicycle and pedaled down to the Ocean City library to pick up a book Martha had reserved on line. After previously proving her abilities as a senior hi-tech wizard in the past, she now had her own laptop that she traveled with. Dying from curiosity about Martha’s requested book, I volunteered to pick it up. I was keeping an eye on all of them. It was also a perfect excuse to get my fix.

I still had to get up close and personal, wandering among the stacks and scanning the volumes of authors, both present and past, always drawn like a magnet to their names. I’ve collected some great ones over the years, snatching them up from various book sales that libraries usually held once a year, depending on where I was at the time. Markets were another great source too. You’d be surprised what I’ve found and seen at some markets.

Well, you already have, haven’t you?

To tell you the truth, I was also in awe of the ‘me’ department. I got a kick out of walking up to my own titles on the library shelves, still in disbelief over the fact that people read my books. I always marveled at my name in print, remembering back when I was younger, daydreaming about being one of those authors people couldn’t wait to snatch up and read when their next book came out. But times had definitely changed. Digital books on readers were everywhere, even on the beach.

I was running my finger along a few of the spines when I heard whispers of conversation from behind the next stack across from where I was standing. I couldn’t see their faces, but I knew those voices. My finger froze. The infamous book worms!

“Listen Betty,” whispered Hazel, excitedly. “This could get dangerous, but we don’t have a choice, do we?”

“No, we don’t!” replied Betty. “I just don’t know if Sam buys our excuse for coming here in the first place. She’s a smart cookie and very perceptive. After all she’s been through in the last year. This might be a hard… What’s that word they use in those detective novels? Oh yes! …case to crack and figure out, especially after Martha’s phone call.”

“Something’s up!” replied Hazel. “Did you watch Sam the night we were all around the table with those boxes? Her eyes were a dead giveaway. She’s afraid of something. I’m sure of it. She’s being close to the vest on this one, but I’m sure we’ll figure out something. Only this time, I’m not certain we should fill her in yet.”

“Heck,” chuckled Betty. “We’ve pulled off working undercover before. No one ever suspects two sweet old ladies of being a sneaky lot. Eavesdropping has become our specialty. I truly believe it’s a gift that not too many people can get away with today because of our public image. Why, we look as innocent as saints!”

“Yes!” said, Hazel, stifling a laugh. “People talk right in front of us, like we’re deaf, too old, or too stupid to understand their shifty ways.”

“What are we supposed to do about this David fellow?” asked Betty, suddenly.

“I’m not sure. Antiquities my foot!” huffed Hazel. “Only thing old about him is his age.”

“Might be a tad too mature for Samantha, though,” charged Betty. “What do you think?”

“He is one good-looking man, though” sighed Hazel. “If only we were a little younger!”

“Now, Martha on the other hand,” Betty countered, “is dating that Roland fellow. He sounds like a geriatric case if you ask me.”

“What is with her?” asked Hazel. “She’s proving to be absolutely no competition at all.”

“Forget her for now. We’d better stay focused on this David fellow,” ordered Betty. “I’ve seen the way he keeps eyeing Samantha. Why, it downright gives me the willies!”

“By the way, said Hazel. “I checked out his license plate like you suggested. And you know what? You will never guess in a million years. That 1965 Mustang convertible of his, he’s been driving all over town, is registered in the name of Pat Sterling, that real estate agent who works for that fellow Bill, who owns that agency, and…”

Betty held up her hand. “Whoa! Stop! Back up a minute. It’s registered in the name of who…?”

Chapter 52

Rationalizing Relationships

I was still standing there after the two of them had abruptly left the library. Some guy approaching the area spooked them. My mind was trying to untangle what I overheard. So far, it was undeniable that, when seen, David and Pat were on a so-called…business date?

But what was with the car thing? Why was it registered in her name? I thought Bill introduced the two of them for the purpose of Pat showing David the local landscape and what it had to offer. Obviously, those two were treading different terrain.

For what reason?

Offhand, I couldn’t think of one. Another thread was still working its way through my thoughts and still going nowhere. David said he was sent to watch out for me. Why?

For who?

My mind was making leaps here and maybe there was more to this than I was willing to consider.

I’d seen Mona and David meeting secretly at the market. That was relationship number one.

Not so innocent.

Then there was the meeting of Pat and David at one of the casino bars. That was relationship number two.

Innocent enough at the time.

In the meantime, David had been driving Pat’s car, as though it was his very own.

Was it innocent coincidence? Explainable?

The third relationship, a few years ago, was with Mona and Pat. That was confirmed by both of them.

That sent me to a strange fourth relationship, one between Mona and Stephen.

One of convenience? One of greed?

Then Mona finally revealed she mailed the disc to Stephen to protect herself from the last relationship on my list, one between Mona and Joey.

A potentially dangerous one?

But now that Stephen was dead, I was left with a question that was still proving harder to answer.

Who had the disc? Supposedly, it was yours truly, me.

I felt like I was making inroads, but traveling nowhere. Same old. Same old. I knew there had to be something else Mona wasn’t disclosing. Come to think of it, there was probably a lot she wasn’t disclosing.

I had explanations, reasons, and some corroboration. This whole thing was wearing thin on me. Who was telling the truth and who was lying? What a quagmire! And to think I was trapped in the middle. Who would have guessed I would be ensnared in another complicated web of deception?

Sound rational to you? I didn’t think so!

Chapter 53

Transmitting Information & Infectious Contagion

Now, I know this sounds crazy, but some individuals you can’t envision being inside a library. The in your face Harley girl was high on that list. I could just about picture her anywhere, but not there. And I have a pretty good imagination.

Trust me on that one.

I could see her in a bar, casino, athletic event, or riding a motorcycle, which she does very skillfully by the way, but in a library? That would not be the first thing that would pop into my mind.

That’s why I was thrown off kilter when I smacked into her the minute I whipped around to go grab Martha’s reserved book and make a fast exit to get back to my laptop and my writing before I forgot any of their conversation.

I stepped back in surprise. “…Crystal?”

She smiled. “Shocked?”

“Sort of,” I said, still trying to get over finding her there.

“I’m known as the local oxymoron, a rebel with a soft spot for literacy.”

What was I supposed to say? “…Well I…it’s just that…seeing you here sort of threw me.”

Crystal was clearly enjoying having caught me off guard. “Unexpected, huh? I volunteer here a couple of hours a week on the computer, cataloging books. No heavy lifting required. You know me with my chronic back problems. Gotta be careful. Sometimes I…” On and on she went.

It was hard to believe, but had to be true. I eyed her up and down. How long had she been standing behind me? Had she heard what Betty and Hazel said too?

I took a calming breath. Here we go again. I was starting to get that paranoid feeling in the pit of my stomach. My brain cells and intuition were kicking me for attention. Too many people were popping up in the strangest places in this town. Why?

Now that I had a personal stake in this since my skin was in the game, I needed to put into perspective these unusual sightings that were unsettling. Why were certain individuals materializing in these unexpected places?

I slowly made a move to edge away from her rant to pick up the book that Martha had waiting at the main desk. “…Well,” I said. “I’d better grab that book I came for and get moving. I have to get back to write.”

“Oh! By the way,” Crystal said, trying to keep a straight face. “Tell Martha her book on infectious diseases is ready for pick up.”

I stood there mute, struggling for a clever retort that obviously wasn’t forthcoming.

Crystal finally burst out laughing. “I bet those women will be the death of you yet, Sam.”

“No, I figure I’ll probably die of embarrassment first.”

I slowly walked away considering future alternatives.

Do libraries deliver?

Chapter 54

Paradigms And Paradoxes

Silence ruled our relationship since my last words with David. It spoke volumes about what was left unsaid between us. Ever since that last incident, my suspicions and the contradictions in his behavior were flourishing.

His last admission of watching out for me disturbed me more than anything else he could have revealed. I couldn’t shake the sense of unease after that. What was he watching out for? My main objective was finding out why that subject wasn’t open for discussion with him.

Mona felt certain that Joey thought I had the disc.

The reason? Originally, Joey linked Stephen to all of this, and then after Stephen’s unexpected car accident, me.

The culprit? That fateful email with Stephen’s address. Now, I’m asking myself. What was Mona thinking in being so careless like that?

Even I knew that’s what the delete key was for!

I had more than enough time to think about the other implications as far as my wellbeing was concerned. Could I trust David at his word? Was he really looking out for me? If I was in danger, I’d like a little warning about what I was in for. Well, giving it second thoughts, maybe not.

Who could have possibly asked him to do this? I was at a loss in that area too. Mona didn’t have the wherewithal to hire anyone. Where would she get the money?

So, did David owe her a favor? Why was David involved with Mona? This intricate web of connections left me at a distinct disadvantage, and was starting to get on my nerves.

Big time.

My doorbell rang. I smoothed back my ponytail and slowly opened the door. There stood the biggest oxymoron of all, Mr. I-don’t-know-your-girlfriend, -but-I-sure-do-talk-to-her-all-the-time-kind-of-guy, David.

His smile could melt hearts, I was sure. Not mine. I don’t go there anymore. When I was itching for some answers, I scratched my intuition instead. No sir!

I was now on the lookout for patterns and inconsistencies.

Chapter 55

Making Clever Imaginative Choices

David stood there, smiling cheerfully. In one hand was a picnic basket, in the other, a bottle of wine.

Hmmm. My first clue!

“Ready?” he asked, laughing and holding open the foyer door for me. “I thought I’d entice you with one clue for you to think over while we ride.”

“Clue to what?” I asked, alert.

“A clue to figure out where we’re going.”

“Hmm,” I greeted, already thinking hard. Then it dawned on me. Ocean City was a dry town. No alcohol. Not even the restaurants served it. “We’re going off island.”

Earlier, he had asked if I was available and open for a picnic. Hey, I’m clever enough to know when to jump at an opportunity staring me in the face. Besides, I wasn’t doing well in the shadowing department anyway.

Nothing new had popped up on my screen and the ‘girls,’ mind you, and I’m using that term loosely here, I figured, were currently in Atlantic City trying their luck. Now, whether that meant with gambling or men I wasn’t quite sure. If Martha had her say, it probably meant both.

“Sure,” I had earlier replied to David. “I’m game.”

Crystal was upstairs with her cleaning crew. She said she would lock up and set the alarm when she was finished. I was currently at a stalemate in my book too, not sure which direction I was taking the storyline.

Or, to phrase it more accurately, which way it was taking me. Hopefully, it was toward a safe conclusion. At the moment, I was scavenging for the smallest crumb of information that might lead me anywhere, except not back to square one.

I heaved a sigh of relief. No Harley was in sight in the courtyard. Not that I had anything against riding it, but I didn’t want to tempt fate with someone out there thinking I might have that notorious disc. I did not want to be someone’s ‘accident’ waiting to happen. I smiled. “Well, do I at least get another clue as to where it might be?”

“It involves animals,” he said, and then laughed when he saw my double take at hearing his reply.

“Animals? Sounds interesting.” Now, I used to be an insecure person and kind of fearful in the past. So, I half expected a relapse kind of reaction due to my tendency to get into situations deeper than I had originally intended. But this time, I chose to ignore that old feeling by confidently walking right over and getting into his car.

A half an hour later we exited off the New Jersey Garden State Parkway, made a right, and drove past the sign that read Cape May Zoo, directly ahead. I turned to him, surprised for a second time that day. “The zoo?”

“Hey, what better place to have a picnic?” he laughed. “It’s such a beautiful day, too. I bet you haven’t even taken the time to come here yet, have you?”

“I’ve been too busy keeping other animals at bay,” I replied, waiting for him to take the bait. If he was keeping an eye out for me, I wanted to know why. And his reason better be good. As for the zoo, I was reserving any final judgment on that one.

After glancing over and watching him as we drove through the entrance, I suddenly had a change of heart. He was a good-looking guy in a dangerous kind of way. My reasons and their importance could wait until later.

Been there. Done that before.

But then I smiled, realizing what a great opportunity I had on my hands. The only difference this time was that my mysterious male friend/adversary? was more mature and mellow, but probably once again, would prove to be just as complicated. Maybe, I should be winging this self-styled interrogation instead and see exactly where it led me.

He turned to me, flashing one of his effortless smiles. “I’ll park here. We can grab a picnic table under the shade of that tree over there,” he said, pointing. “More privacy.”

I glanced around after we were finally settled. “Nice place. You’re right. It’s a spectacular day to be outdoors.”

He smiled slyly. “I have a rep for arranging surprises.”

I, on the other hand, wondered what else he had a rep for. “Have you been here before?” I asked. “It’s an unusual place for a picnic.” But as I uttered those remarks, I noticed a lot of other people with families, also setting tables and firing up their grills for their own picnics.

“I picked up a brochure downtown,” David said, removing the cork from the bottle and filling my glass with wine. “I’m open to the totally unexpected. How about you, Samantha?” Then he raised his glass in a toast. “To zoos and picnics!”

Intrigued by our unique destination, I raised my glass, responding with my toast. “Clever choice! Imaginative!”

Chapter 56

Lions, Tigers & What? Oh No!

The Cape May zoo took an unusual approach. No entrance fee, just donations. I liked that. Maybe people would tend to be more generous that way. We had finished sharing the bottle of wine after eating crusty French bread, slathered with cherry topped Brie and some sliced chilled fruit. It was an elegant, but simple zoo picnic.

Then we started off toward the entrance of the actual zoo itself, stopping to chat with a county sheriff on horseback who was patrolling the woods and foot trails. Off to the side, I noticed a small train ride and carousel filled with small children. Finally, we stopped to speak to a few zoo personnel to get acquainted with the layout of the park before entering.

Workers and volunteers kept it clean and tidy and were very informative about the animals they were responsible for. The monkeys were adorable, as were the goats, eating out of our hands through the fencing, feeding on special food pellets available in dispensers along the walkways.

We couldn’t believe all the numerous exhibits, amazed by the assortment of animals and species for a zoo of that size. Sometimes we found ourselves encased under a towering canopy of trees, while numerous elevated walkways afforded everyone a better overall view of the larger animals that were encased below in assorted caged fenced in areas on ground level for everyone’s protection. As the animals stared back at us, I laughed, thinking, who was observing who?

Midway, we entered another raised walkway section where a female tiger lounged on an elevated platform inside a spacious two-story wire cage. A small crowd had gathered. I wedged my way through, as I stared, leaning into the wooden railing, feeling it sway, as the excited crowd pressed forward to catch a glimpse. How regal she looked, while still keeping a watchful eye on her offspring, who were wandering around on the ground pacing the perimeter of their caged enclosure.

Off to my left, I heard a loud crack and turned to look. Suddenly, I was thrown off balance, as I plunged several feet to the ground below and landed with a painful thud. Confusion reigned with everyone backing up, screaming and yelling.

