Bodies in Paradise Read online

  “Isn’t he the cutest?” Lark whispered.

  I turned to Arlo, wondering what dog trick I’d missed.

  “Nooo…” Lark giggled and pointed in Gunz’s direction behind her cupped hand.

  After doing a double take, I said, “You and I need to have a talk.”

  “If it’s about…” Lark tapped the tips of her fingers together. “I already know.” She laughed and skirted past me to her desk.

  Creole finished his call and crossed to me, dropping a quick kiss on my lips.

  “Sorry I didn’t—”

  “No worries. Fab called.”

  It was a rule that when a job went awry, we were to call and report in. At first, it’d meant for trouble but had been expanded to anything out of the ordinary, and that certainly described the morning.

  “That reminds me… we can’t stay long,” I said, loud enough for all to hear. “Our newest family member—a goat, and I’m open to suggestions on a name—anyway… he’s out in the Hummer, and Fab is helping me get him home. I don’t want him to get heatstroke. I thought he would make a good playmate for the cats.” Creole started out with a grin, which disappeared. The others had lapsed into an uncharacteristic silence. “He’s very affectionate, so don’t be surprised when he comes sniffing.”

  “A goat!” Creole whipped over to the doorway and craned his neck to see the Hummer. “It better not be true.”

  I exchanged a grin with Fab, who’d sat down next to Didier. Witnessing the exchange, he shook his head.

  “For anyone who believed that story—and that’s what it was—you’ve been pranked,” Brad announced with a laugh.

  I sat next to my brother and leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You staying out of trouble?”

  “You know me.” Brad chuckled.

  “I do, and that’s why I asked.”

  Creole came over and sat next to me. “You’re not very funny.”

  I fake frowned.

  “I have a goat-free announcement,” Didier said. “The divers recovered the first body, which is at the morgue.” He’d been reading off his phone and shoved it back in his pocket. “They’ve stopped the recovery process for the other body.”

  Swell.

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t wash up on our strip of sand,” Fab said.

  I seconded that. “Did body number one drown?”

  “The bullet in the middle of his forehead did the job,” Didier said.

  Fab and I both grimaced.

  “I have friends on the force, and as soon as I heard, I put out a request to be kept in the loop.” Gunz wiggled back in his chair, getting more comfortable, if that was possible.

  “How long before they release a name?” I planned to order a background check the second I got it. We all wanted to know if any of us knew one of the victims.

  “Good question,” Creole said. “Kevin told us that the man didn’t have any identification on him, so hopefully they can match his prints.”

  “Be nice to know why our dock was chosen,” Didier mused.

  I seconded that.

  “I’ve asked the boat dealer next door to ask around,” Creole said. “He said it won’t be easy to locate the boat based only on type and paint color.”

  “I’ll also pass the description along to a couple of friends that work the docks,” Brad said. “If they don’t know, they probably know someone who does.” Brad had been a commercial fisherman for years before he sold off half the business to a friend and joined the family in real estate.

  Gunz caught Fab’s attention and tapped his wrist.

  Fab stood. “We’ve got a meeting.”

  “I’ll wait here for you,” I told her.

  She scooted closer, leaned in, and whispered, “The heck you will.”

  Creole, who’d heard her, laughed.

  Gunz stood, grabbed his briefcase, and headed to the elevator, Fab behind him. I didn’t bother to keep up, sure to earn another glare from Fab. I preferred to walk the two flights. I hadn’t stepped foot in the elevator since the time it shook on me. The repair guy claimed to have fixed the issue. Whatever.

  “You have a surprise upstairs,” Lark said to me as I passed her desk. “I wouldn’t have opened the door, but the guys insisted and also admonished me not to warn you.” She shot the three men, who were staring her down, the stink eye.

  I paused and asked, “Is it going to be bad?”

  She furtively shook her head.

  “Next time we’re late, don’t feel obligated to entertain Fab’s client. I know Gunz can be ’tudey.”

