Death on the Bella Constance (A Jesse Watson Mystery Series Book 6) (25 page)

“McCoy loves the water,”
Savannah
said as we came together in a huddle. “Once he goes in, it’s hard to get him to
come out.”

“So does Steven,”
Jena
agreed.

“Jeff loves to scuba dive,” Ruby said. “He was talking about
doing that today.”

“Billy said something about scuba diving, but he can count me
out,” I said. “I’ve just learned how to swim. I’m not about to venture out into
the deep water looking for fish. If I want to see fish, I’ll go to the pet
store.”

“Loukas is a great swimmer,” Bella said. “Look! He’s beating
the rest of them back.”

The water was so clean and clear, I could see the bottom.
When I looked out further, I could still see the sand on the ocean floor. I was
glad because I didn’t like the idea of not knowing what was lurking about.

“Look!”
Savannah
squealed as she pointed. “There goes
a school of fish! That’s so cool! What a beautiful sight! Maybe we should swim
with them. Do you think they’d mind? What do you say, girls? Anyone up to the
challenge? I’m game if anyone else is. It might be fun.”

“I don’t know,” Bella said. “I’m going to pass.”

I had to admit that was an interesting sight to see, but I
also worried that sharks might be following the fish. I mentioned that to the
group.

“I can tell you’re not much of a beach person,” Ruby said.
“Don’t be afraid. If there were sharks around you can bet the lifeguards would
be waving us out of the water.”

“What lifeguards? I don’t see any. All I see is empty
stands.”

“They’re here,” Bella said. She pointed to several muscular,
well-tanned guys dressed in orange swimming trunks, holding orange, oval life
preservers in their hands. They were gathered together with their eyes peeled
on the swimmers.

“I see,” I said as I scanned the beach. That’s when I noticed
that a little way down the beach swimmers were hurriedly getting out of the
water.

“Look!” I said. “What’s going on over there?”

“Might be a stingray in the water,” Bella said. “Most people
are scared of them, but you don’t have to worry. They won’t hurt you.”

“That’s not what I hear,” I replied, ready to get out of the
water. “What if it’s a shark?”

As soon as the words left my lips, the lifeguards started
blowing their whistles, yelling, and waving us out of the water. I looked up to
see where Billy was.

All of Loukas and Bella’s bodyguards, who had been hanging
around on the beach watching us, went into action. They were in the water
within seconds.

Our husbands must’ve seen something, too, because they were
upon us helping us out of the water before the lifeguards even got close to the
water’s edge.

By the time Billy grabbed my arm to help me, a bodyguard had
come up beside me and grabbed the other arm. Between my fear and the two of
them hustling me back to the beach, I lost my footing, slipped from their grip,
and fell into the water. I thought I was going to drown the second my head went
under. I panicked, sucked in a mouthful of salt water and started choking.
Before I could succumb to the foot-deep water, both my arms were grabbed, and I
was being dragged out onto the beach.

I coughed the sea water up and managed to catch my breath. My
heart was pounding. “I thought I was going to drown,” I said, almost crying,
and feeling like an idiot at the same time. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“You’re going to be okay,” Billy said, trying to make me feel
better.

The ladies came over and tried to console me.

“You’re fine, Jesse,”
Savannah
said. “You panicked. That’s all. When I learned how to swim, my parents took me
to the beach and I did the same thing you just did. I slipped and fell under
the water. I cried for two days afterwards. I didn’t go back into the water for
a long time. Don’t be ashamed.” She looked around at the others for their
reassurance that all was well.

“Look what happened to
Jena
,”
Bella said. “She almost drowned in the pool. You know that was horrifying.”

I glanced over at
Jena
and saw her frown. She looked as if she’d heard that story one too many times.
I felt sorry for her. All I could do was say, “It’s a scary feeling.”

Jena
gave no response which surprised me.

I looked back at Billy and asked, “What did you see out
there?”

“Sharks,” he replied. “But they were way out there. You were
never in any danger.”

“Then why did everyone react so fast? Why did the lifeguards
go ballistic? They were fast as lightning.”

“That’s what they do,” Bella said in a soothing tone. “The
minute they see something suspicious, they don’t waste any time protecting the
swimmers. We count on them to be quick. Our lives could depend on it.”