Down below the crowd, I shook my head, confused, the wind knocked from my lungs. What hap…? I rolled over, collapsing back onto the dirt, slightly disoriented, as my one arm smacked hard against the wire caged pen. The threat, eyeing me from nearby, hadn’t occurred to me yet.

David’s image came into view. “Sam, are you okay?”

I nodded with sporadic, fluttering breaths. “…Dav…

He leaned in real close. “It’s okay, Sam. I’ve got you.”

Growling erupted and fur brushed against my skin, just as David snatched my hand back from the wire fencing, and quickly swept me up in his arms. With the help of others, I was carefully hoisted to the walkway, while zoo personnel tried to distract the mother who possessively paced, roaring territorially and slamming against the cage with her claws. Arms reached for me, and I was finally handed over and set down on the elevated viewing area from where I had fallen. David was pulled up next.

“How could that have happened?” an employee asked. He looked over toward the railing that had detached from its posts. “Are you okay, Miss?” he asked, nervously.

People were shoving to get a closer glimpse at us, but were politely asked to leave so that the zoo personnel could secure the area and repairs could be made. I slowly turned back, watching the mother tiger growl and pace along her cage.

That was one pissed momma!

I was eased into a sitting position, finally breathing comfortably and propped up against David’s chest. He held me firmly, still visibly shaken by the whole event. Smudged with dirt, and still dazed, I told the employee I was fine and then finally turned to David. “Thanks for the rescue.”

“I didn’t have to think twice. I just jumped,” he replied.

“Well, it was brave,” I whispered, trembling from the ordeal. “…And risky, jumping down to get me out.”

Then, I swear, I saw his big brown eyes tear up, as relief washed over him when I reassured him again that I was fine.

I nudged him. “You did well today. Score one for the neighbor.”

He finally cracked a smile. “Believe me, I couldn’t afford the loss,” he said, giving me a gentle squeeze on my arm.

I waved off further assistance from the others and with David’s arm wrapped around me for support, we slowly headed back to where his car was parked in the lot.

I tried to shake off the bad feeling that still lingered, but I was having a hard time doing it. “That was one for the books,” I said to David. “Well, my book anyway.”

After a long pause, David finally said, “…Sam that could’ve ended up… You are one lucky person.”

I turned to face him, frowning and still processing what had happened back there, shivering once again. “Yeah, I guess you could say I was lucky.”

But it still didn’t change the fact that I was pushed.

Chapter 57

Sweet Cirque de Home

As David made the last turn onto my street, we were greeted by flashing lights and police cars parked at odd angles in front of my house. He slowed to a stop as Crystal marched over and greeted us at the base of the driveway. The courtyard gate was wide open.

I leaned across David, calling to her, “What’s going on? What happened, Crystal?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a policeman gradually making his way over. I also noticed a crowd had gathered on the boardwalk ramp to watch the spectacle.

Crystal bent down by the driver’s window. “As usual, I set the alarm when we were finished and shut the gate. Apparently, someone was watching us leave, and after we drove away, they broke in and ripped the place apart and then took off. They were obviously familiar with how long it takes the cops to respond to a break-in around here.”

It was then that Crystal noticed my dirt-smudged face and scraped arms. “What the hell happened to you?” She turned toward David, suspicious, ready to challenge him.

He raised his hands in self-defense. “I swear I had nothing whatsoever to do with her injuries.”

I quickly gave her a rundown of my unfortunate mishap at the zoo. “I’m fine,” I reassured her several times, as she shook her head in worry and disbelief.

By that time, the cop had worked his way over to David’s car. Crystal hustled and stepped around to my side to help me out. David jumped out, rounding to my side too. Identification was established and we were led inside to assess the damage.

“What a mess!” I moaned, surveying closets ripped apart, pulled out drawers and discarded books on the floor.

One of the cops approached me during the fingerprint dusting process, asking, “You know, you look sort of familiar. I think I’ve may have already been here before.”

I smiled sweetly, “Could be. I can’t keep track myself.”

David turned to me. “What did that mean?”

“It’s a long story.” I could already see that it was going to be a very long night.

Through all the chaos, I found out from Crystal that the monitoring station had apparently called me, but like an idiot, I forgot to turn on my cell when I left the house, so they called Crystal, who was next on the list. She had just crossed over the bridge and was off the island when she got the call and returned as quickly as traffic allowed her to.

I felt drained as I faced the cleanup of all the carnage before me, in addition to the nagging soreness from my so-called accident at the zoo. My original vision of a solitary sojourn at the beach for peace and quiet to write had turned out like one of my books. This one was going to be a hard sell. No one would believe one word of it. I knew for a fact, I didn’t. I did some quick mental deliberation, thinking of alternatives in literary license… Maybe I could dress it up a little.

I pressed my fingers to my closed eyes, rubbing them. Angry, I considered my current situation. While I was at the zoo getting up close and personal with the local tiger, someone was violating my security. I stood there silently, thinking of all the possibilities. Random, or most likely the elusive disc. It was obvious they came up empty handed because I didn’t have it.

There seemed to be a commotion going on at the front door. We all turned to see what was it was.

“I certainly will not back off!” shouted an irate Barbara. “You have to let us in this minute. Samantha needs us!”

“Well, I never!!” said an indignant Betty. “Why…I do believe, I’ve just been violated!” Her face was flushed scarlet.

“Young man! Watch your hands!” complained Hazel. “Will you step back, please? This is our home too!”

“Listen, buster, I live here!” Martha said to the overwhelmed, and at that point, flustered officer at the door.

Martha finally broke through and came to a halt where we stood, quickly scanning the mess. “Sweet almighty, Sam! It looks like the circus just stomped through your home!”

Chapter 58

Tossing More Than Clichés & Conversations

It took us hours to clean up. The cops were long gone and we were exhausted, sitting around the table, still sipping coffee after eating a sack of subs from Sack o’Subs. David was history, having left earlier, not feeling comfortable in a room with so many women. Crystal said, her husband was working the night shift again. Which left Mona, who arrived later on, to be shocked by the retelling of the zoo incident and break in.

Everyone had strong opinions on the subject. I, on the other hand, had none. No one knew what actually happened at the zoo, only that I had fallen through some loose fencing. I surveyed my friends at the circular dining table, with their unpredictable natures, which consisted of two senior bookworms, one very pushy employee, one tattooed Harley librarian, a dear friend, and a former one.

After a long stretch of nothing, while each of us pondered the situation, Barbara finally spoke up. “And to think, I thought you might be bored and needed some company. After hearing all those stories when I first arrived, and after what happened today, I’m suddenly of a different opinion.”

Martha laughed. “It sure makes you think twice about how lightening strikes more than once.” She turned in my direction. “Doesn’t it?” As usual, her eyes did all the talking.

“It’s gotten my juices going!” Betty added. “Why, it gives a whole new meaning to getting burned at the beach.”

I tried to pay attention, but my mind was still replaying that day’s zoo incident. I shuddered at the mental visuals.

“You all right?” Hazel asked, getting ready to jump up and tend to my needs.

I held up a hand. “It’s nothing, just a chill, that’s all”

She sat back down. “I still can’t believe you were a victim of a random hit.” She turned to Betty and asked. “I said that terminology correct didn’t I?”

Betty patted her friend’s hand and nodded. “Yes, you got it just right! They sure tossed this place good.”

“It’s odd how both incidents happened on the same day,” Martha prodded, looking at me for some kind of reaction.

That woman loved to push personal parameters. I swear, she said more with her notorious look alone, while her mind worked overtime. I started to fidget in my chair, clearly uncomfortable under her x-ray vision. I figured she was probably guessing with her last remark, and knew she would try and pin me down another time when we were alone.

My brain was already trying to come up with what I was going to tell her and the others. I couldn’t tell any of them the truth about being pushed because I didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm them until I had a better handle on the situation. Maybe I was wrong and the hand I felt wasn’t a push, and I was jumping the gun. Maybe, I could soft-shoe around the truth. No. She was too smart for that, as well as the others. Suddenly, my confidence started gaining momentum, the more I thought about it.

Why, I was a writer! My life revolved around fiction. I would just make something up. I’d keep her busy asking her to keep an eye out for anything she thought looked suspicious. I smiled at my sudden brilliance.

“What’s so amusing?” asked Mona. She was looking at me curiously from across the table.

“I was thinking what a bunch of characters you all are,” I offered, smiling. Did I just give that lame response? What in the world have I turned into?

A writer who made this stuff up as they typed?

Barbara laughed. “Oh, Sam! You’ve turned out to be quite a character yourself. I bet this time your book will be as outrageous as your last one and probably filled with just as much intrigue too.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” I replied. “Besides, it’s time to call it a day. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am all done in.”

Crystal nodded, agreeing, as she looked down at her watch. “It’s later than I thought. Even though the conversation’s been interesting, I have to hit the road.”

“Good because I’m hitting the sack!” I said, shoving my chair back and waving goodnight to everyone.

This clichéd dialogue alone was putting me to sleep.

Chapter 59

She Left Her Car In San Francisco!

What About You?

This car business was driving me crazy. I had to get to the bottom of why David wasn’t driving his own car. Points? No insurance? No license? No money?

That last one made no sense. He was paying a pretty penny for rent, living next door. I ought to know. Our houses were almost identical and in the same courtyard. However, it presented a dilemma on my part. How was I to subtly ask why he wasn’t driving his own car?

It didn’t help problem-solving when some detail bothered me. I had to follow wherever it led. Unfortunately, at this point, I was at a dead end and currently expecting to be grilled by my self-described undercover agent, Martha, who had assigned herself the task of getting to the bottom of the break in. Of course, also included on that list were Hazel and Betty, who, I noticed, were keeping a close eye on me too.

I suggested meeting David in the morning at Uncle Bill’s for breakfast. Their morning menu was noted for their great pancakes. When I arrived, I found David drinking coffee. I noticed one steaming mug was already waiting for me. “Thank you! Thank you!” I said, immediately sipping some. “Ah! The nectar of the Gods.”

“Where is the, hi David? How are you doing?”

I smiled. “I already know how you are doing,” I commented casually, as I sipped some more of my coffee. “Except I don’t know the, why are you, part of it yet.”

He set his mug down. “Okay, you’ve snagged my interest. Now, what do you know that I should be aware of, that you already know about? Or, shouldn’t I ask?”

You know, that actually made sense to me.

“Your choice,” I offered.

“Can we narrow this down somewhat?” he asked cautiously, “to maybe what category you are referring to?”

Now, that left me wide open to a lot of avenues, but at the moment, I was only interested in one. Why he was watching out for me was another one, which I was determined to explore in a minute.

This man volunteered nothing. I was at a distinct disadvantage and flying blind. I never did like it in the past, but somehow always managed to land in that territory, but, first things first. “The four wheel category.”

“…Oh …that. You want to know why I am driving around in someone else’s car. Is that right?” he asked.

I tried for a non knee jerk reaction and answered in an even tone, “How perceptive! Now, how about explaining?”

“Well, for starters, my BMW has been recalled for safety issues. There was some kind of complicated electronic problem with it. The whole security system was messed up and no one could figure out what was causing it. Pat kindly suggested the temporary use of her car. She said she wasn’t using it that much. So, I took her up on the offer. It’s only for a few more weeks anyway. Mine should be ready soon.”

True? Possibly. I sat there, wondering if I should be feeling like a fool. I had built up this whole relationship thing going on and maybe something tying the two of them together in some nefarious scheme. He just blew a hole in that pathetic theory.

So, I marched on to the next item on my spontaneous agenda. “So, what is she driving while you’re traipsing around in her car?” I asked, smiling. I couldn’t wait to hear his answer.

All he did was smile. “After all, her being successful, she has two cars and prefers to drive her Lexus.”

“Well then, that explains why you’re driving her car.”

“It was considerate of her after what had happened to her previously. Apparently, some sleaze bag she knew in San Francisco stole her car and was never heard from again. She took a pretty big hit. She now has two cars instead, one for business and one for personal.”

“…Oh.” Sounded crazy and farfetched to me, but fit with all the facts I had so far, and it could possibly be valid.

“She’s smart and successful,” added David. “I like a woman who covers all her bases.” He leaned in and smiled at me. “What about you, Sam? Got all yours covered?”

I smiled back sweetly. “Like a few other men I’ve come across in the past, they all underestimated the woman sitting across from them.”

“How?” he asked.

“Well, it wasn’t because I left my car in San Francisco. It was because they thought they had me pegged.” I paused and smiled. “What about you?”

Chapter 60

Laughing At Dialogue & Playing Along

The beach became jam-packed as the warm weather hit. So, I normally avoided it like the plague. But after seeing how jumpy I was, my well-meaning ‘friends’ coaxed me out there for some rest and relaxation to clear my head. After considering my circumstances lately, I figured they were probably right and it might be a good idea.

My rationalization? With all those women under one roof, it felt just as crowded inside my house. Although after a few more kicks of sand in my hair, I might reconsider their brilliant decision to get me to change my venue. I also had to be careful because I usually burned to a crisp.

Because of that fact, I was buried under a hat, beach towel, sunglasses, sunblock, and a cover-up. At the last minute, I draped another towel across my face. Even I wouldn’t recognize myself if I walked by with all that camouflage on. My house was somewhere behind me.

I was lying on my stomach with my eyes closed, giving it one more shot at relaxation, when out of the blue I caught the hint of a conversation floating my way, coming in clearer and louder as the voices slowly approached.

“Hey,” he said. “I know we’ve looked everywhere, but I still think this broad has it hidden in that house of hers.”

They stopped walking. I stopped breathing.

“I’d put money on it,” said the other male voice. “Maybe we should put the squeeze on her.”

Put the squeeze on her? Hold on! Suddenly, I was dying to take a peek to confirm who those jerks were.

“Sam stashed it, but it’s not in her house. Where is it?”

I had my hand on the towel, ready to take a look when I froze. Hey, that was my name they just mentioned!

“Look, we were told we had some leeway, but I don’t know about strong-arming her,” the other male said.

“Yeah, but we have to find that disc before Joey gets a hold of her. He is unpredictable! We’ve already tangled with him before. Remember screwing up in California?”

“It’s a shame. I’d hate to see him mess up such a babe.”

I sucked in a breath. Mess me up? Hey, wait just a minute! Babe? Those voices! It had to be Phil and Tony! Who was their boss? Joey? This was a no brainer for me. I did not, I repeat, I did not want to be messed up.

I waited for something more, but there wasn’t. Just silence. After another minute, I risked lifting the towel. Gone. I sat up. No one. The two of them were nowhere in sight. Plenty of other people there, but not them.