  “He was a perfect gentleman.” Lark giggled. “He’s so funny; all we did was laugh.”

  I swallowed my groan. Gunz’s track record with women stunk, as evidenced by the scar on the side of his nose where some chick had removed a hunk with her teeth. “We’re going to have a talk.” Later. When I had more time.

  I waved and bounced up the stairs. The door stood open. As I walked in, I couldn’t miss Xander Huntington sitting at one end of the ten-foot oblong desk that Fab had had custom-made for me out of shiplap. He was our Information Specialist, meaning he could dig up info on just about anyone, and if something was out of his skill set, he had contacts. He waved with a grin.

  “Are you the surprise?” I asked as I walked over and dropped my briefcase and purse on the other end of the mammoth desk.

  Xander nodded. “I have a business deal to pitch you.”

  “I hope this means we’ll be sharing office space again, but what about Toady?”

  Toady was a friend that Fab and I met out in Alligator Alley, and he lived in one of Fab’s warehouses. Part of the agreement they’d made was that he was to keep intruders off the property. Needing more room for his business ventures, Xander had worked a deal for office space, and in exchange, he dug up information that Toady needed on his jobs, most of which were referred by Fab. They were the ones that Didier had banned Fab from taking. Dangerous wasn’t a word in Toady’s vocabulary—he met it head-on.

  “The good news is that Toady’s found his soul mate. Now that she’s moved in, they need their privacy.” Xander glanced around furtively, then whispered, “She’s loud.”

  “Loud?”

  “Hah… ah… ahh…” he said, then gasped.

  I covered my face and laughed; I could feel my cheeks burning.

  “For my sanity, I decided that Fuchsia and Toady needed space and it was time to get my own,” Xander said. “I thought I’d stop by and pitch sharing space again. I ran it by the guys downstairs, and they all thought it was a good idea. Creole had Lark let me in, saying it would be a great surprise. Hope he was right.”

  Fuchsia? Couldn’t wait to meet her. “You’re a perfect fit for this office.” I smiled. “There’s plenty of room for another desk. We’ll pick out something ugly and show it to Fab: ‘Don’t you love this?’ I guarantee something amazing will get delivered the next day.”

  “Before we do that,” Xander cautioned, “it would probably be best if you asked her… and not in front of me, since she might want to say no. Then it would be awkward.”

  “Can’t have any awkwardness.” I flashed him a shifty smile that had him doing a double take. “Fab,” I yelled across the room, “Xander’s moving in. He needs a desk and whatever else, and I’m certain you can take care of it.”

  Fab didn’t skip a beat and yelled back, “In the meantime, he can use your desk.”

  I winked at Xander, whose cheeks were on fire. “No worries about Fab dragging her fashionable heels; we won’t have to share for long. Happy you’re back and that we’ll be sharing space again. It’ll be good to know someone’s here, since we’re not most of the time. You can keep an eye on the place.”

  I crossed to Fab’s desk and sat in her second chair, which I’d pushed up against the wall with the admonition not to move it. Not the perfect position, but at least I could watch Fab and her client in action.

  “As you both know…” Gunz stopped to suck down water from his designer bo
ttle. “I’m heavily invested in real estate. One of your jobs is now to check out any property I’m interested in and get back to me with a report on the condition, neighborhood, that sort of thing. I forwarded a sample of the report I’ll need for each address.”

  “Don’t you think a licensed appraiser would be better for this job?” I knew Fab hated it when I asked Gunz questions, but too bad.

  Gunz’s expression bubbled with anger as he bit out, “I had one.”

  “He die?”

  “I wish. Turns out, the b— was checking out my properties all right. Billing me through the nose and selling the information to other investors.”

  “I’d have thought your killer reputation would’ve preceded you and no one would dare screw you,” I said.