We stood along the shoreline and watched as the three sharks
in the distance finally disappeared out to sea.

“Whew! That was a heart-stopper!” I said. “I think I’ll do my
swimming in the pool on the ship. I need to sit down.”

“Come on, `ge ya,” Billy said, putting his arm around my
shoulder. “You need a drink. I bet your heart is pounding out of your chest.”

“Don’t let this scare you off, Jesse,” Bella said as she
walked alongside us. “The water is wonderful. I can’t wait to go back in.”

“Help yourself,”
Savannah
said. “I’m with Jesse. A little old school of fish is one thing, but sharks
scare me—and I don’t like the idea of swimming with stingrays either. Thanks,
but no thanks.”

I could’ve sworn I heard
Jena
mumble “
sissies”
under her breath. I gave her a hard look. How rude of
her!

The look she gave back sent chills through me. She had such
anger in those eyes of hers. Here, all this time I thought she was so nice, but
after seeing that look, I knew there was no way she was the kind one of Bella’s
daughters. In my mind, she had been the most unlikely leader of the killer
pack, but now I wasn’t so sure. Could there be something to what Billy had said
to me that night about the innocent ones not being so innocent? Although,
trying to give her credit, I rationalized to myself that sometimes people say
hurtful things without realizing it. Yet, this time I wasn’t so sure that was
the case. Knowing me as I do, I knew I couldn’t let her comment slide.

“What was that,
Jena
?”

“Oh, it was nothing,” she replied as she walked over to the
chair she had selected and sat down. She waved me off as if her words meant
nothing. “I could use a drink.” She motioned to someone, and before the others
could stretch out in their chairs, three waiters walked up and asked us what
we’d like from the bar.

I was too angry to sit down.
Jena
had brushed me off with a wave of her hand, and I didn’t like it. “I want
something stiff so I can wash this nasty taste out of my mouth,” I said.
“Perhaps you can bring the whole bottle so I can also wash off
Jena
’s nasty remark.”

I couldn’t help myself. I’ve always been one to speak my
mind, and
Jena
had gotten my ire up. I wanted her
to know I didn’t appreciate it.

Billy, along with some of the others, was stunned by the tone
in my voice. I didn’t care. Tongue slip or not—she should’ve shown more
compassion. She, of all people, knew how it felt to almost drown and to be
scared. What was her problem?

That’s how it all started. She jumped out of her chair and
approached me, saying, “I didn’t mean anything, Jesse. What’s your problem? Got
a little water in your mouth? So what? It happens to us all. Besides, I thought
you were supposed to be Wonder Woman.”

“
Jena
!” Bella snapped. “How dare you
insult Jesse like that!”

I got right up in
Jena
’s
face and called her on her snide remark. I told her it was insensitive and
uncalled for.

Her words got louder as she accused me of being so superior
and thinking that I was so smart. She said I wasn’t as smart as I thought I
was. I didn’t have all the answers to the world’s problems.

Billy and Steven jumped up and intervened before our words
escalated into a catfight. They separated us, keeping us from one another until
Bella walked over and stared the two of us down. The men released their hold
and walked off as if they knew that Bella Constance was now in control of the
situation. And… she was.

Calmly and discretely she said, “I don’t know what this is
all about, but I want the two of you to know that no one embarrasses me like
this. Clean up your act right now.” She looked at
Jena
and demanded, “What got into you? I’ve never seen you
act so ugly to anyone. Where’s my fun-loving, outgoing, pleasant daughter?”
Then she turned back to me. “And you, Jesse! I know
Jena
’s remark wasn’t nice, but you’re too professional to
let your anger get the best of you. Do you have PMS?”

I looked at
Jena
, burst out laughing, and said,
“Heavens! She sounds just like my mother.” I looked back at Bella. “I wish my
mother could be here. I can see her standing next to you with her hands on her
hips… just like you are right now.”

Bella let her hand drop.

Jena
grinned and said, “I think we both have
SCS
—scary
cruise syndrome.” She looked at me and said, “I’m sorry, Jesse. I should’ve
been more sensitive. I’m just so worried about my father. I’m so afraid someone
is going to kill him. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it.
Everything seems to upset me lately.”