I sat all alone with some scary thoughts running through my mind. How was I going to get that target off my back? Here I was, sitting in the middle of a throng of people, who were mindlessly playing and laughing all around me, but somehow, I felt all alone. After listening to their dialogue, I knew those two guys weren’t playing around, and I definitely wasn’t laughing.

Chapter 61

Driving & Drinking & Dunking Donuts

I was sitting at the stop sign, getting ready to make a right turn when I spotted Mona’s car in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot. She was sitting behind the wheel, sipping coffee, munching on a donut and reading a newspaper.

I pretty much knew where she would be at this time of day. I had previously followed her enough times to know, like me, she was a creature of habit, her sweet tooth craving a donut, and then a coffee, in that order.

I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed some concrete answers. So this time, instead of continuing on, I pulled in to the parking lot and jumped into her car.

Without turning, she stuck out her arm, handed me a hot coffee, and then pointed. “Donuts are in the box.” She was finishing an article in her paper. “I knew you’d show up.”

I stared at my coffee, and then up at her. “ESP?”

She turned to me. “I was wondering when you were finally going to pull in and join me for coffee, instead of watching me from your car before you usually turned.”

“How long have you known?” I asked, red-faced at her knowing my routine so well, so much for my covert surveillance skills.

“You have a lot to learn. You’re not exactly FBI caliber.”

“No, that’s true, but under the circumstances I find myself in at the moment, I’m seriously under the gun. And I don’t mean on paper either. I felt I had to jumpstart something.”

She turned to me. “So, what’s up? Come on, spill.”

“That’s what I was going to ask you. What’s going on?”

Mona suddenly appeared edgy. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Well, it involves you and your two cohorts.”

She reached for her coffee, spilling some. “Oh damn!” When she finished cleaning up, she turned to look at me. “Okay, you might as well go ahead and tell me what you know. You’ve obviously been a very busy woman.”

So I did, the motel, knowing the two guys on the boardwalk, and the latest incident, the overheard beach conversation. “Mona, this has gone beyond the ‘you don’t really need to know stage.’ I really need to know. Now!”

She leaned back against the headrest. “…Those two bozos don’t work for Joey. …They’re FBI.”

I stared at her. “Why are you meeting them so often?”

She sighed. “The FBI put me in their witness protection program and those two were my handlers. They moved me around a lot, but Joey somehow kept finding me. I didn’t feel safe with them protecting me. So I finally bolted.”

“So, why are you still meeting them in a motel room?”

She looked at me sharply. “I was trying to protect you. I knew they couldn’t. All they’re interested in is getting that damn disc before Joey gets his slimy hands on it.”

I nodded. Things were slowly falling in place. “Is that why you were attacked on the beach that night when you first got here?”

“Probably, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the FBI, and I don’t think it was Joey. It’s not his style.”

I laughed. “Like Martha always says, ‘I bet you a dollar to a donut,’ we’d both be surprised by whom.”

Who was it?

Chapter 62

La Famiglia`

I’m sitting there, thinking things through. Why do I even bother with all this? There was no way the aggravation was worth it. I wish I could say what was going on, but lately that wasn’t happening. My book was at a standstill, my house now included so-called extended family, no one was telling me squat, and I’d run out of possible theories. So what was a girl to do? Why, go to the nearest possible source.

Next door.

I was desperate for any kind of explanation about what directly affected me and, of course, Mona. Now, as far as my book was concerned, it was filled with interesting sidebars of information, some useful, some not.

But that didn’t mean anything unless I could actually tie everything together. I couldn’t. Not yet. Those strings of information led me so far and then they abruptly ended. Nothing seemed to naturally fall into its rightful place. To be honest, it never did. I always ended up nudging it along.

An outrageous thought hit me. Might someone break in to hide something and not steal it? Now that was a crazy concept I had never considered before. With that possibility in mind, I tore through the house again, meticulously searching for the disc; even behind paintings.

To tell you the truth, there were not that many places it could possibly be. My rental house had only a few closets or storage spaces. That is, if someone were to actually hide it there. I tried to think out of the box on this thing.

If someone did break in to hide something, why would they? To retrieve it later on? Maybe, they hid it for me to discover on my own? Maybe, I had it all this time and they were waiting for me to put two and two together. If so, where could it possibly be? I still faced that same old problem. I couldn’t find that damn disc.

So, I walked across the courtyard and knocked on David’s door. Seeing no foot traffic below, I figured he was alone. After all, like I said earlier, cleaning my kitchen sink and my counter had its rewards. And that courtyard was my territory. I was about to ring the doorbell and not expecting multiple footsteps on the stairwell, when the door suddenly swung open.

I was rooted to the spot, as my mouth fell open. There stood Pat, saying her goodbyes to David.

How interesting!

“…It was fun, David! Well, I’d better get going.”

How sweet!

She turned. “Oh! Hi, Samantha! I was just leaving. He’s all yours!”

How convenient!

I watched her leave. Pat had on the shortest shorts I have ever seen, a halter-top and sandals. Well, so much for my expert surveillance skills. Now, where’d she come from?

How mysterious!

David must have read my thoughts. “Hi, Sam! Pat was passing by on the boardwalk and saw me up on my deck. I waved her over and invited her in for an iced tea.”

How nice!

As she walked away, I noticed her carrying a briefcase. Now, what would she be doing here with her briefcase? And why would she be walking on the boardwalk with it? I was abruptly yanked from further thoughts on that subject.

Suddenly David looked both ways, grabbed my arm, quickly ushered me into his foyer and firmly closed the door shut behind us.

How odd! Why the big rush to get inside?

“I didn’t expect you here today,” he said, slightly agitated.

“Obviously,” I replied.

Was someone watching him too?

“What’s up?” he asked with a slight note of impatience.

I looked up at him. “For once, I would appreciate some specifics. I need some answers David. Somehow, I’m caught up in this mess. My house is like a circus, and I’m having a hard time figuring why I’ve been singled out and put on the spot.”

David sighed, leaning on the spiral handrail that led upstairs and crossed his arms, shaking his head. “…Because you seem to be in possession of something very valuable that multiple parties are interested in. And because of that, the FBI thinks you’re tied to the Mafia.”

Chapter 63

I’m Breathing, I’m Talking, I’m What?

“I’m what?” I shouted, breathing heavily and shaking from righteous anger. “David, what’s going on? I’m just a fiction writer! Not some made guy! Or is the term made woman? You see? I can’t even get the lingo right!” I said, pacing and talking excitedly. I threw up my arms in total frustration. “Talk about outrageous developments! Even I’m not that inventive.”

“Sam, calm down.”

I stopped, pivoted to face him, waiting and staring him down, angry as all get out. “Well, what have you got to say for yourself?”

He said absolutely nothing, just ran his hand over his eyes and rubbed his forehead, as though dealing with a child. He was probably trying to think of some lame excuse to placate me for the time being. Well, I wasn’t buying any of it.

I came needing something that would explain why my world was headed way off course. Instead, I was hearing that my future suddenly had the word dangerous written all over it.

He leaned in real close. “I’m having a hard time trying to keep a lid on this thing. You want to get hurt? If not, then do absolutely nothing. Hear me? Now, why don’t you go back home before I completely lose my temper.”

I was burning up inside with indignation.

Who did he think he was talking to?

I stared him down. “Like hell I will,” I threw back. I noticed his hands twitch at his sides. I was pushing limits and enjoying it immensely.

I took a mental time out, forcing myself to smile unexpectedly to throw him completely off. “Do you actually think you’re intimidating me?” What he didn’t know, was that my palms were sweating and crazy nightmarish thoughts were scrambling across my brain at that very moment.

After reading tons of books and watching all those gangster movies over the years, my imagination was vividly running unrestrained. And I might add, none of it was very pretty, either.

Well, out of nowhere, he smiled too. “Good! I’m glad you’re upset. It will keep us both totally focused, you on staying out of harm's way, and me on getting to the bottom of this ugly mess before it gets riskier than it already is.”

Well, that threw me. I glared at him. “What do you know that I don’t?”

“Now, don’t give me that look,” he said. “I already told you once before, I was here to protect you.”

“Yeah, I know all that, but you forgot one little detail about that whole strange evening back at my house. You walked out without explaining why. Remember?”

He smirked. “Hey, I’m not perfect, okay? Let’s forget that for now. You need to stop snooping around. And I mean for real!”

Mentally and physically, I had no intention of doing any of that, but verbally, I was willing to let it go, thinking I might learn more if I kept to the agenda at hand. “Come on, David! You’ve got to tell me something.”

“Like I said before, for your own safety, I can’t. I know, that’s not what you wanted to hear, but if I don’t get to the bottom of this soon, you’re in grave danger. Do you hear me? You know, like in dead bodies!”

I stood there, mute. I tried to speak, but couldn’t.

What did he just say?

He then opened his door, grabbed my shoulders and slowly guided me carefully over the threshold, whispering, “Now, again, I reiterate: If you know what’s good for you, please stay out of it!” Then he closed the door and locked it behind me.

All alone outside, I nervously looked both ways. No one was there. I breathed in. I breathed out, trying to calm myself down. I could barely move, let alone get the words out. “…I’m what?”

In grave danger? Dead bodies?

Chapter 64

Going Over & Going There

Days had passed and I was still mindlessly bouncing my finger on one of the keys on my laptop, but not hard enough to actually type something. I was trying to think. It seemed that’s all I was doing lately, thinking, which was a hazardous endeavor on my part. But hey, I liked to live on the wrong side of caution.

Somehow, I always found a way to maneuver through it. This time I was just as stumped and just as frustrated, and like before, my brain was not coughing up much. Even after giving the house another run-through, I was still empty handed.

Where was that disc? I had to find it!

David had rattled me, so I was currently in a semi-quasi lock down mode. I had ventured out to follow Mona once or twice, was paying extra attention to Betty and Hazel’s movements and conversations, still had hopes for Martha’s instincts, and quite frankly didn’t know how to handle Barbara at the moment.

This is why: She had approached me, needing to speak in private. “Do you mind if I ask a personal question Samantha?”

Curiosity hovered on the sidelines. “No, go right ahead.”

“How well do you know this David fellow?”

I hesitated. “…Why? Is there a problem?”

She leaned forward. “I don’t mean to sound alarming, but there seems to be an inordinate amount of people going in and out of his house. Is that always the case? Or am I just making something out of nothing?”

Now, there were two ways I could handle my reply. I didn’t want to place Barbara in danger by telling her, so I could play dumb and dismiss her concerns and move on to another topic, or nudge around the edges, and take the opportunity to nonchalantly feel her out about what she may have actually heard, and who she might have seen, without her becoming too suspicious about why I was asking in the first place?

Now, you already knew which way I was headed, didn’t you? I felt I had nudged enough edges.

I sipped my tea and forced a smile. “What did you see?”

She set her cup down. “Well, I saw Bill, that realtor, and one of his agents. I believe you mentioned at one time her name was Pat. I also noticed Crystal coming and going a lot. Then there was that afternoon I saw those two guys go in. I must admit, they were the oddest pair.” She shifted slightly.

“One was muscular and fairly good-looking and the other was sort of on the bookish side and wore glasses. They seemed to be in a heated argument all the way across the courtyard, right up to David’s front door. Obviously, David knew them, because he opened his door and let them right in. What are your thoughts about all this activity?”

“Well, Bill and Pat handle the lease, and Crystal cleans his house. But the two men, I’m not so sure about.”

Yeah, I knew who they were. The question was, why were they at David’s?

Barbara leaned in. “Samantha, I’m worried.”

I smiled. “I wouldn’t be concerned if I were you.”

“Oh, but I am. Especially since I saw Martha going over there too!”

Chapter 65

Shaken, Rattled & Rolled

The very next day, I was unexpectedly grabbed by two sets of hands the minute I walked in my front door. They practically dragged me up the stairs, while they both talked simultaneously. Thrown off balance by their surprise attack, I didn’t know which of their conversations to center in on first.

“Whoa! Ladies! Hold on! One at a time! Please!”

Hazel and Betty seemed quite shaken.

Not a good sign.

I knew I didn’t want any more bad news, but then could have sworn I heard, ‘we’ve been rolled!’ As far as I could tell, they appeared physically okay, but you never knew with those two, even on a good day.

They were capable of anything, including overactive imaginations. Before this got out of hand, I had to attempt to try and calm them down to get to the bottom of what happened. I had a feeling it involved major damage control.

“Now, sit down. I’ll bring over some ice tea. It will give you both some time to collect your thoughts. I can’t make heads or tails from all your talking over one another.”

I made a hasty retreat and was back within minutes, carrying a tray with a pitcher of tea and glasses. I handed one to each of them. “Go ahead, but one at a time, please. Okay?”

Betty spoke in a hushed secretive tone. “We’ve stumbled onto something really big, Sam!”

I tried not to overreact. “Again?” I asked, already tensing up, afraid to hear what they were up to. I was still recovering from that last time in Highlands.

Hazel sniffed in indignation. “I saw you roll your eyes! Don’t be so judgmental, Samantha! It doesn’t suit you!”

“Sorry,” I offered, trying to look contrite. I looked from one to the other. “I guess I was jumping the gun.”

Betty wagged her finger at me. “Most certainly, young lady. Now, listen to this.”

Hazel leaned in conspiratorially. “Who do you think we caught talking to one another by the fountain down in your courtyard earlier? You will never guess!”

I sat there running possible match ups in my mind. To tell you the truth, there were so many to pick from it was hard to choose. “…Who?” I finally asked, trying to contain my composure.

Betty whispered, “That David fellow and our very own Martha! Can you believe it?”

“At first, we thought she was stretching it,” explained Hazel, “you know, flirting with a younger man like that, but as we edged around the far end of the building hoping to confront her, we caught words of a loud argument going on and stopped, quickly hiding out of sight to eavesdrop on what they were quarrelling over.”

“…What were they arguing about?”

“Martha was clearly disturbed,” replied Betty, “telling David that Joey was becoming dangerous, and she was obviously concerned.”

“Then David accused Martha of risking getting caught up in something she might regret,” added Hazel.

I had not expected that response. What had Martha been up to? Known? Done? “Getting caught up in what?”

“We don’t know!” said Betty. “The she accused him of risking your safety, trying to catch who took the disc.”

How did she know about the disc?

I tried for neutral territory, while still maintaining a somewhat curious, but casual attitude. “What disc?”

“We were wondering too,” Hazel replied. “But suddenly it all turned south.”

“What happened?”

“Somebody must have let that Great Dane loose that lives next door to David, because, out of nowhere from behind the two of us, he raced past,” Betty said tersely, “and knocked us both down in the process. Why, I’m still rattled and sore I might add! We’re lucky we weren’t seriously injured, considering his weight and size! We heard later on that he was last seen racing down the boardwalk in a southerly direction, who knows where!”