  “Word’s spread that I’ve cleaned up my rep and don’t kick ass like I did before.” Gunz oozed frustration. “So game on. Once I found out, I fired his ass, and what did he do? Spread word that I’d gone soft.” He growled out the last word. “Now if he were discovered face down in a ravine, you can bet I’d be the first suspect.”

  “Then figure out a way to hit the guy in the wallet and make his humiliation public.” Fab checked her phone and handed it over to me.

  “You and I…” Gunz winked at Fab and tapped his temple. “I put the word out that he’s blackballed and if anyone uses him, that’s the end of any business relationship with me.”

  I gave the report a fast perusal. “We’ll do our best to duplicate this and make sure you get the info you need.”

  He nodded, liking that we were on board.

  I didn’t need to be part of this and excused myself, going back to my desk and sitting opposite Xander. I updated him on the morning and the information I’d be needing. “Can you also check for other bodies dumped in the same way?” Then I told him about The Cottages, which had him laughing.

  “You should hit up your funeral friends, since they have a connection in the coroner’s office and that guy’s always willing to share.”

  Fab and I had made friends with the owners of Tropical Slumber Funeral Home. They’d hid us from trouble a couple of times, and in return, we “bodyguarded” at their shindig funerals. What better place for a fight to break out?

  “Good idea. Fab can do it.” I texted her, so I wouldn’t forget. “They find her more entertaining than me.”

  Xander didn’t appear to believe me.

  Hearing Gunz’s size twenties hit the concrete on the way to the door, I deduced that he and Fab had concluded their meeting. “Like I told your husbands, I don’t expect you to stick your neck out. You ever sniff trouble, just hit the highway,” I heard him tell her before the door closed.

  That was one thing I appreciated about Gunz—he always stressed our safety first, unlike Fab’s other clients.

  She came over and sat down, slapping her hand on the desk. “I’m not doing the reports.”

  “Figured as much and came up with a solution—hire Lark. Then boost Gunz-o’s bill. Problem solved.” I smiled at her. “According to the guys, she never says no to any request and doesn’t drag her flats on turnaround time. They had to step in a few times when Boardwalk tenants wanted to take advantage and turn her into an errand girl.”

  “Gunz never complains about what I charge as long as I give him a heads up. I also don’t take advantage, and he knows that. It seems like he and Lark get along, so that’s a plus.”

  Xander’s brows went up.

  “I’d like you to stress the no-dating policy.” There wasn’t one, but that was easily rectified. “You know he leaves his women in a frustrated mess and they inevitably end up trying to kill him. Remember the one that shot at us?” Maybe that was another client, but the reminder got the message across to Fab. “The guys are happy with Lark, and I don’t want her leaving.”

  Fab nodded and turned her attention to Xander. “Can you set up a notification for any news stories related to this morning?” She passed her phone to him. “This needs to be a secret because Didier wants me to stay out of it. Once he started on the safety speech, I just readily agreed.”

  “I’m uncertain why you haven’t figured out that your sneak-around ploys don’t work for very long.” I glanced over at Xander in time to see his smirk disappear. “You could have Xander send it to all our phones, and then you’re in the clear.”

  “No thanks. That would mean I wouldn’t be the one to spread the news.”

  I tried not to, but laughed anyway, and she joined in.

  “Please tell me you’ll put Gunz’s job off until tomorrow?” I asked. “One good reason is that we need to organize what information we’ll need so we’re not making multiple trips. Another reason, if you need it, is I’ve had enough of this day.”

  Chapter Six

  The next morning, Creole was in the middle of making coffee when my phone rang. Fab’s face popped up on the screen. “You’re canceling our road trip?” I asked when I answered. One less Gunz job was fine with me.

  “Can you be here in five? I’m offering waffles to sweeten the pot.”

  I looked down at my ankle-length t-shirt dress. I didn’t usually go trotting down the block in it, but what the heck. “Can I bring Creole or should I ditch him?”

  Fab laughed. “Just know that if you do the latter, he’ll track you down.”

