6 Beach Blanket Barbie (4 page)

“
Salinger called me while I was at the boathouse getting ready to meet you here,” I began. “He said the CSI found Barbie’s shoe on the pier. It looked as if it had gotten caught in the space between the boards, causing her to fall forward. Salinger is sticking to the alcohol-impaired theory for now, but he did say that he’d ordered a toxicology screen, so he should have better information later this afternoon.”

“Was he
planning to call you with the results?” Levi wondered.

“No
, but I’m sure Zak can get them.”

“So we’re going to investigate?” Levi asked again.

“Okay.” I took Levi’s hand. “I’m in. I’m sure Zak and Ellie will help as well.”

“Tonight?”
Levi asked.

I thought about the dinner I was supposed to have with my parents
, and the adorable stuffed doggie I’d gotten for Harper and couldn’t wait to give her. I’d found the doggie in a gift shop in the valley. It was soft and fuzzy and looked almost exactly like Charlie. I hated to miss out on our special night, and this would be the second time I’d had to cancel on my parents, but given the unique set of circumstances, I knew they’d understand.

“
Let’s meet at the boathouse at six,” I said. “We have plenty of beer, wine, and tequila left from last night, and I have left-over steaks we can grill for dinner.”

“
I’ll call Ellie to let her know what we’re doing,” Levi offered. He grabbed his phone, which was safe in a waterproof case.

“Ask her to bring something for dessert,” I requested.
“And make it a quick call. It looks like the rest of the water-sports team has arrived and is heading toward the marina. I think I heard someone say we were going to use Nathan’s new ski boat. Did you bring your board?”

I realized that he hadn’t been carrying it when he
’d joined me on the beach.

“
It’s in my truck.”

“I’ll get it while you make the call,” I volunteered.

“And grab my wet suit while you’re at it. It’s on the front seat.”

“Yeah, okay.”

I returned to the parking lot and located Levi’s SUV. I was about to head back to the beach with the wakeboard and wet suit when I noticed the dog I’d come to think of as Scamp rummaging through a Dumpster at the edge of the lot. I set Levi’s things on his front seat and slowly made my way toward the evasive little dog. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do since I didn’t have so much as a leash with me, but perhaps if I could lure him back to Levi’s vehicle, I could lock him inside and then call Jeremy to come to get him.

“Hey, Scamp,” I said in a soothing voice as I slowly made my way forward. Scamp looked up from the takeout containers he was rummaging through when he heard me approach. The dog was filthy
, with matted hair and half an ear, but he had intelligent eyes that showed his distrust of me. “I have lots of food back at the Zoo if you want a safe, warm place to hang out for a while.”

Scamp tilted his head as if he were actually listening to me.
He watched me with interest as I continued to inch forward. “I bet if we give you a bath and a good brushing, we can find you a new forever home with someone who will love you.”

I made my way closer to the dog
, who looked like he was ready to bolt at any minute. Based on his skittish nature and the condition of his coat, I was willing to bet he’d been on the street for quite some time. I took out my phone and quickly snapped his photo. If he did manage to slip away, at least I could make up flyers to attempt to track him down again. I found myself wishing I had some of the dog treats I normally keep in my pocket.

“What’s the holdup?” Levi walked up behind me.

Scamp took one look at the man carrying a wakeboard and took off running.

“I was trying to catch that dog,” I answered. “He’s been hanging around down here at the beach for a few days. I’m sure he’s a stray
. I was hoping to coerce him into your vehicle and then have Jeremy come to get him.”

“Sorry. The guys sent me to get you. Everyone
’s here and the boat is loaded.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll try to find the dog later.”

I was sorry to miss dinner with my parents and bonding time with my little sis, but it was nice to have just the core group together again. Okay, technically Levi, Ellie, and I are the initial core group, but Zak had always been around on the outskirts of our trio, so when the four of us are together, it somehow feels different than it does when other friends join in. I suspect Ellie specifically didn’t invite Rob to attend out of respect to Levi. Rob was a nice-enough guy, and he
was
going to be Ellie’s husband, but somehow he hadn’t managed to meld with the group the way Zak had.

Zak manned the BBQ
while Levi and Ellie chatted and I tried to figure out exactly how to approach the circumstances we faced. Like Levi, I suspected there was more to Barbie’s death than Salinger believed. While it was
possible
that Barbie simply got drunk and fell into the water, it was highly unlikely that’s what occurred. Barbie was athletic and a good swimmer. If she had fallen in, or even been pushed, it made sense that she could have swum the short distance to shore. And even if she’d had a few drinks, she would have sobered up the minute she hit the cold water of the alpine lake. I suppose if she was extremely drunk or had been taking drugs, she could have passed out and drowned, as Salinger believed.

Levi had been correct in his assumption that
the sheriff wasn’t going to just hand over the results of the autopsy. Zak promised to see what he could find out after he finished grilling up the most mouthwatering steaks I had eaten in quite some time. I supposed we should proceed with the assumption that Barbie had been murdered and then focus on defining who might have hated her enough to want to kill her. Unfortunately, I was afraid the list was going to be a long one.