“What happened to Martha and David? Didn’t they hear what happened? Didn’t they offer to help?”

“No,” said Hazel. “I guess when we landed around that corner of the building it was just far enough away from them to notice, what with all that yelling going on between those two. And, as you very well know with people our age, by the time we recovered, rolled over, got our bearings and got up, they were both long gone!”

Chapter 66

Abnormal, Atypical Absurdities

After all the setbacks, I still felt compelled to keep going because, as far as I was concerned, I had approached that point of no return. I was in too far. My book had unexpectedly become a major commitment at this point and I couldn’t backtrack and start over on something else. I was determined and maybe foolish, depending on how you wanted to look at it, to see this thing through to the end.

Surprisingly, there were not one, but two abnormal sightings of Martha in conversations with David next door. One was her being seen by Barbara going into David’s house and the other observed by Betty and Hazel having heated words in the courtyard with Martha.

Like the previous times, I was half-expecting the unexpected, but then again wasn’t, when it finally hit. What was I supposed to make of it? What did their encounters mean? As far as contacts with David went, Martha had met him at the casino, then again on the night Mona went deep sea diving under our club table on ladies’ night out, and also on the day of the break-in when I returned home from being with him at the Cape May Zoo.

The question here was, how did she get familiar enough with him between then and the present to already be having an argument with him? How did she know about the disc? I knew Mona wouldn’t have confided in her, and I certainly never let it slip to anyone, especially since I knew that by doing so would have been placing them in grave danger.

Why did David accuse Martha of risking getting caught? Getting caught at what? Why didn’t the two of them hear what was going on with Hazel and Betty on the other side of the courtyard?

Could it be that David and Martha were so caught up and distracted by their own words that they heard nothing? Maybe the large fountain they were standing in front of obscured noises at that distance. All of which were logical and explainable under the circumstances.

At first, the initial explanation of what Betty and Hazel saw and heard sounded absurd and questionable. And for that particular reason alone, after considering all the possibilities out there, I figured it was probably true!

Chapter 67

Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar, Barbara And… Who?

I had just finished saving the latest pages of my book when Barbara came barging in, all excited and dressed to go out. Much younger than the elderly Jack, she still turned heads, with her slim figure, striking chestnut brown hair, and impeccable sense of style. I was surprised she had come, while Jack stayed back in North Carolina, minding the store so to speak. Those two were like two peas in a pod; close as could be. But she was a free spirit. When she felt she had to see me, she picked herself up and did.

“Wow!” I commented, admiring her tailored navy slacks and white silk, body-hugging blouse. The strappy silver sandals were perfect. “Big occasion?”

Barbara started primping in front of my mirror, checking herself out and turning around. “Nothing special, just a dinner out. Bill should be here any minute.”

My mouth flew open. “You mean Bill the realtor?’

“Why, of course! Do you know of another one?”

“But he’s married, Barbara! You did know that, right? And, I might add, please don’t forget about your Jack.”

“Of course, Samantha! It’s only dinner. I’m surprised by your attitude. Don’t be so provincial!”

“I’m not. I feel sort of responsible for all of you. It’s been sort of crazy here lately. You know what I mean?”

She walked over and sat on the edge of the other chair opposite me, then leaned over and patted my hand. “Of course, I do. And I appreciate your concern. But after all I’ve been through in my life, I think I can handle a harmless little evening out, having fun at a club and a casino.”

A horn blared from the street below. “Oh! That must be Bill! I better get down there. We have reservations.”

I stared at her as she got up to leave. I swear, I almost offered myself as a chaperone for the evening, but hesitated in going that far. “…Can I ask you a question?”

She turned back to me. “Why of course, Samantha.”

“Does his wife at least know where you two are going? I mean …a night club and a casino in Atlantic City?”

“Well, I should hope so!” Barbara laughed. “She’s downstairs waiting in the car too!”

I heaved a sigh of relief and laughed at my foolishness. “Boy, you had me going there for a minute! I’ve always had you up there on this pedestal since I first met you, and just now, you were sort of teetering there for a bit. Sorry, I should have known better.”

“Don’t be sorry, Sam. I’m flattered by the compliment though. Trust me. I definitely have both feet on the ground and certainly not on some silly old pedestal. What you see, is what you get!”

“Well, don’t be too late!” I joked. “I wouldn’t want to stay up worrying about you.”

“Oh, please don’t worry. I’ll have plenty of company!” She said, smiling as she turned to leave. “David is joining us too!” And, just like that, she headed down the stairwell.

Bar…Bar…Bar…Bar…Barbara and…who?

What was going on?

Chapter 68

Clutching, Catching & Calming Down

M is for the infamous Martha, who always kept me on my toes. For a senior citizen, she was hard to pin down, but I was pushing to get some information from her before she dodged me again and ran out. Hearing her getting ready to make her exit, I planted myself at the bottom of the stairwell in the foyer and waited. As her rushed footsteps echoed on the stairs, I promptly revealed myself.

“Martha, hold on a minute!”

She clutched her hand to her chest. “God almighty, Sam! Give me some kind of warning, will you? It’s not time for a heart attack! I haven’t made out my will yet!”

“Sorry,” I offered unrepentantly, “but I need to speak to you before you leave. You always seem to be running off somewhere lately and are impossible to catch.”

She chuckled. “That’s not what Roland says!”

“What do you mean?” I asked, thrown off track.

“He said not only am I a good catch, but, unlike some fish he’s caught before, I don’t put up much of a fight. I practically jump right into his net.”

As usual, I was swallowed up into an entirely different conversation than the one I intended. “What…?”

She winked at me. “He said it sort of turns him on!”

My face reddened. I tried taking the lead. “Martha, this is not what I had in mind when I said I needed to talk!”

Martha stood there looking me up and down, tsk, tsking loudly, and then finally crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “Well, enough of the girl-talk then! I’m here now, and you have my full attention. Better make this quick. I got places to go and people to see!”

I hated being put on the spot like that. Over the last year, I have learned that when dealing with Martha, you had to be slow and deliberate, or the conversation wandered off to unknown territory like it just did, and I didn’t want to fall for it. Not again anyway.

Martha checked her watch. “Well? Time’s a-wastin’!”

“You’re telling me!” I replied. I cleared my throat to get the words out. “We need to have a talk regarding an incident that took place the other day involving you and David.”

She stood regarding me, and then said, “Now, I could ask you, which incident. You know, to be kind of humorous. Or I could act dumb and veer off the subject again, but I think you and I both know what incident you’re referring to, the courtyard episode. Am I right?”

I could not believe it! We were actually on the same page conversationally. This had to be an absolute first.

Well, for this book anyway.

“…Yes. The courtyard.”

“Well,” Martha offered, turning toward the steps. She started to walk back up. “We might as well head upstairs, because this might take some explaining. Besides, I can already tell by the look I’m getting that you might be better off sitting down for this one. Trouble is, even sitting down, you’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you. I know you too well to think otherwise. Just promise me you won’t overreact, okay?”

I reached for the stair railing and followed her up, mentally preparing for the worst. I should have been relieved to finally pin her down for something tangible to go on, but now I half-regretted what I had asked for. Maybe it was something I didn’t want to hear.

Chapter 69

Courting More Than Trouble

Obviously, there were a few hundred other avenues I could pursue, but I guess I was lucky? to be sitting across from Martha, waiting for her to explain why she was talking, excuse me, arguing with David in the courtyard. I needed anything she had to offer that would help, and also knew I should be used to her by now, but when we were together, trouble just sat there waiting to happen.

Now, if I played my cards right, I could bluff my way through this conversation. It sort of worked before. Why not try it now? I planted a confident smile on my face, as I patiently waited for her to get herself comfortable for the big reveal. Impatient, yet ambivalent, I sensed trouble.

Martha sat across from me, her folded hands resting in her lap. “I suppose you want full disclosure?” she asked.

“Sounds good to me,” I replied.

“Now you know, I am not someone to horn in where I am not wanted or supposed to be, but as you very well know, there are exceptions. …Right?” she asked, waiting for some kind of response from me.

“…Why would I think otherwise?” I replied, but really knew that with Martha, it was the rule rather than the exception. Butting in was her main specialty.

“Well, to begin with, I sort of overheard some things being bantered about around here regarding you, Mona and this Joey guy.”

Since I wasn’t denying what was said, Martha took my silence as confirmation and continued on.

“There’s something strange going on here.”

How was I supposed to react? What was I supposed to say? Exactly, how much did she really know, or had heard? With Martha it was always a guessing game. I wasn’t giving up anything yet and threw it back in her direction. “…Like what?”

“For one thing, I have a feeling Mona is running away from something or someone. And what I’ve been able to piece together from patchy conversations I’ve heard around here, is that I think it’s this Joey fellow. Am I close?”

“Could be,” I offered evenly, blinking in anticipation.

“Now, what I’m thinking is that somehow you’ve gotten dragged into this, through no fault of your own. And that last item disturbs me because of my long-standing, vested interested in your well-being and safety.”

I broke eye contact with her and looked over toward the ocean trying to think. “…Could be,” I replied once more.

“The thing is, what are we going to do about it?”

I turned back, my eyes catching hers. “What exactly do you mean, we?”

“This is personal now!” Martha challenged in a huff.

“Hold on a minute, Martha. What started all this? How did you end up arguing with David in the courtyard?”

“I overheard him on his cell when he was out on his deck, quarrelling with someone about you nosing around where you shouldn’t be and that things might get dicey with your safety. I pieced bits of conversation I’ve been hearing around here together and figured trouble was brewing. So, I challenged him down in the courtyard when he was leaving the other day.”

I needed to shield Martha from endangering herself because of her protective snooping. “You have this all wrong. Mona used to date this guy, Joey. It was a bad breakup, that’s all. You must have misunderstood what you heard.”

“I don’t think so,” said Martha.

What more did she know? “What makes you so sure?”

She opened her bag and pulled a sheet out. “Not after I found this! Believe me, I’ve read enough detective books over the years to know exactly what it is, too. Plus, I checked it out on the Internet just to make sure. Here you go. I printed one out for you.”

She slapped a photograph down in front of me. I sat there looking at the object in question. “What is it?”

Martha slowly turned it around for me to have a better look. “It’s a tracking device that is currently attached to your car bumper. I noticed it when I dropped my purse in the garage.”

I couldn’t believe it! I looked at her. “…Oh!”

Martha shook her head. “After finding this, I’d say you’re courting more than trouble, Sam.”

Chapter 70

Tracking & Parceling Services

It was well after dark and I was trying not to make noise, considering the circumstances. Everyone was off in their own rooms, and I had made it back safely to my own without being noticed by anyone. My pulse was racing.

This was not exactly what I thought of as author qualifications, but then after thinking it over; maybe I had created a whole new category called, ‘transferring the evidence while developing your story line.’

When I had finally snuck downstairs to pry that thing off my car, to my surprise, the tracking device, which was magnetic, came off easily. My biggest decision then was what should I do with it? Apparently, someone else was keeping close tabs on my every move. Who?

Obviously I had no way of knowing, but in the meantime, I had to throw off whoever was tracking me, or else I couldn’t go anywhere without them knowing where I was. Was this David trying to protect me? Was it the mob tracking my moves? Or worse yet, was David in cahoots with the mob? Either way, their tracking would be history.

My next question was who was the lucky individual who would be the recipient of my largesse? In other words, how would I ditch that device? And where? I needed a plan. I hated to admit it, but, as usual, I had none.

At the exact moment when I finally had that device in my hands, I suddenly heard a loud screech of brakes and a definite shift into park, as the driver jumped out quickly and ran up to the house across the street. Bingo!

I almost felt guilty about going over and tucking that device on that bumper, but I was under the gun trying to get rid of it. I needed to move about freely without prying eyes watching and keeping close tabs on me to make sure it’s handed back to the right person. Plus I was worried about my friends’ safety. This was too up close and personal.

I took a breath and ran like hell across the street in the dark, tucked that sucker under the bumper and raced back to my garage, breathing heavily. My nerves were jumping. I leaned against the wall and waited for that engine to rev up and take off before I eased away from the shadows to have a look. I crossed the street to make sure it had not fallen off. It was nowhere in sight. I sighed with relief and high-tailed it back to the house and sprinted up to my room.

Maybe the individual who was trying to track me would be thrown off long enough to give me a breather. I smiled. If anything, they would be kept busy come morning, running off and on the island. I wondered how long it would take them before they eventually caught on.

I had heard that even after dark, service was their number one priority! Imagine knowing so many routes, while making all those right turns and tracking all those parcels! Go UPS!

Chapter 71

Diversions & Repercussions

Martha was shadowing me closely. Ever since she found that tracking device under my bumper, she was on me like glue on a stick. Her words, not mine, by the way. To be fair, I had to admit; she did have a legitimate reason for being so concerned about my well being. So I made allowances for her always being within visual range. But I had to admit, that after a while, it was wearing on me.

Every time I turned around, there she was, just staring and smiling sweetly. Between her IPhone and the two book worms, Betty and Hazel, trailing after her with their iPads, they’d have to get their own Kindle, mine was off limits, it was grating on my nerves with all this surveillance stuff. How could I track Mona or David with that high-tech geriatric parade following me, without drawing uncalled-for attention? I wanted to further check out the Borgata, again and alone.

I needed a diversion to kill two birds with one stone. What would work? I stood there looking out at the courtyard when all of a sudden it hit me. I whipped out my phone and dialed a familiar number. I whispered into the phone discreetly.

The voice at the end of the line said, “Give me five.”

It took ten, but who was counting? I was desperate to get away and squeeze in some time out on my own. I smiled as she approached. Her motorcycle was parked a block away.

You know, older people were supposed to start losing their hearing at a certain age; so I’ve been told in the past. But my three geriatric agents on duty defied all the odds, not only able to hear a pin drop from anywhere, but could probably spot a deer at seven hundred yards. I smiled at them, and then turned back to the window and hit redial.

I was watching Crystal standing down in the courtyard talking to me on her phone. “I’ve got to talk low,” I said.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, but it sounds strange if you ask me,” she said, standing there, shaking her head in disapproval. “Why am I parking your car over on Chelsea?”

“Trust me, this should at least keep them busy for a while and they’ll forget exactly how long I’ve been gone.”

“Breaking vases sounds sort of extreme if you ask me. You sure you can afford it? Isn’t there something cheaper you can pick out to destroy? What’re you trying to accomplish anyway?”

“I’ve got my reasons. Besides they’re reproductions.”

“I mean this sounds kind of odd-ball, going to all these lengths to keep the three of them busy from paying attention to you. Why all the deception?”

I had to think fast. “Well, I have a date for lunch and wanted some personal privacy. They’d sort of put a damper on things if you know what I mean, wanting to go along.”