“It was my fault, too. You have a legitimate reason for being
on edge… and so do I. I’m scared of the water, and when I slipped and fell, I
freaked out. I’m sorry, too. Please forgive my bad behavior.”

“I want the two of you to play nice the rest of the day,”
Bella demanded. “No more arguing.”

Jena
and I looked at each other, and then agreed to her demand. We promised to
behave ourselves… and we said it with smiles on our faces.

But the truth is, whatever words would ever come out of
Jena’s mouth again, or however she acted, there was no way my opinion of her
would ever go back to what it was before our tiff. I thought she was a nice
person with admirable qualities, but now I saw her in a whole different light.
The way she flew off the handle was so unlike her, I had to ask myself what
triggered it. Had something been eating at her, until she finally had to let it
out by spewing her pent-up anger out on me with one word—sissies. She had to
know that would get anyone’s goat. What was underneath that pleasant, charming
exterior? All I wanted to do was to have my say. I didn’t want to beat the
woman up like she seemed to want to do to me. She had issues… and I wanted to
know what they were. The best way to get to know someone is to talk with them.
I planned to have a good conversation with
Jena
before this beach adventure ended. I would play real nice, and try to smooth
things over.

“I could use that drink right about now,” I said, looking at
Jena
. “How about you?”

She smiled as if nothing had happened and said, “A nice Long
Island Ice Tea! Yeah! That would do the trick.”

“Okay, then,” Bella said as she turned and put her arms
around the two of us. “My girls need something to drink!”

I was sure that if I had been standing
next to
Jena
,
I would’ve felt her flinch. I
thought I detected a slight bit of jealously in her before, and now after our
spat, her mother was calling us her girls. I bet she didn’t like the fact that
I had been included. I’m sure that really ticked her off. Too bad. She didn’t
know it, but I was going to get close to her and find out what the deal was.

Drinks with tiny umbrellas or swizzle sticks were served by
waiters catering to our every wish. They were friendly, and I’m sure it didn’t
hurt that they knew their tips would be good. Bella firmly believed in tipping
large. Loukas was more reasonable. An appropriate tip for the price was his
belief.

An hour later, we all walked over to the café and feasted on
steamed shrimp, oysters, and scallops along with more drinks. By the time we
were finished,
Savannah
,
Jena
and I had shared secrets of our past ex-boyfriend era, and high school
shenanigans, along with a few other things. Even Ruby had a few tales to tell.
Bella just listened. The guys had their own chat session going.

“I need a nap,” I said as we walked back to the beach chairs.

“Ah, but wouldn’t a cool dip in the water be nice?”
Jena
asked with a friendly smile. As I had expected, her
obnoxious behavior soon disappeared, if only temporarily.

“That might not be a bad idea,” I agreed.

My association with her during our cruise and the secrets we
shared helped me to realize that
Jena
did indeed have issues, especially when it was said for the hundredth time that
she was saved from drowning by Bertie Callahan. I saw the same look I had seen
on her face before—one that I now recognized as pure animosity.
Jena
had made herself out to be a happy person, but
underneath, she was angry. I wondered what caused her bitterness. Did it have
something to do with her nearly drowning? Was there a different side to this
story? Time would tell.

“I don’t know,” Billy said. “You shouldn’t go swimming right
after you’ve just eaten… and had a few drinks.”

I looked at
Jena
and said, “He might be right. I have
had a few drinks.”

She didn’t egg me on like I expected, but instead said,
“Perhaps later.”

We all stretched out in our chairs for an afternoon of
soaking up the rays of the sun. Nobody seemed interested in scuba diving when
McCoy mentioned it. I guess after seeing three sharks in the water, those who
had been interested no longer were.

“I’m just going to lie next to my wife and enjoy the day,”
Billy said.

“Me, too,” Loukas agreed.

“Yeah,” Steven added.

“Count me out,” Jeff said. “No scuba diving for me.”

I coated my body with sunscreen, and then lay back. I had
almost dozed off when I heard the snappy little tune of a cell phone go off.
Another one followed, and then another. And then I heard the familiar ring of
Billy’s cell phone.