“Do you want another margarita?” Ellie stood in front of me with a pitcher of the frozen drink.

“Sure, why not? How’s Levi?” I asked as she poured.

“Kind of a mess,” Ellie admitted. Levi had joined Zak at the BBQ
, but I could see the concern on her face. “He feels guilty, and I guess I can see why he would. I don’t blame him for blowing Barbie off after everything she did, but still . . .”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess the only thing we can do at this point is figure out who did this.”

“Barbie wasn’t a popular woman,” Ellie reminded me. “It might be easier to figure out who
didn’t
want her dead.”

I looked out toward the lake
, where the dogs were chasing each other. Part of me really didn’t want to get sucked into another murder investigation, but I did want to help my friend, and solving the murder seemed the best way to do that. I took a sip of my drink. The frozen mixture of lime and tequila was exactly what I needed after the long, hot day. I let myself relax as I waited for the sun to begin its descent behind the mountain.

“I’ve been thinking about that day at the beach,” Ellie said after several minutes of silence. “I hate to admit it
, but I pretty much spied on Barbie from the moment she arrived until she left at the end of the day. Chances are someone she came into contact with during the day is either responsible for her death or at least has some knowledge that will help us narrow down who’s responsible.”

“I guess we can make a list and start talking to people
.”

Ellie pulled out her phone. “I’ll make a list for now
, and then we can download it and share it after dinner.”

“While I was there
, you mentioned Salinger, Lisa and Jason Grover, Conan and his wife or girlfriend, and lifeguard guy,” I began.

“There were a few others after you left,” Ellie added. “Phillip Hayes stopped
to chat with her. At first it seemed like they were just catching up, but then it looked like their conversation turned into an argument. Phillip left shortly after that.”

Phillip was one of the men Barbie flirted with
when she lived in Ashton Falls. She worked in the local yoga studio, and Phillip delivered bottled water to the studio on a daily basis. I didn’t know whether the relationship had progressed beyond flirting, but I did know that Phillip was married. “Okay, let’s add Phillip and his wife Angela to the list. Who else?”

“There were several women who used to take yoga from Barbie on the beach that day. Most stopped to say hi
, but I doubt it’s worth listing them. None seemed angry or put out by her presence.”

“What about Serenity?” I asked. Serenity
was the owner of the yoga studio and had been very put out when Barbie up and quit without giving any notice.

“Serenity?” Ellie asked. “She seems so
. . .”

“Serene. I know. It’s her type you
usually need to watch out for.”

Ellie added her to the list.

“Anyone else?” I wondered.

“Probably
, but that’s a start. Looks like the steaks are done. Let’s eat before they get cold.”

Zak was a master at many things, the least of which was grilling the perfect steak. As I sat
on the deck that bordered the lake with my friends, I reminded myself of how lucky I was to live in such a beautiful place and to have such wonderful friends to share my life. Although I was beginning to tire of the seemingly endless string of murder investigations I seemed to be drawn into, Levi was my friend, and he’d asked for my help; in spite of my reluctance, I planned to give it to him.

“How did the water
-sports meeting go?” Zak asked.

“Really good
,” Levi answered. “Zoe and I have a killer double routine that’s going to knock everyone’s socks off.”

“Wakeboarding or skiing?” Ellie asked.

“Boarding,” Levi answered. “Let’s just say that death-defying moves will be involved.”

“Death defying?” Zak asked.

“Don’t worry, Levi is just being dramatic. Levi and I have been doubling since we were kids. We know what we’re doing.”

“I hope so,” Ellie
said. “I’d hate for my maid of honor to have to be pushed down the aisle in a wheelchair.”

“Not to worry
. I promise to show up free of bruises or broken bones.”

“When is this shindig
, anyway?” Levi asked.

“We haven’t set an
exact
date,” Ellie answered. “Maybe July or August.”

“One of the men I went sailing with has a house on the beach in Maui,” Zak informed us. “He said I could use it any
time I’d like, if you and Rob want to honeymoon there.”

“Really?” Ellie gasped. “That would be fantastic. I’ve always wanted to go to Maui but haven’t quite managed to get there yet.”

“I’m sure Keoke will let you use it, as long as it’s available. I’ll need a span of dates you plan to be there. Maybe two weeks or so.”

“I’ll talk to Rob tomorrow.”

It bothered me just a bit that Ellie was much more excited about the honeymoon than she was the wedding, and ten times more excited about being a mother than being a wife. It was really nice of Zak to offer the use of his friend’s house, but I sort of wish he hadn’t. Requiring Rob and Ellie to set a date moved a wedding I wasn’t sure should happen all that much closer.

“Are you planning to take Hannah with you on your honeymoon?” I asked.

“I’m sure we will. She’s too little to be away from us for so long. She’ll love Hawaii.”

“The house has three bedroom, four baths, a large living area
, and a pool right on the beach,” Zak informed Ellie. “I’ve stayed there and really enjoyed it. It’s situated north of most of the touristy spots, so it’s quiet yet still close enough to drive to fantastic restaurants.”