Crystal stared up at me and then threw her head back, laughing. “You’re gonna have a nooner, aren’t you? Sure, why not? Hey, anyone I know? Remember, you owe me!”

I could feel my face flush. “No. …I mean …It’s only…”

“Hey, after all, it’s for a good cause,” she said, still laughing. “We babes have to stick together. Good luck, hot momma!”

Embarrassed, I rubbed my eyes, mumbling, “…Thanks.”

Chapter 72

What Was That Girl Thinking?

When Crystal had safely taken my car to Chelsea, I pivoted in place and walked up to Martha, who had been sitting off to the side in the living room, half-glancing at a magazine. Not too far from her were Hazel and Betty, sitting out on the deck, sipping iced tea and guardedly watching Martha.

I tried not to smile at how comical their actions portrayed the three of them, as they constantly tried to figure out what that girl, me, was thinking.

I checked my watch. Almost noon. “I’m biking down a few streets over to CVS,” I said loud enough for all of three of them to hear. “Then I thought I’d hop on over to the library a few of blocks further. I could use the exercise.”

I pointedly looked at Martha. “Got any books for me to return? I’m going to wander around a bit at the library.”

Martha eyed me suspiciously. “No, I already returned my book! But if you insist on going, at least I’ve got high powered binoculars and a clear view for a couple of blocks from up here. Remember to be careful from that point on.”

I sighed. “Martha you are worrying too much. Besides, I’m taking my bicycle, not the car. Understand?”

She nodded, smiling. “Got it.” Knowing her, she must have checked out my bicycle for transmitters too.

“Okay then! I’m off!” I said, waving goodbye. I raced down the stairwell, purposely leaning into two huge vases, which teetered precariously before finally crashing down to the marble foyer with an ear-shattering explosion.

Perfect!

“Oh no!” I said loudly, feigning complete disbelief.

The three of them came running down the stairs.

“Oh my, look what I’ve done!” I cried all upset. “How could I have been so stupid and clumsy?”

“Oh my goodness!” said Betty, shaking her head.

“What a mess!” said Hazel, clutching her chest.

“Oh, Lordy me!” said Martha, coming to an abrupt halt.

I appeared beside myself, all in a state at what I had done. “I can’t believe this. I am such an idiot!” I started to tear up.

Martha grabbed my arm. “Hey, relax. No biggy. We’ve got it covered. Girls, we can handle this, right?”

Betty and Hazel nodded simultaneously.

“You go on and leave, Sam. We’ll clean it up,” said Betty.

“It’s no bother at all,” added Hazel.

I turned to go, but then hesitated. “…Are you all sure?”

“Absolutely,” said Martha. “Now, go!”

“The broom is in the garage.” I offered, turning away and smiling. I caught a few last words as the door slowly closed behind me.

“My goodness,” said Betty, looking all around the foyer. “Will you look at that? Why …pieces are everywhere!”

“Two vases caused all this mess?” asked Hazel dubiously.

“I told her they were an accident waiting to happen,” complained Martha. “Just look at that, way over there! I can see fragments all the way into the cabana and its bathroom for crying out loud! This is gonna take forever! Now, I ask you two. What was that girl thinking?”

Chapter 73

What’s Gotcha So Shook Up?

I was frustrated after that wasted surveillance trip and casing the Borgata Casino once more, turning up nothing. And now, I had just ended a cell phone call with Bill, who was insisting I go with him to Atlantic City at my earliest convenience. Needless to say, I told him I was somewhat overwhelmed with all the people in my house at the moment and would have to think about it. No way was I being anybody’s lucky charm!

You see, when my name was brought up in normal conversations, luck was not exactly the first thing that people who knew me personally thought of.

I quickly brushed those thoughts off, trying to focus on what Barbara was saying after bursting into my room, looking upset.

“…I’m still so shook up!” a distraught Barbara exclaimed, clearly disturbed about something.

Dare I ask? “…What’s the matter?”

“I was debating whether to tell you or not because it’s too bizarre to explain,” she said breathlessly. “But I’ll try. The phone rang earlier and I answered it because it was right next to me in the living room where I was reading my book. …You don’t think that’s invading your privacy, do you?”

I laughed uneasily. “No, of course not! Why should I?”

Everyone else has!

She hesitated. “…It was the strangest phone call I have ever received. I finally had to come on in here and tell you all about it.”

Now, there were a lot of responses I could have come up with, but nothing spontaneously popped out.

“Well,” Barbara explained, now leaning forward, “I said, ‘Hello.’ And what do you think was the response I got?”

I hesitated, gun-shy out of sheer habit lately. “…What?”

“A male voice said, ‘Cats got nine lives, but you got only one! Now, sing me the tune that I want to hear, baby.’ Well, I didn’t know what else to do, but hang up. I thought this person might be some kind of pervert, calling up innocent women at random! You just never know nowadays!”

My mind raced. Obviously, he was referring to the missing disc. And, he thought Barbara was yours truly.

I couldn’t think coherently at this point because too much was going on. I was involved in so many lies and cover-ups while trying to sort the whole thing out, I couldn’t keep up with what I had told what to whom, but was determined to figure it all out.

“Barbara, you had every right to hang up that phone. Obviously, whoever it was had the wrong number or, as you said, was some kind of nut, trying to stir up trouble dialing random numbers.”

There! That sounded rational, even to me! I sat back, proud of my explanation and smiled.

She didn’t. “That’s not all,” Barbara countered. “Because then he said, ‘Sam, this is my last warning.’ If it was random or a mistake, let me ask this, Samantha: How did he know your name?”

I looked up, and there, staring at me, were Martha, Betty and Hazel, all listening in at the doorway to my bedroom.

Uh, oh! Busted!

I guess this is what authors sometimes referred to as a gotcha moment.

Chapter 74

Circling More Than The Truth

I suppose you could say this was that part of the story where the wagons instinctively began circling for protection. Where women were concerned, when one was in distress, they all gathered around in self-defense, especially if they were all friends. It was just human nature. My problem? How should I explain what was going on without putting them at risk? This Joey, who I had no idea what he looked like, or who he was, was roaming freely among us, and currently unidentified. Might he be David, who was pretending to be FBI? I did know two things though. I needed help and I needed my friends!

Martha threw me a look from the doorway. “I’ll open the Pinot Grigio. I think we all need to go upstairs and talk, don’t we, Sam?”

I shrugged. “…I guess so,” I said reluctantly, but actually I felt somewhat relieved. I had been feeling pretty lonely and scared, if the truth be told, trying to figure this out on my own. I got up and followed them up the stairs to the living room.

When we were all seated comfortably, there was the usual quiet staring going on all around. You know, for a group of women who talked it up a lot, we sure stared a lot! I know one thing; we sure communicated more with a stare than most. I figured they were trying to decide who should start. To make it speed things along, I saved them the trouble by jumping in first.

“Where should I begin?” I asked, more to myself than to the others, thankful Mona wasn’t around because she was still on my suspicious behavior list and she was about to be the main topic of conversation.

“Since you’ve been acting so strange lately,” said Martha impatiently, “how about at the beginning when all this nonsense was first set in motion when your girlfriend, Mona, arrived?”

Leave it to Martha to get right to the heart of the matter. As I said before, she was never one to mince words.

“You’re right. That’s where it all started…” And so I began explaining everything, from when Mona first called and visited, and then proceeded onto Joey, then the mystery intruder, the mugger, Bill, David, Crystal, Pat, the FBI, the missing disc, all the evidence and anything else I could think of, ending with the zoo incident and my alleged ties with the Mafia.

“The Mafia?” croaked Martha, taken back by the last story. “Well, I’ll be. You sure have been one busy woman!”

“Thank goodness we don’t have that nonsense going on in Highlands!” said Betty.

Hazel just snickered. “Oh no, we’ve never seen intrigue or deception in Highlands, North Carolina. Have we, girls?”

Barbara shook her head, trying not to burst out laughing. “Why I am shocked to the core you ladies would even suggest such scandalous behavior ever went on there!”

“Why not?” added Martha. “Well, so much for Sam’s previous book. But we’re not here to rehash. We all know how that one turned out. We’re here to make history getting this one solved, and by the sound of it, pretty darn quick!”

“Yes,” added Hazel. “By the looks of things, if we don’t do something fast, this Joey might waste Sam.” She turned to Betty. “That is the correct criminal terminology, right?”

Betty nodded, proud of her friend. “Why Hazel, that was a good take on the situation! Bravo my dear!”

We were not only circling the truth, but by the sound of their conversation, we were circling the funny farm, too.

You know, truthfully speaking, it was kind of comforting!

Chapter 75

Pounding Away At What?

My head was pounding away the next morning. Apparently we were all in the same boat. “I think I may want to die today,” I moaned, sipping coffee.

Barbara came out to the deck carrying her mug and slumped into a chair next to mine. “Another day and another time, I might actually try to talk you out of that thought, but honestly speaking Sam, I’m afraid I might like to join you.”

Hazel staggered out onto the deck, shielding her eyes. “Where are my shades? I think I got wasted last night.”

Betty was right behind her, carrying her coffee, already wearing sunglasses. “I’d argue the point of your questionable double entendre, Hazel, but I can’t seem to muster the strength at the moment, you know, remnants of inebriation.”

We all turned as Martha came whistling and waltzing happily out to greet us, cheerful as could be and carrying a tray with more coffee and a lot of donuts and pastries.

“Good morning ladies! Breakfast anyone?”

I looked over at the tray. “Ugh! No food!”

Barbara turned to look too. “No… thank you!”

Betty shuddered. “Eat? How does that woman do it?”

“We’ve known her decades and still don’t know!” said Hazel. “Maybe she isn’t human.”

Martha laughed. “I’m mortal all right, a little frayed around the edges, but definitely the real deal.” She surveyed our sorry-ass crew that was currently half out of it. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you ladies have never been under the influence before!”

“Not quite in that fashion,” offered Barbara pathetically.

I looked over to Martha and then the rest of them. “You know, I think you guys emptied my wine rack last night.”

Martha harrumphed in annoyance. “Please! You’re all amateurs! Why in my day…”

Everyone moaned loudly.

After a brief pause, Martha clapped her hands. “Ladies! Ladies! We have got to come up with a plan to figure this out. You can’t let a little thing like a hangover stop you! Now, let’s get with it. Let’s step up to the plate here! Sam’s in trouble and we’re obviously meant to be here to help her out.” She slowly scanned us. “Now, what have you all got to say?”

Barbara gave Martha a dirty look. “I’m taking a nap!”

“Did we all participate in binge drinking?” Betty asked to no one in particular.

“She’d make a good target for a hit,” protested Hazel.

I looked at Martha, peeved. “Obviously, we’re all suffering with the exception of you. How you do it, I don’t know. I really don’t care. I am going into my room to a quiet zone, hopefully to sleep this pounding headache off. If you ever try to have group therapy with this crew with wine again, I will personally hand you over to this Joey, whoever he is!”

Martha just laughed at me. “The pain will set you free!”

“Go away!” I said, waving her off, frustrated. That woman had no shame whatsoever! She was unbelievable!

When I was older, I wanted to be just like her! Damn it!

Chapter 76

BBC & D

Bothered By Clay & David

According to a shell shocked Betty and Hazel, without any warning, they were informed that Clay, their boss and owner of The Book Worm, had recently taken a leave of absence from his bookstore in Highlands, and that he hired a new manager. The girls were clearly upset, not knowing what their future status might be.

As for Clay’s whereabouts, he apparently disappeared for parts unknown, but said he would stay in touch; his unpredictable, mysterious behavior seemed to be back in play. I half-expected that. So, what else was new?

I shoved all that off to the side, forcing myself to reconsider Clay’s cryptic note and framed painting he had sent via the bookworms. I never did make heads or tails from either of those gifts. My thoughts at the moment were riddled with more question marks though. Was the note meant to be instructive or a warning? Could it possibly be both? Why send it to me through Betty and Hazel?

According to them, they had no clue as to the meaning either. Apparently, that was for me to figure out. I hated men who always thought they were ahead of the game because then I always felt I had to prove them wrong.

Although I sort of understood the correlation between that woman and me contemplating at the beach, I still…

Just then my phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Samantha, let’s talk.” It was David.

“Where? When?” I asked, desperate for more input.

“My place. You pick the time,” he offered.

“Give me a few minutes,” I replied. “My entourage needs to know they have to stay home.”

Twenty minutes later I was seated at David’s counter, sipping coffee. For my sanity, I asked him to shut the shades facing my house, knowing my posse had their binoculars focused in my direction. I needed to concentrate and couldn’t if I knew several sets of eyes were honing in on us, watching our every move.

“What’s up?” I asked. “Why the spontaneous invite?”

“I wanted to tell you I’m not part Mona’s fiasco, other than her being on my radar for playing the FBI.

Why was he offering me this now? “Playing the FBI?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, well from what I’ve observed lately, I’m reserving judgment on you and your version about what’s gong on until all the dust settles on this whole thing.”

He eyed me cautiously. “…She’s tangled up in some unusual business. In case you didn’t know, I dabble in other areas besides art.”

I smiled. “I figured as much. How did she end up on your list?”

“She’s on a lot of people’s lists these last few years.”

I threw him a look. “I know. That’s nothing new as far as I’m concerned. What else have you got?”

“First of all, she has no idea who this Joey is. She fabricated knowing him to protect herself with the FBI. She was running rogue on her own and got caught up in a sting that they were already running on the Mafia. She just happened to be working in the Mafia’s employment and tried to pull a fast one on both of them.

“I felt you should know that she initially had no idea at the time that the mob was involved, and what she’s told you, that part was true. But when she caught them at double disking the Feds, she figured she’d make some spare change by playing both sides. That scenario obviously backfired. Now she’s ended up trying to protect you because of her mistake in your unintended exposure.”

Chapter 77

Firing Back

Okay. That was an answer I was not expecting. Who was double dealing who? Mona? David? The FBI? Without sounding like Martha, my personal gumshoe, I fired back, “What actually went down?”

“With who?” He shook his head. “I can’t believe that this whole thing has morphed.”

Morphed into what?

I was hanging by the thinnest of threads. This affair was so intertwined, I didn’t think I would ever make any sense of it, but I was giving it my best shot.

Could I catch him off guard?

“Let me ask you something out of left field.”

David looked at me sharply. “What’s that?”

“Did anyone mention to you a note that came with the painting Clay gave me?” I had this odd feeling.

He waited a beat, and then another.

I was sorry to see that reaction, hoping for his complete surprise as to what I was talking about. Either he knew him or wasn’t getting what I was alluding too.

Why the big pause?

“…No. Why would I?” he finally offered. “Who’s Clay?”