People usually excuse themselves and then walk away like
Billy, Loukas, and McCoy did when they got their calls, but not Bella. She
stayed stretched out in her lounger as she talked. When she closed up her
phone, she said that Nell and
Utah
would be heading back to their
stateroom, and were not to be bothered by anyone. She snickered. “The last
person I want to see is Utah Hawks.”

When Loukas returned, he didn’t say who his call was from,
but Bella let us know that it was probably his lawyer. “Loukas can’t go
anywhere without that man tracking him down.”

McCoy returned and apologized, saying that his clients always
seem to call at the most inopportune time. “Can’t even spend the day at the
beach with my wife… in
Bermuda
… no less.”

But the most interesting call was the one Billy received.
After closing up his cell phone, he motioned for me to come over, so I got up
from the lounge chair and walked over. He bent down and whispered, “Dorothy
Berdinski died, and Bertie wants to see us right away. She says she has some
information to tell us that can’t wait.”

“What will we tell the others?”

“The truth.” 

Billy and I walked back over to the group. The looks on our
faces must’ve said it all, because Bella jumped up from her lounge chair and
said, “Something bad has happened, hasn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so,” Billy replied. He looked around at everyone,
and then back to Bella. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Dorothy
Berdinski died. The call I received was from Bertie. She’s inconsolable.”

“I’ll get my bag,” Bella said as she turned to do so.

“She only wants to see Jesse and me, so we’ll be leaving
now.”

“Jesse?”
Jena
shouted. “Why does she want to see
Jesse? My mother is the one who she should want to see. Mom has been her best
friend all along. And why does she want to see you. She barely knows you two.”

“All I know is what she told me,
Jena
,” Billy replied. “She said not to bring anyone else.”

“What?” Bella asked, hurt. “You mean she doesn’t want me to
come?”

“I’m sorry, but those are her wishes.”

By now everyone was out of their chairs and gathering around
us to discuss what had happened. Ruby and Jeff, who had little to say on most
occasions, were sorry to hear about Dorothy.

“She will be missed,” Ruby said. “Dorothy was a nice person.”

McCoy and
Savannah
tried to comfort Bella who was
almost in tears. She had been a good friend to the sisters from
Georgia
, and couldn’t understand why they
didn’t want her there in their time of grief. Loukas told her that she must
honor Bertie’s wishes. She unhappily went along with him, but her hurt was
evident.

“I don’t believe it!”
Jena
ranted, shaking her head as she turned and started walking away. Steven
followed her down the beach, obviously trying to calm her down. He had his arm
around her shoulder, and their heads were together as they walked.

“You can take the tour bus,” Loukas said. “One of the
bodyguards will accompany you.” Loukas started motioning to his people. “I’ll
tell Ollie to drive you and then he can come back for the rest of us
afterwards.”

“Don’t bother, Loukas. We can call a taxi.”

“I don’t think so,” Bella refuted. “We might as well leave,
too. Who wants to stay here and try to have fun knowing that poor Dorothy is
dead? No. I can’t hang out at the beach…”

I walked over to Bella, put my arm around her, and said, “I
don’t see why we can’t all take the bus back if everyone’s ready to leave.
Ollie can drop us off at the clinic, and we’ll catch a cab back to the ship, or
we can all go to the clinic.” I looked at Billy and then back to Bella. “We’ve
had a fun day. I really have enjoyed myself, but we have been at the beach for
several hours.” I tried to lighten the mood. “Perhaps it’s time to leave. I’m
beginning to look like a lobster.”

“I think Jesse has a point,” Loukas intervened. “We did have
a good time, but under the circumstances, perhaps we should call it a day. And
there’s no reason we can’t go to the clinic. If Bertie doesn’t want to talk
with us, then that’s okay.” Loukas looked at Bella and said, “If you want to pay
your respects no one will stop you.” He looked around to see if there were any
naysayers.

No one said a word.

“Okay, then let’s go.” Loukas motioned to Jacob, and then
said, “Go get
Jena
, would you please? Tell her we’re
leaving before she gets to the other side of the island. She’s in a tiff.”

“Yes, sir,” Jacob replied, and then headed down the beach to
retrieve
Jena
and Steven.