“It sounds perfect.” Ellie hugged Zak. “Thank you so much. I’ll talk to Rob tomorrow and nail down a date.
Are there any Saturdays that wouldn’t work for us to use your house?” Ellie asked Zak.

Zak looked at me.

“I’m pretty open,” I responded.

“Yeah, me too,” Zak added.

“I’m free as well, if you’re interested,” Levi added, in a voice that held just a hint of snark.

“Ok
ay, great. I’ll check with Kelly and make sure she’s free to cover at the Beach Hut and then compare notes with Rob.”

“Perhaps we should get back to the murder investigation.” Levi seemed annoyed by the wedding talk. “That is
, after all, why we’re here.”

“Ellie and I were talking while you and Zak were grilling,” I began. “
We have an initial list of possible suspects.”

I went over the list and asked for input from Zak and Levi. Zak didn’t really know Barbie all that well
, but Levi thought we might want to add Courtney Huntington, Barbie’s former roommate, and Brock Silvers, the man Barbie had first moved to Ashton Falls for. It occurred to me that although Barbie had only lived in Ashton Falls a short time, she’d managed to make a lot of enemies in what amounted to a handful of months.

“Do we know if there were any defensive wounds
that might indicate a struggle?” Ellie asked.

“I might be able to get a peek at the coroner’s report,” Zak
said. “I need access from my desktop. It has a lot better software than the laptop I keep in my truck. Is everyone up for moving this party down the beach to my house?”

“Yeah
.” I accepted Zak’s idea. “I’ll clean up here if you want to go ahead and get started. Charlie and I will meet you at your house when I’m finished in the kitchen.”

“I’ll help you,” Ellie offered.

“And I’ll go with Zak,” Levi decided.

After the guys left
, Ellie and I cleared away the remainder of our feast from the table on the deck. Dinner really had been delicious and I was full and lethargic. Part of me just wanted to put on my pj’s and curl up with a good book. I owed Levi so many favors, though, and he was one of my two best friends, so I set my own desires aside and packed a few things to take to Zak’s should I decide to stay over. I started the dishwasher and then gave Marlow and Spade fresh food and water and cleaned their litter box in case I didn’t get back to the boathouse until the following day.

“What do you really think about this whole thing?” Ellie asked as she wiped the countertop.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. Barbie did have a lot of enemies, but unless the coroner’s report indicates foul play of some sort, I don’t think we have much to go on. It’s odd that Barbie called Levi, though.”

“You don’t think it was just an attempt to secure a date for the evening?”

“Possibly, but sort of doubtful. Barbie and Levi didn’t part on good terms. She was a beautiful woman who would have had no problem finding a date. I think there must have been more to the call.”

“I hope we can figure this out for Levi’s sake. He’s really beating himself up over the fact that he didn’t agree to meet her.”

“Yeah, given what happened, I can see why he might feel guilty. I wonder if Zak’s friends are still going to be in town tomorrow.”

“Why do you ask?” Ellie wondered.

“The only clothes I have at Zak’s are cutoffs, board shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops. It occurred to me that if his friends are still in town, he might want to get together with them. Maybe I should pack a sundress and some nicer sandals.”

“I don’t suppose it would hurt to keep something nicer at Zak’s in any event,” Ellie agreed. “Why don’t you and Zak just move in together? It would save all this hassle
dragging things back and forth.”

I sat down on the bed next to Ellie. “I don’t think I’m ready for som
ething like that. Besides, I love my boathouse and can’t imagine moving, and asking Zak to move in here would be unreasonable.”

“Yeah, I see your point. If I lived in this boathouse
, I wouldn’t want to leave either. It won’t be as hard to say good-bye to my little apartment.”

“So you
’re going to move into Rob’s house after the wedding?”

“It makes the most sense. Hannah is already settled there
, and I’m not sure we can afford something new.”

“And it doesn’t bother you that Rob lived there with Hannah’s mother?” I asked.

Ellie shrugged. “A little. Rob often mentions Cassie in passing. He’ll say things like, ‘I remember when Cassie picked out that wallpaper,’ or ‘Cassie had a fit when I brought home that chair.’ It would be nice to start fresh in a new place that’s just ours.”

“Maybe you should talk to Rob about looking for a place. It doesn’t seem an unreasonable request from where I sit.”

“I did bring up the idea of getting a new place at one point, but Rob said it was silly to go to all the trouble of moving when his house would suit our needs perfectly.”

“Yes
, but it’s his house. It will always
be
his house. I really think you should bring up the subject again. I’m not trying to cause a problem between you, but in the long run I think you’ll come to hate his house and all the ghosts that live there.”

“Yeah, I get what you
’re saying. When I first met Rob and he told me that Hannah’s mother left shortly after she was born, I got this image in my mind that she wasn’t a huge part of Rob’s life. But after I began to dig a little deeper into the story, I found out that they lived together for four years before she became pregnant. They only broke up because Cassie didn’t want to be a mother at that point in her life, but Rob very much wanted to be a father. Cassie wanted to give Hannah up for adoption and Rob wanted to keep her. If you ask me, in spite of everything that’s happened, I think he still has feelings for her.”