“Never mind,” I said, disappointed, as I mentally filed his too little, too late response. I circled back to Mona. “What happens now? What exactly is going on with this Joey? Is he real or just imagined?”

“Joey’s apparently real all right. It’s the identity that’s one big blank to everyone, including the FBI. They’ve only got a name.”

“Interesting. Especially since it appears, at least the last time I heard, this Joey is currently after me.”

David stared at me. “I know.”

I stared back. “I was sort of hoping you didn’t.”

He smiled. “I know.”

I smiled back. “So tell me, what do I do now?”

“Stay off Joey’s screen by staying close to home.”

“You know I can’t do that. I’m not ready for company. I don’t like my personal space invaded by unsavory individuals that are looking for something I obviously don’t have.” Yet.

He looked at me. “So what are you going to do?”

“Something that I simply can’t avoid at this point; try to find what Joey’s looking for before Joey does.”

“Don’t,” David said frowning. “I have to keep you safe.”

“For who? You or someone else?” I asked.

He just gave me that effortless smile of his. “Wouldn’t you like to know!”

“Can I ask you another question?” I asked.

“Go ahead.”

“What do I do about Mona? I mean can I trust her?”

He laughed. “About as much as you can trust me.”

“That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear.”

“Yeah, but for now, that’s all you’re going to get.”

“What about later?” I asked, flirting with the unknown.

“We’ll just have to wait and see about that. By the way, what was all that racket the other day by the trash bin with Martha and those two other elderly ladies dumping stuff?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, I broke two vases on my landing. I heard it took them forever to clean it all up.”

Ah, revenge was sweet.

Chapter 78

Trading More Than Information

I watched his panic resonate through a vein of his that began pulsing away. Then he got real close, right in my face, barely whispering, “…What?”

I smiled, putting on my jacket, getting ready to leave. “I got clumsy racing down the stairs and knocked two over.”

“…Where exactly did that happen?”

“…Mmm. Near the bottom. Why? Is there some kind of problem?” My art history classes finally paid off when I caught sight of them the other day. Like Martha said, ‘they were an accident just waiting to happen.’ Or theft.

He closed his eyes and mumbled something incoherent.

“Hey,” I said. “I’m really not that concerned. Pat said they’re only reproductions. The replacements won’t kill me.”

David stood there momentarily speechless. “…No!”

“What?” I asked. “Why are you so upset?”

“…They …weren’t…” he barely choked out, unable to finish.

“Weren’t what?” I asked, relishing his look of pure misery.

He could hardly speak. “…Repros!”

“You mean they were really Ming vases?”

He looked up, confused. “…Yes. How did you know?”

I smiled. “Hey, don’t sweat it. I swapped them for two reproductions. The Mings are in my garage under a tarp.”

David collapsed down to a step. “What tipped you off?”

“Uh-uh. I get to ask first.” I said, taking the lead.

He threw his arms up. “Go ahead. Ask away. What?”

“Why’d you move them, planting them as two of my reproductions?” I asked, but then realized my house was in chaos and always unlocked lately. It was a perfect set up.

“Because I had some stolen from me recently and yours was the first place I could think of to quickly stash the rest.”

“Who do you think could have stolen them?” I asked.

“Venturing a guess? I’d say this Joey, whoever he is, or taking a longer shot, maybe even Mona. Who knows? Too many people and deliveries are coming and going at my place to keep track. Everyone already knew yours were initially reproductions, so no one gave them another thought as they passed by them. I was protecting the vases by hiding them in plain sight.”

“Joey, I can understand, but why would Mona steal them? I’m not making a connection here.”

Was this just a distraction? If so, for what purpose?

“Because she’s in debt, running from this so called Joey.”

“I thought the FBI was shuffling her around the country.”

“That’s her story. Mona’s had the FBI, Joey, the Mafia and I don’t know who else, protecting her, chasing her and then making side deals with her because of that incriminating and valuable disc.”

“Well, I guess that means the two of us better get going and find that thing. Only, I have to tell you, you’re on your own on this. I don’t do the partner thing. I work by myself.”

“Yeah, but two minds are so much better than one,” he reasoned, smiling.

“No thanks. If I need a consult, I’ll give you a holler.”

“You are acting so cold and calculating on this, Sam.”

I smiled again. “Like someone recently observed, this gives new meaning to getting burned at the beach. Once more, thanks for the coffee. But from now on, I’m trading information on my own terms.”

Chapter 79

Something’s Got To Give Here

I suppose most people would have given up at this point, but not me. I wasn’t taking a back seat anymore. According to what I had pieced together so far, I was close, but not as close as I had hoped to be. I didn’t find that to my liking and apparently neither did Mona when I confronted her. I paced back and forth in front of her. The others were out doing their thing. I was doing mine; letting things play out.

Something had to give.

I stopped in place after hearing her side.

“…Okay,” I finally pointed out. “As far as you’re concerned, this whole thing has changed direction. Have I at least got that right?”

“…Correct,” replied Mona cautiously.

I smiled. “That’s a start. By the way, is there something else you want to explain to me? Something you might want to own up to?”

Mona quickly shot me a look. “…Like what?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe, an explanation as to why you’ve been double-talking everyone, including me.”

“I’d say that’s a little harsh. Wouldn’t you?” she countered.

I sat down thinking about it. “No! Not really. Not when you consider the chaos you’ve caused since you first arrived here.”

She blinked twice. That was all I got. She was one cool individual. How was I going to get anywhere if she didn’t at least flinch at any of these verbal jabs?

She laughed, nervously. “I never would have thought I would have witnessed the day when the infamous Samantha Jamison was capable of instigating a verbal sparring match.”

“Hey, not all of us thrive on stagnation. I certainly didn’t in the last year. Now, about that little problem we seem to have here…”

“What problem? You mean the one with Joey?” she asked, and then shrugged it off. “I’ve got that all covered.”

I was tired of her elusiveness. Maybe she thought I would have put up with it in the past, but I certainly wasn’t buying it any more. Was she stringing me on to see how much I actually knew? I decided to throw her off.

“No, David.”

That tugged at her interest. “…What about David?”

“Why the sudden fascination with his vases?” I probed.

Mona closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. “…How did you know?” she asked, calmly. “No, forget it. You probably already know most of the truth about Joey too. Right?”

“I’d have to say that’s correct. What bothers me is why put me at risk? Couldn’t you have thought of someone else other than Stephen to hide the disc for you?”

“No, not really. I didn’t and couldn’t trust anyone else.”

I was curious as to why Stephen agreed to do it in the first place. “This is bugging me, Mona. You’ve got to give me something here. I need to know the ‘why’ of it. Why would Stephen actually do it? I just don’t get it.”

What could possibly top anything else she’s told me so far?

She turned to me and let out a long sigh. “…Stephen agreed to do it, only if I split the take with him.”

I stared at her, stunned. Touché!

Chapter 80

How Did I Top That?

How did I top that? I still couldn’t get over the fact that Stephen was still haunting me to this day. I thought it was all behind me. It was obvious I wasn’t prepared for Mona’s comeback because I was still sitting in the same chair that she had left me in, well after she had gone.

But was it true, what she said?

Restless and uncomfortable, Mona eventually said she would catch me later. Here I was, wanting to move ahead with my life and was being dragged backward instead.

Another revelation like that one and I’d find myself writing a sequel instead.

This digging for facts and unearthing the truth was wearing on me. I sat mulling over everything that had happened to me lately and knew something more was out there, just waiting to catch me off guard. What?

I was asking, but wasn’t getting. What did I fail to notice? Who had the most to lose? On the other hand, who had the most to gain? Most importantly, who was always caught in the middle? Who else? Me!

Should I rethink this whole thing from the beginning?

I’ve done that in the past and it always seemed to help. Now I wasn’t so sure. There were so many loose ends I didn’t know which one to pick up and run with. I finally decided to try the loosest one. And I mean the loosest.

I grabbed the phone and dialed Harley girl. She picked up on the second ring.

“This better be good, because the minutes are ticking away as we speak,” she greeted me matter-of-factly.

“…Crystal?”

“You got her. Now, tell me. What’s up? I’m pressed for time. If you’ve got this crazy urge to clean other people’s houses, I’ve got all the time in the world to hear what you’ve got to say, otherwise, forget it.” She was laughing.

The pressure was always on when dealing with her, so I got right to it. “Crystal, can I ask you something?”

“Make it quick, girl, I don’t have all day.”

“I need to ask you a favor.”

“And the favor is?”

“A minute of your time.”

“Sure shoot.”

“What are your thoughts on this David guy?”

“Too rich for my tastes!” she offered. “Still, I think he is sort of interesting.”

“In what way?” I asked.

“He’s got a lot going on over there at his house.”

“Like what?”

“Well, if you ask me, he’s dealing in more than art. I just can’t put my finger on what it is with all those people wearing a path through his door. Some days, it’s heavy.”

“See anyone in particular that was interesting?”

“Nothing more than an odd assortment of individuals.”

“Did any names enter the picture?”

“Yeah, I think I heard the name Joey tossed around.”

I sank into my chair, frustrated.

I felt certain someone was lying to me. Who? Why?

Chapter 81

My Pal Joey

Who was Joey? That was the snag that always kept catching. On the one hand, I felt I had to discover his identity. On the other, I didn’t want to. He was no pal of mine and certainly didn’t seem like the kind of guy you wanted to bring home to meet the family.

I was walking through my thoughts, wondering why so much trouble seemed to be constantly dialing my number. Why was I always sifting minutiae, trying to put a logical spin on it? Curiosity? It certainly was a powerful aphrodisiac. Was it also a killer? Did that old cliché apply to writers too? I felt that solving the finer points on this, and the worry about my safety just might.

I picked up the phone, which was ringing. “Hello.”

“Sam, don’t say a thing, just hear me out.”

It was Clay. What was I just saying about minutiae?

“Look, I’m busy with my own problems here. I don’t need to add to them. Can’t this wait?” I asked.

“Hold on, Sam. Just listen. Then you can hang up.”

“I’m here and I’m listening, but it’ll cost you in the future, you know,” I threatened.

“This is serious. You need to be careful about Joey.”

“How did you know about this Joey business?” I asked, suddenly attentive. But after I asked that, I realized this was the same guy who knew what I was doing even before I knew what I was doing; another story, another book. But now, without any warning, he apparently was inexplicably connected to what was currently going on.

Why?

“All I’m saying is Joey is not the kind of person you want to tangle with. Just let David handle this on his own.”

“…What does David have to do with this conversation?”

“I knew you wouldn’t let me help, so I asked him to.”

My head was spinning. “Well, he’s not. He’s trouble too. And as usual, my patience is wearing thin.”

“Let’s just say for now, Sam, he’s your guardian angel.”

“Were you two related in another life? Like you, he reads like the devil incognito, who happens to be driving me crazy with his evasions and deception. Does any of this sound familiar? More to the point, I definitely don’t need a guardian. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you, very much!”

“Oh, please don’t thank me,” explained Clay. “David was compliments of my favorite dreaded twosome, Betty and Hazel. They were worried and asked me for help. That’s why they’re in Ocean City. They overheard me on the phone with Martha and put two and two together.”

Not wanting to become more confused, I cut him off. “Yeah, I know, and got four.”

What did Martha say to him?

Suddenly, he threw me. “You have work to do Sam.”

“Like what?” I asked, not getting his line of thought.

“Obviously, you haven’t unraveled the gift I sent you.”

“What do you mean unravel?” I asked, still mentally playing catch-up from his previous unexpected comment. But suddenly another thought latched onto it. Was this connected to him leaving town? “Hey! Hold on! Where’d you take off to? What exactly were you and Martha talking about…?” And then, just like that, I was talking to a dead line...

What did my pal Joey have to do with Clay’s gift? How was I supposed to unravel it? What words were exchanged between Martha and Clay? Were they all somehow related? All things being equal, I was steaming hot!

Why was I always left hanging like one of my dangling participles?

Chapter 82

Get The Picture

Instinct was something I was still learning to run with instead of second-guessing myself so much. I was trying not to jump to conclusions and letting all the information I had collected so far coalesce. The difficulty was that none of it made sense because I wasn’t getting the whole picture.

How did it all fit? Could I get to the bottom of it?

I was currently waiting for my two personal bookends to arrive. Their suggested get together was reminiscent of times past. I looked around. It definitely wasn’t the local tea room, but was chosen by them and was a place they insisted upon at the last minute.

I was somewhat concerned as I looked around, and a little uneasy. This was the same place I took that nasty tumble, the Cape May Zoo, where I had developed an aversion to cages.

“Well, we’re glad you could make it,” said Betty in my ear.

I jumped, not expecting someone to sneak up on me, and felt unnerved and annoyed with myself for not being more observant. I turned to face them.

“What’s up?”

Hazel stepped closer. “We found out something real interesting that might surprise you,” she announced proudly.

“Oh, yeah?” No matter what I did, I was never quite prepared for these two and what they always seemed to accidentally uncover.

What was it now?

I looked down anxiously at the tigers pacing back and forth, while standing firmly rooted to the middle of the elevated walkway. “By the way, couldn’t we have met in front of the giraffe exhibit instead?”

Betty looked around. “We wanted crowds so no one would hear what we were saying. Noise tends to obscure conversations. It’s the perfect place to talk. Trust us, Sam. Lightning will not strike twice. What are the chances of you accidentally falling down there a second time?”

I bit back my fear of falling and looked at them, focusing on the subject at hand. “If I wasn’t so anxious to solve this thing, I would have reneged on the invite, coming to conclusions on my own without your help. The only problem with that idea was that you two always end up throwing me angles I never would have figured out by myself. So, I’m here and I’m listening. Go ahead. Talk.”

“We found some interesting facts about that real estate agent, Pat Harris,” said Hazel, smugly. “I can tell you, this is one for the books!”

I looked first at Betty and then at Hazel. “…Well, what?”

They both looked around and then Betty said in a lowered voice, “Does the name Josephine Baker ring a bell?”

I was taken back for a second by her crazy question. “…What does a dead jazz singer have to do with this?” I asked, glancing down below. Those tigers looked hungry. I swung my gaze back to them. “And your point is?”

“Don’t be dense,” said Betty. “We pushed the legal limits on our research, but sure enough, Pat’s not her real name.”

I risked life and limb standing there for a riddle?

“You’re joking. Right?” I asked, still totally confused. “Does Pat sing, too?”

Hazel stared at me. “That’s her real name! Don’t you get it, Sam?”

I stared back. “I guess not. What am I missing here?”

“Josephine? Joey? Pat could be the infamous Joey!”

Chapter 83

Oh My! Another One?