  I shoved my phone in my pocket. “Put on a shirt, babe, so we can hop to the neighbors’ for tasty chow.”

  He gave me a scrutinizing once-over.

  “Waffles.”

  He unplugged the coffee and moved past me, grumbling, “Whatever Fab is up to better be good.” He was back in a minute, hooked his arm around my shoulders, and we went out the back and cut down the beach.

  We walked across Fab and Didier’s patio and through the open glass doors. The kitchen island had been set for the four of us.

  “Bonjour.” I waved frantically, which amused Didier. I slid onto a stool and licked my lips at the glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice he set in front of me.

  “Smells good.” Creole sat next to me after Didier declined his help.

  “My wife has news, which she’s excited to share but which will wait until we’ve finished eating,” Didier arched his brow at Fab.

  The conversation was often funny as we devoured our food at a fast rate. It was good to be back together for breakfast. The guys stacked the dishwasher, even though I’d offered for Fab and I to do it, which meant that I’d do it and Fab would direct me.

  Didier refilled our coffee mugs.

  “Warning, this picture is a bit gruesome,” Fab said, mostly for my benefit. “To speed things along, I got with my source, who called on theirs, and they identified the body fished out of the water as Richard Paul. Here’s a picture taken right after he arrived at the coroner’s office.” She retrieved her phone off the countertop, clicked on the screen, and handed it to Creole. So much for her promise to stay uninvolved.

  Translating for Fab, she called our digger friends, who called their coroner friend, who always came through. If he ever cashed in all the favors we owed, it would be a doozy.

  “He’s not as bloated as his friend will be when he washes up,” Creole said. “Never seen this man before.”

  I waved off the phone, not wanting the image of the corpse seared into my brain.

  “I didn’t recognize him either,” Fab informed us. “I texted the info to Xander, and he sent back a preliminary background check that showed the man to be a small potatoes hoodlum with a lengthy rap sheet of petty crimes. No missing persons report has been filed.”

  “Don’t forget about your latest phone alert.” Didier’s brows went up.

  It surprised me when Fab blushed.

  “Local news is reporting that there’s an eyewitness to the disposal of the body. A woman. Yet to be identified.” Fab screwed up her nose in distaste.

  “You can bet they’re digging,” Creole grouched.

  “That means that one of us is the witness in question?” I mused. “Unle
ss someone else is bragging.” One could hope that local media was being led on a chase.

  “It’s probably you or me, and if they’re able to track one or both of us down, you can bet we’ll be hounded.” Fab continued to scroll through her phone.

  “I’d think it would take help from someone within the sheriff’s department to find us,” Didier said.

  “What this means is that we’ll need to keep our eyes peeled for anyone snooping around.” Creole picked up Fab’s phone and looked at the picture again. “Forward all this to me, please.”

  “I’ll copy all of you,” Fab said.

  “Not me.” I screwed up my nose. “You can share the less gruesome highlights.” Fab’s grin let me know that I’d be hearing more details than I wanted to. “Are we still on for the Gunz job?”

  “The window for coming up with an excuse as to why you can’t go has closed. So yes.”

  “Give me a half-hour.” I slid off the stool. “Lay on the horn, and I’ll come running.”

  The guys smirked.

  Creole walked me out the same way we came. “Yesterday, Didier and I questioned Gunz about the job. Seems tame enough, and he assured us that he’s not expecting any trouble, but…”

  I stood on my tiptoes and brushed his lips with mine. “Once I shoot my way out, I’ll get hot on the phone.”

  Creole swung me around, tickling me. I screamed. He hoisted me over his shoulder and ran up the steps.

  Chapter Seven

  Fab flew down the Overseas like the highway would disappear if she wasn’t in the lead, ignoring that it had been built eighty years ago and wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. There was the chance of a hurricane nipping off hunks, but even rain rarely wiped out the whole road.

  “Do you think you could get us to wherever we’re going without making me puke?” I grouched.