We gathered our belongings and headed to the tour bus. We
each chose a seat, sat down, and waited for
Jena
and Steven to return so we could leave. But that didn’t happen. Jacob returned
without them.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Jacob said to Loukas. “
Jena
wouldn’t come with me, and Steven wouldn’t leave her.
I thought about slinging her over my shoulder and forcing her, but I was afraid
she’d make a terrible scene. I didn’t want to get arrested.”

“Leave them, Jacob. They know how to find their way back.”

“
Jena
is really upset, sir.”

“She’ll get over it,” Loukas replied. “Have a seat, Jacob.”

“But…” Bella started to say.

“Mick and A.J.,” Loukas said to his bodyguards, “I want you
to go stay with her and Steven. I don’t want them left unprotected.”

“Yes, sir,” they both replied, and then got off the bus.

“Let’s go, Ollie,” Loukas shouted to the bus driver, then
turned back to Bella and said, “
Jena
is acting like a child, and I’m tired of it. What is it with her?”

The bus roared to life, and we were once again on the road to
Welsh Clinic. I took notice that every time we had been on this bus, we ended
up at the Welsh Clinic. Maybe this was a sign that we should take other means
of transportation. Then I thought about that for another minute and realized
that this would probably be our last ride. The ship would be leaving
Bermuda
early in the morning.

“She’s coming unglued,” I said. “Is she on any medication?”

“
Jena
?” Bella questioned. “Of course not.
She doesn’t take anything, except maybe an aspirin occasionally.”

“Well,” Ruby said, slowly. “That’s not quite so, Mama.
Jena
has been on anti-depressants and tranquillizers for a
long time.”

Surprised, Bella shot back, “Why haven’t I been told about
this before now?” She turned around in her seat, and looked at Ruby. “How long
has she been on medication?”

“For years, Mama.”

“I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.”

“Some of her anxieties have a lot to do with you.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You’ve always expected her to be the best of your daughters.
How many times have you told her that her life was spared because God had a
plan for her… and how lucky she was to be alive?
Jena
felt as if she always had to be good to make you love her, and that’s a hard
job for anyone.”

“But that isn’t true,” Bella said. “I love all my daughters.
I just wanted her to appreciate life. She almost lost hers.”

“Stop beating a dead horse, Mama. If I have to hear how
Bertie saved
Jena
’s life one more time, I think I’ll
pull my hair out. Do you realize that every time Bertie has been in our
presence, you have always brought that up… even to this day?”

Bella was silent for a second, and then said, “I didn’t
realize I did that… but now that I think about it, you’re right.
Jena
must hate me.”

“No, she doesn’t, Mama. She adores you. But it wouldn’t hurt
for you to let her know that Bertie isn’t a savior. Sure she pulled
Jena
out of the pool, and we’re glad she did, but what
would you have done if it had been a crew member instead? You would’ve given
him a fat check, and it would’ve been over. But no! Bertie insinuated herself
and her sisters into our lives, and have never left. Don’t you think
Jena
thinks about that every time she looks at Bertie?
Bertie gets the praise, and
Jena
gets the frowns. It’s enough to
drive anyone crazy.”

“I feel so badly. I don’t want my baby to think I don’t love
her. I must go talk to her.” Bella raised her hand and yelled to Ollie, “Stop
the bus! You can let me off right here. I’ll walk back.”

“No, ma’am,” Ollie shouted. “I will stop the bus and turn
around. I won’t allow you to walk back. You’re in my care. I will take you
anywhere you want to go, but I can’t let you walk when I can drive you.”

“Okay, then turn this thing around!”

She looked at her husband and said, “Don’t say a word,
Loukas. I refuse to have my precious daughter think that I don’t love her… not
for one minute.”

“Did I say anything?”

Ollie turned the bus around and headed back to
Clearwater
Beach
.
Once we got there, Bella, Loukas, and their two personal bodyguards, Allison
and Jacob, got off the bus with the understanding that Ollie would come back
for them after he dropped the rest of us off at our destination.

The bus headed out again. 

Ruby decided to go with us saying that her mother needed time
alone with her sister. “
Jena
has been in a fragile state for
sometime. They need to talk about it, and if they have to do it on the beach, I
say let them.