Internally, my levels of cortisol were still escalating, obviously from those bookworms, but I still had to grill, you know who, Martha. She sat uneasily across from me, carefully folding and refolding her handkerchief. Distracted, I just stared at it. I didn’t realize people still used them. It was feminine and lacy… I stopped mid-thought. …I was getting mentally sidetracked.

I sat up straighter, determined to get this right. “How about some straight talk about you calling Clay.”

“Exactly what conversation are you talking about?” asked Martha carefully. “You’re covering a lot of territory with that question. Remember, I’ve known him a long time.”

Well, shoot! How was I to answer that?

I hated faking my way through these conversations! My brain was getting tired working overtime. I wasn’t getting enough sleep, overly concerned about my safety and who might be, or might not be Joey, who apparently was still searching for me and what I possessed, which was zip! I had gone through everything again. I’m sure I now qualified as an organizational expert, knowing precisely where every damn thing in my house was located.

I zeroed in once more. “Recently is what I’m interested in,” I finally responded.

“How recently?” she shot back, smiling innocently.

She wasn’t doing me any favors, probably trying to figure out where I was going with this. It was always a mind game with her. Martha wasn’t one to give up any information easily. I learned that in the past. She made you work for it. I was convinced she was regularly exchanging words with Clay. I finally decided on a general, all-encompassing approach.

“How about we narrow it down to your current location.”

“Sam, see it from my side. You picked up and walked away, expecting all of us to automatically understand your motives. It caught everyone by surprise, even me.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry, but I needed time for me.”

She eyed me carefully and then spoke softly. “Listen, Sam. Life’s not a bed of roses. Trust me. I know from experience. We all have to make allowances for how people react to certain situations, even you.

“We’ve all gone through a lot in the last year, you losing a husband and all, while making adjustments to your life with all the baggage that came with it. We all have. It can get overwhelming. I understand that. But at some point, you have to stop running and look around at what you really want from life.”

“That might take some time,” I replied. “I’m not ready to cross that bridge yet. I’m still figuring out who I am.”

“Then let’s leave it there for now. I’ve only two more things to add. I’m getting bad vibes with things running hot and cold around here. This Joey needs to be exposed before someone gets hurt, and that someone will most likely be you. That’s the only reason I’ve been in touch with Clay. Oh, and one more thing. Hang on to your seat for this one.”

“Why? I asked, suddenly wary of what she had to say.

“I did some, let’s just say, my kind of digging deep and came up with something sort of unexpected that you might find interesting.”

I sat there biting my tongue, as she drew out the suspense. I couldn’t stand it any longer. “What?”

“Were you aware that Mona’s middle name is Josephina?”

Chapter 84

J Walking And Wondering Why

Okay, now I had two possible Joeys. I was mentally walking through what I was told and pacing my room, trying to weigh up. How many Joeys were out there?

Apparently more than necessary. Plausible?

Could the infamous Joey be a woman? I’d never considered that. If so, which one? Or, could it be merely a coincidence with all these so called ‘Joeys’ unexpectedly surfacing? Were all of us over thinking the possibilities, trying to explain away something that was beyond us, while the truth was staring all of us right in the face?

Another thought struck me. Was someone trying to distract me from seeing the obvious? You know, look over at this hand, but don’t pay attention to what I’m doing with the other hand kind of maneuver. That was another possibility.

I could already tell there wouldn’t be a shortage of words or chapters in this book. There was too much going on. The question now in my storyline was, where do I go from here? Who do I see next and why? Somehow, I always arrived at that point, sometimes sooner, other times later. With this one, I was on the fence, you know, sort of in the middle. A lot of interesting facts, but nothing tied together yet with any coherent explanation.

Let’s see. I had my past and present now commingling in a bizarre web I didn’t understand, but somehow I felt I was getting close. How close? Not sure about that either.

I also had multiple Joeys piling up on the sidelines, with the probability that they were merely mental decoys while the original was hovering on the periphery waiting to strike.

I’d had multiple warnings from certain individuals; past, present, friendly, and not so friendly. Whose warning should I take seriously and whose should I choose to ignore?

You think this is easy figuring all this out? Why, it kept me up most nights, trying to keep all the facts and everyone with all their idiosyncrasies straight in my mind. The mental list was overflowing and, I might add, overwhelming.

Who was really here to help me and who wasn’t? Who had their own personal agenda, with my fate hanging in the balance? It seemed that’s how it worked out. I was always left hanging out there until I finally figured it all out. And let me tell you, I was going to figure this out!

Could someone from the FBI have been the one who fabricated this character, Joey, out of thin air? Or, did Mona make him up? Was David telling me the truth? I gave those ideas more time to rattle around my mind, seeing if they would take shape. No go. Not enough facts to take it any further, only hearsay by some people who now I was no longer sure about.

I had to settle on just walking through those details once again to try and figure out where and who this mysterious Joey could be, and, hopefully, I could stay safe until it was all over. I was mystified, wondering why this one was proving so hard to solve.

Chapter 85

Putting A Portrait In Perspective

Each time I thought about it, I had convinced myself it was a good idea, one worth pursuing, backtracking to Mona. I wanted to follow up on the Josephina question to see how far it took me, putting a better picture on the Mona landscape. Besides, what did I have to lose? On second thought, I wasn’t placing any bets on it helping because my track record on getting people to answer honestly wouldn’t exactly win any awards.

One thing I had noticed recently was that Mona wasn’t making any more trips to Dunkin Donuts or the nefarious motel on the strip. The Borgata was probably a dead end too. So many people go in and out of there, it was hard to keep track of any one individual. So I gave up on that one. It was probably dumb luck Bill had spotted her there that one and only time.

So, again I tried taking the lead on this thing to see where it would get me.

We were eating pizza at an outdoor table at Randazzo’s. I had to admit, it was a pretty good pizza too. I invited Mona; my treat. She accepted happily.

“Any special reason for the invitation?” Mona asked, biting into her slice of pizza, and as usual, always on guard.

I didn’t want her to clam up, so I came on easy. “I thought we’d start trying different pizza places around Ocean City for a taste comparison test. Mack and Manco is next on the list.”

She seemed to relax somewhat. “Great idea, but I think we might want to space out the samplings for my benefit. I wouldn’t want Martha or Crystal to start harassing me about watching what I eat. They’re like a couple of food hawks, jazzing me whenever they catch me snacking. Talk about the food police! I’ve become a stealth eater since they arrived. It’s pitiful.”

I laughed. “Don’t be offended. They’re really doing it for you because they care.”

Mona took a sip of her diet coke, laughing. “And does that include all the names they toss in my direction? How can I enjoy eating, while they’re giving me the evil eye?”

I tried not to look too pointedly at her – uh – hefty physique. “It’s for your own good. Listen; speaking of names, I’ve always wondered what the initial J stood for in yours. Jennifer? Jean? What?”

It was a bad segue, but hey, short notice.

She took it for what it was, small talk. “Josephina. Why?”

“Just curious, that’s all. Why the Italian spin?”

“My parents loved Italian and art. And so the name, Mona.” She stared at my blank look. “Mona Lisa?”

“Oh! Like in Da Vinci!” What about Josephina?”

“My father’s name was Joseph.”

I laughed again. “I guess calling you Joseph wouldn’t have scored any points at school, especially with the boys.”

“I was never really that concerned, because I only used the middle initial, but no, I don’t think I would have liked it at all.”

I thought back to my quest when she fell off the ends of the earth. “Mona, I searched a few years back, trying to locate your parents, hoping to find you.”

Her eyes misted. “They died in a car accident awhile ago. As an only child, they were all the family I had.”

Well, that news nailed another potential theory of mine shut.

Chapter 86

Connecting The Barbara Factor

Factoring in my data was tedious, but necessary as far as connecting all the dots, but I finally shut down my laptop, and headed for the kitchen to throw together a quick salad with sliced chicken on top for an early dinner.

Barbara joined me and without needing to ask, opened up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, poured us two glasses, made a toast, rolled up her sleeves, and placed some fresh tomatoes on the other cutting board. The company was welcome. For female therapy? Exchanging confidences? I was about to find out.

“How’s it going?” she asked, as she snatched a knife from the butcher block and promptly went to work.

I looked over at her. “Some days the words flow and on others they don’t. I can’t complain. How about you?”

She abruptly stopped slicing, resting her hands on the counter. “Look, I’m not big on pretenses. Something’s happened and I need to tell you about it. And since you’re involved, we thought you should know.”

I stopped chopping. “Who do you mean, we?”

She turned to face me and I turned as well, but you could see that she was having a difficult time starting. So I waited.

“…Jack called me last night, saying someone’s been calling around Highlands, asking about you on the phone.”

My mouth went dry. “You’re kidding!”

“No. They didn’t get very far because no one had much to say one way or the other, just what was already public knowledge regarding you, Stephen, and his car accident.”

“Did anyone recognize the person’s voice? Young? Old? How about the gender?”

“Not really. The voice whispered into a bad connection. Apparently whoever it was didn’t stay on the phone that long either.”

“Well, that’s sounds sort of strange and kind of scary too.”

“Jack thought so, after hearing what I told him. He’s asking around to find out more, but still said to warn you.”

“What do you mean warn me? What did you tell him?”

Barbara reached into her pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. “The phone rang yesterday and I picked up, but someone else had picked up first. All I caught was someone whispering to someone else on your house line.” She looked at her notes. “That ‘the calls were a dead end.’ They were ‘going to have to push back to make it happen.’ That’s it. Whoever was on your house line didn’t say a word.”

“Where was I?” I asked, not liking how this sounded.

“Remember you were real tired and took a nap?”

“Well, who else was around at the time this took place?”

“That’s just it. Everyone, including the cleaning crew.”

“Barbara, why did you wait so long to tell me this?”

“I did some investigating on my own, casually asking around.”

I was already trying to mentally connect the unknown X factor, but it wasn’t happening.

Barbara hesitated. “…Everyone pretty much had an excuse for not being near the phone except for…”

“Yeah…? Except for who?” I asked, waiting patiently.

“The cleaning crew and of course and…”

“Who else?” I asked anxiously, but then I suddenly knew who it was.

Barbara sighed. “…I’m sorry, Sam. …Crystal.”

Chapter 87

Cornering & Catching The Crystal Ball

Cornering Crystal and catching her on the fly was intimidating, unless you refined your moves just right. I wasn’t sure about anyone else, but my moves weren’t that bad. Mental moves that is. Forget the physical.

I had to make things happen and get the ball rolling on this latest development and so I headed over to find Crystal for some answers. I didn’t feel the need to waste my time trying to finesse another language, so I aimed straight for who was most likely knee deep in the phone call itself, their boss, Harley girl.

She was working at David’s with her crew, cleaning his house while he was out, who knew where. Besides, I couldn’t take a chance questioning her over at my house with my senior staff snooping around for hard evidence.

For all I knew, this whole thing might be nothing more than an innocent misinterpretation of what Barbara actually heard. At least, that’s what I was hoping for. I’d hate to think that, after all this time, Crystal was involved. I had actually grown attached to her boisterous, in your face, personality – her take-no-prisoners kind of attitude. But then again, maybe there was more to it.

I rang the doorbell and walked in. Vacuums were running and cloths were dusting, right along with IPods and earplugs doing their thing. I came up behind Crystal, yanking one plug from her ear so she could hear me.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“What the hell?” she shouted, whipping her mop around.

I ducked. “Whoa! Easy with the karate! It’s me, Sam.”

“You almost got nailed. Next time, try the doorbell!”

I gave her a look. “I did.” Then I pointed to her IPod.

She looked down at the hanging plug. “Oh.”

I feigned indignation. What, no apologies for the almost physical attack?”

“They’re offered so seldom, that when I can think of one, I’ll hand it on over. Okay?” she retorted, giving an uncertain laugh.

“I knew it was her way of apologizing and accepted it. “Sounds good to me,” I replied. “You know the address.”

She leaned against her mop, but not before checking her watch. With her, it was always about the time. “What’s up, Sam?”

“I know time is money. So, I’ll get straight to the point.”

She smiled. “Smart girl. I appreciate the gesture.”

“Crystal, I heard something that disturbed me about you.”

She paused, her smile long forgotten. “…And that would be?”

I dove in. “Someone overheard you on my house phone the other day speaking about some calls being made that weren’t working out. What calls were they referring to? To whom?”

She started to laugh. “A customer owes me money and left town without paying. Big bucks were involved. I don’t come cheap. They weren’t answering my calls for payment. I was considering tracking down the guy’s address to pay a visit, just to intimidate. I don’t take getting monetarily screwed lightly.”

I stood still realizing that another one of my potential theories was heading down the toilet, just like all the others.

You know, I could never make this a career. I couldn’t afford all these humiliations.

Chapter 88

Chapter In Question

Chapters were digitally saved on my laptop, two disks and a thumb drive. I wasn’t taking any chances on losing any of it. I flicked the safe closed and checked the handle. I frowned though, because, unfortunately, my manuscript was still incomplete and the ending still uncertain. How could I finish my book when there was nothing more in my possession that would help me solve the unsolvable? Where was the elusive disc? How could I eliminate the threat hanging over my head if I couldn’t find that damn thing?

The doorbell rang. Once. Twice. Three times. Then it dawned on me everyone was elsewhere doing their thing and I was the only one around to answer. I flew down to the foyer and swung the door open. Before me stood an elderly gentleman, I’d say, shy of six foot, medium build, white hair, and on the lean side of good-looking.

“I’m here for a particular lady,” he said, winking slyly.

Of course! Martha’s legendary, significant other, Roland!

“Sorry, I’m the only one here at the moment.” I replied.

He seemed friendly enough, but still there was something.

“Can I help you?” I offered pleasantly.

“I’m sure you can,” he replied, his foot already stepping in confidently.

All at once, I felt the hairs rise along my neck, not unlike they had once before back in Highlands.

Was this man really the nice old geezer Martha had said he was, or could this possibly be someone other than Martha’s elderly beau?

My inner warning hovered. I was alone in the house, speaking with a stranger, and not knowing if a potential threat was bearing down on me.

Should I ignore it?

He smiled. “Do you mind if I come in and wait for her?”

I stepped back mentally, and then physically. “…I guess,” I replied, tossing off my imaginative writer’s thought process.

“Thank you, I appreciate the friendly meet and greet.”

“You’re welcome. You might as well wait upstairs. She shouldn’t be that long.”

We climbed the stairwell.

Once there, I checked him out. There was no way this guy was ninety-one! Sixties? But then again, I could never tell, being a bad judge of age, especially after fudging mine for years at the age of thirty…

Oh well, never mind. …Now, where was I?

His eyes were darting around. Looking. Searching.

I stopped cold when it finally dawned on me.

Could this be Joey?

I backed up a pace, my eyes searching for a weapon just in case, but saw only some framed pictures.

Damn.

“Nice place,” he offered, still glancing about, looking for …what?

“It’s a great lease,” I responded, growing more and more uneasy.

He abruptly spun around, a silver gun in his right hand.

Oh my God! Sam, think, my mind screamed!

“…Joey?” I finally choked out.

“Good call. But let’s start a new chapter here. Shall we, Sam?”

Defiantly, I tried to take the lead. “I don’t have it.”

“Good. I like a no-nonsense woman. But you’re lying.”

“Why would I lie? I have no horse in this race.”

“Yes, you do,” he said. “It’s yours to win or lose, Sam.”

I swallowed hard. “Can I ask one question? How?”

“Martha!” he shot back. “Mind if I have a smoke?”

“Are you kidding me?” I asked, loudly.

Was this guy crazy?

“Hey, easy there, blondie, it’s only a cigarette!”

“No, I meant Martha. What’s she got to do with this?”

Suddenly my eyes were drawn to his gun. I couldn’t believe it! Was he actually going to pull the trigger?

“Hey, wait a minute! What good would it do you to kill me? Then you’ll never find what you’re looking for.”

He hesitated.

“Can’t we at least discuss this?” I pleaded.

“No! I’m under a lot of stress. Deal with it, blondie!”

I shut my eyes, panic stricken and waited.…and waited. …Nothing happened! I slowly opened one eye and then the other.

Why, he was lighting up with his gun!

Chapter 89

Killing Time

The mindset of a criminal was not my forte, but I was learning fast. Obviously, they were unpredictable. I took a deep sigh of relief. I was still breathing.

Barely.

No killing had taken place yet, just my panic attack. I needed a way out of all this. I also needed a completed novel. But at the moment, I wasn’t exactly seeing either. I’d put in quality time on this thing and had obviously gotten nowhere.

“That’s a cigarette lighter?” I asked incredulously. I felt like a complete fool!

“Of course! It’s my favorite. I carry it everywhere.” He slipped it back in his pocket, mumbling, “Crazy broad.”

I gave him a nasty look. That was the second time I heard that derogatory remark mentioned in reference to me, but forced myself to consider its source, determined to move on.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” I demanded.

He offered a smile. “What? You mean about Martha?”

“Yes. What does she have to do with all this?”

He smiled. “She’s my insurance.”

That was not what I wanted to hear. “What do you mean your insurance?” I asked nervously, my thoughts upended.

He laughed. “You might say she’s tied up at the moment.”

I sank down to a chair. “What have you done to her?”

“No harm done….yet.”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, but knew.

“You already know, don’t you?”

I rested my head back and closed my eyes. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

“Well, why don’t you give it to me so I can leave and nobody gets hurt?”

I knew that would never happen, letting me off, especially since his identity was now known. “You set Martha up from the beginning, ever since the casino that first night. Didn’t you?”

“Of course! She was an easy mark.”

I thought about it. “So you’re both Roland and Joey.”

“How clever you are!” he said, enjoying himself now.

I had to kill some time so I could come up with a way out. But there was still something I needed to know first.

“Was Mona a part of your crime conspiracy?”

“No, she wasn’t, but as far as you or Martha? That was completely my idea, my territory. Back then, I found out that Mona saw more than she needed to see in the books, crossing into too many areas she had no business being in and that finally pissed me off.

“I had to play rough and threaten your safety after finding out where you were, so she would try to help find that damn disc she sent to your husband. Then he died and I pressed harder and presto, the grand reunion in Ocean City. Clever! Don’t you think?”

Upset, I stood to face him. “Obviously you think so.”

Suddenly, from behind us, a voice said, “Not so fast grandpa!” We both turned together, taken back by who it was.

Joey/Roland’s mouth dropped open. “I can explain.”

She stood there smiling, aiming a pearl handled gun directly at him. “Did you actually think I’d let the car jacking slide? Now, the money angle, that’s real personal.”

“Pat?” I looked back and forth.

They knew each other?

Suddenly, there was another click. We all turned. There stood Mona, her hand firmly clutching a gun.

“Drop it, Pat.”

Chapter 90

Are We There Yet?

I was just rationalizing one relationship, when another one popped up. I couldn’t keep pace. I looked at Mona. “So, you were both fighting over him?” I asked, gesturing over toward Joey, as Pat’s gun slid to the floor.

Hold on! Why was Mona holding those two at bay?

Mona sighed. “We weren’t fighting over him. I lied.”

She saw the look I gave her. “You what? Why?”

“Obviously, revenge ranks high on Pat’s list, because she unexpectedly showed up trying to get her money back. She must have tracked him here to Ocean City.”

I looked from one to the other. “Obviously, more is in play here than meets the eye. Now, what’s going on?”

Mona looked over to Pat. “You want to start, or me?”

Pat turned to me, smiling. “I’m a treasury agent, who was assigned to Joey’s money laundering case and was working undercover in California. I slipped up and fell for him,” she said, looking over at him, and winking. “He was sort of cute, even for his age, especially all that money. But he had other plans, like taking off with my car in L.A. with a large chunk of my money. Then I was taken off the case.”

I took a shot, verbal that is. “That’s when he must have found out about the computer disc mailed to Stephen, and decided to come after me, thinking I had it!”

Pat turned to Mona. “You’re right, she’s no dummy.”

Mona looked at me. “Unfortunately, by then, Pat decided to work both sides of the street, saying she knew where the disc was, but she didn’t, because the disc was already ditched. I just winged the rest to stall you, Sam, borrowing her story until I could find where it disappeared. You might have figured it all out if Joey let you live long enough to do it.”

I didn’t like her reference about my possible demise and was upset. I’d been played by the all of them. How easy it was to let yourself slide and fall for all the empty chatter. Regrettably, I’d bitten. Well, that was history.

“I don’t like what I’m hearing,” I said, angrily.

“I don’t either,” said a voice from behind us. The four of us turned. There stood David, pointing a derringer. “Step away, Sam. Come over here.”

Mystified, I did as I was told and moved away from the trio and slid in David’s direction, but kept my eye on all of them, suddenly fascinated by this turn of events.

Mona held her gun steady on Roland. “Well, hello there David,” she said, smiling.

“You know, Mona, you always pushed the envelope.”

“I can’t help it. I was well trained by the government.”

I stared over at Mona. “You’re FBI, aren’t you?”

“Very good, Sam! I’m an undercover operative, but I couldn’t reveal that to you. Too risky. David’s FBI too.”

She turned to him and laughed. “We don’t like each other. Do we, David? We’re too competitive.”

Mona then focused back on me. “While David’s been tracking Pat, I worked undercover to not only get the financial information we needed to nail Joey and his organization, but because we only heard him on recorded conversations with Pat, we needed more evidence on his identity. I had to give you some spin about a relationship with me, while we flushed Joey out from the woodwork, so to speak, before he got to you. We never let on to Pat that we already knew that she was playing both sides.”

Mona sighed. “I caught them rifling through my computer. So I grabbed my disc and quickly printed an envelope. I couldn’t send it to the FBI, as I suspected even the postman. But I felt safe sending it to Stephen. End result? Someone saw me with the disc, found his address on my computer; and he became a target.

“Stephen said he’d help me hide the disc, but he never got the chance to reveal where; only that it was hidden in the puzzle, which I could never figure out.

“Meanwhile, Stephen asked Clay to hold a gift for him until he returned from his business trip, explaining it was for your birthday. None of the players had a clue what the other was actually up to. Suddenly, the key figure in all this with the disc, Stephen, died in an unexpected car accident.

“Clay had no idea about anything, just that the painting with the note was a gift for your birthday. You assumed the typed note and painting was from Clay, when all he did was merely delay forwarding it after he felt you were finally emotionally ready to receive Stephen’s belated gift.

“Having finally read the note, after Stephen’s death, Clay merely thought it was an inside riddle between the two of you and that you would understand Stephen’s cryptic message, like in a mystery. But after all the chaos broke out in Ocean City with everyone looking for that disc, it suddenly dawned on Clay, and then the FBI, that the painting and note might actually hold a clue to the location of the disc with all the mob’s financials. So, Clay quickly sent it to you, as Stephen had originally asked.”

I stood there, my mind spinning. What next?

“Roland! Why’d you leave me like that?” accused Martha, as she rounded the top of the stairs.

We all turned in unison.

She rushed to Roland’s side, embracing him. “You know how I hate unexpected foreplay! Why did you tie me to the bedpost and leave me like that, you rascal?”

Next thing I noticed was a silver gun aimed at him. She must have taken it from his pocket. She was fuming.

“Martha! No! Don’t!” I yelled, frightened. “That’s his cigarette lighter.”

She looked down at her hand and laughed. “I don’t think so. Berretta doesn’t make lighters.”

Roland pushed her to the side and made a break for it. “I’m out of here. You people are all nuts!” he said, knocking David over, as he raced for the stairs.

Roland pulled out a gun and aimed at all of us. I hit the floor. Then a shot rang out. I stared over at Martha, shocked, and turned back as Joey tumbled down the steps.

How’d she do that with a lighter?

Martha lowered the gun to her side, walked over to the railing, looked down and gave a bitter laugh.

“Got the bastard!”

I swear her version of ‘senior citizen’ not only blew my mind, but also just blew away Roland.

Chapter 91

I’m Not Buying That

I wasn’t buying that all this was over. Not by a long shot. I still didn’t know where the disc was. Come to think of it, neither did anyone else. Where was it?

I leaned over the railing as Barbara, Betty and Hazel burst through the front door thoroughly upset, and out of breath just as David and the others reached Roland’s side.

“What in the world is going on?” asked Barbara.

“Oh, my! “There’s a body lying on the floor of the foyer!” announced Betty.

“We heard a shot as we approached!” exclaimed Hazel.

They were all leaning over Roland, as he began to stir.

“Look out!” shouted Martha. “He’s alive and kicking!”

David knelt down. “It’s a shoulder wound. He’ll live.”

Mona was dialing 911 for an ambulance and backup.

I checked out the crowd down below.

Where was Pat?

I turned in time to see her bend down to retrieve her gun. I frantically looked around and grabbed the first heavy thing I could think of and pitched it in her direction.

Déjà vu!

That framed picture sailed through the air like a missile, nailing its target with precision, and then Pat fell with a thud, as her gun flew across the floor.

The others scrambled up the stairs, as I reached her body, after side stepping through the scattered broken bits of glass.

“What happened?” asked David, as he approached.

“She reached for her gun, maybe having second thoughts about saving her former boyfriend.”

Mona stared down at Pat. “I guess that’s what happens when you work both sides of the street. Too much money was involved and her greed got the best of her.”

By this time, everyone was finally upstairs in the living room watching the spectacle sprawled out on the floor.

“It’s obvious she fell for his sweet talk too,” said Martha, shaking her head and frowning.

“My! My!” exclaimed Hazel. “What a switch!”

“You know, they always say look out for the surprise ending you don’t expect. How true!” said Betty.

I just stood there, looking down at what was staring me in the face. “Well, look what we have here!” I exclaimed, reaching down to grab the infamous disc off the floor.

Mona turned to look. “Where did that come from?”

All eyes turned to me. “When I saw her reaching for her gun, I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on, Stephen’s birthday gift; the glass framed picture of the woman by the sea. The disc must have been inside the frame behind the picture.”

Martha stooped down to have a closer look at the floor. “What picture? That was a puzzle that was lightly glued together and glossed over and framed!”

We all stood there, now noticing all the individual puzzle pieces scattered everywhere underfoot on the dark hardwood floor.

Mona nudged me. “Remember Stephen told me he hid the disc in the puzzle? Well, there you go. He did just that!”

I stood there amazed, laughing at the last page to the book being set into its final rightful place. I looked up at everyone. “And that folks is what they call, The End!”

“What in hell is going on?” yelled Crystal from the foyer.

…Well ...Maybe not quite the end!

We all ran to the railing and looked down the stairwell.

Crystal was leaning over Roland’s – no Joey’s! – body, looking at him.

“Dad?”

Chapter 92

Explaining The Unexplainable

How does someone explain the unexplainable? That was just what was running through my head as we all stood looking down at Crystal yelling at her father-in-law; Roland/Joey, the infamous drunken gambler, sucking her dry. Here, I had finally thought there were no more surprises in the works. You see what I mean? That just goes to show you, always be prepared to expect the unexpected.

In addition to that unforeseen surprise, I had heard earlier that morning that my editor quit, apparently fed up with correcting other people’s mistakes. You know, I sort of felt that way myself after this whole ordeal.

One thing was still bothering me that needed answering. I turned toward Martha. “How in the world did you fire a gun that was a cigarette lighter? I have to tell you that was absolutely amazing!”

She started laughing. That was my gun! I had it hidden.”

I blinked. “Your gun? Since when do you own a gun?”

“Well, with all this crazy stuff going on,” she said, gesturing to Barbara, Betty and Hazel, “we all decided to get our own hardware and have been taking target practice every afternoon for these last few weeks at a local firing range. After David and I argued, he asked me to keep a close eye on you because he was concerned for your safety, with Joey being on the loose. You were the only one who could flush him out. We took that as a call to action.”

I stood there stunned. “Is that where you’ve been running off to? And to think, I thought you were all over in Atlantic City at the casinos.” I turned to the others to verify what she said.

Betty nodded. “I thought it was very empowering.”

Hazel laughed. “I’m turning into a crack shot!” she said, whipping out her 38 special and waving it in the air.

Everyone nervously backed up and then ducked.

Barbara laughed, and then turned to me. “Jack taught me a long time ago. We even go hunting together,” she said smiling. “I’m proficient in rifle and bow and arrow too!”

Well, who would have guessed? All this time, my posse was already armed and obviously dangerous.

When it comes to turning the last page of a good book, you are sort of reluctant to let it go. I sort of felt that way about this one. It was all finally done with and I was metaphorically turning the last page on this one.

Like I said, how do you explain the unexplainable? You see, I never took anything for granted anymore. And, like before, reminded myself that every day was a blessing.

I turned to take one last look at everyone assembled. What a crew! Then I wondered.

Where would my next book take me?

Out of the blue, the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” said Crystal, reaching over her moaning father-in-law. “Easy, big guy. Stay right there and no one gets hurt.”

We all strained to hear her down below in the foyer.

She picked up on the second ring. “Hello? What? No!”

“Who is it?” I yelled down to Crystal, concerned by her clipped response.

“Martine, your friend in France, said to come quick, she needs you!”

Martha smiled, and then gave a loud whoop! “Well, I guess that means we’re going to the French Riviera!”

I turned, giving her a look. “What do you mean, we?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peggy A Edelheit has three sons, lives with her husband & miniature Schnauzer & spends time between Bucks County, PA and South Florida

Also By The Author

The Puzzle

A Samantha Jamison Mystery

Volume 1