Scent of Gardenia (Scott Tucker Series) (23 page)

Chapter
55

Margaret
had her last fun with Paul, but it wasn’t fun for him. The others had all yelled
out for her not to hurt him, but she had warned them to keep their mouths shut
or they would be next.
One scream from Holly would be all it would take to
silence them. Unfortunately, they were obedient puppets.

It had
taken her several minutes to kill Paul. She would not try to strangle anyone
else in the future; a knife would be messy, but more efficient. She stared at
the hooks still in Paul’s muscular body.
She was sorry now that he was
gone…but she could always stick one of the others…or, all of them. She felt her
body getting excited again…but she would deal with that later.

She had
to go get her boat so she could dispose of his body. The blood was still
visible on her body from where the hooks were.
She knew what she would do.
She
removed one of the hooks from Paul’s body and went into each cell and made sure
they were all aware of what she had done. She returned to Paul, replacing the
hook. Without his screams, it didn’t give her the same thrill.

*.*.*

It was
dark when she docked her boat back at her house. She decided to roll one of the
remaining cages onto her boat first. She was surprised how quickly she could do
this now…
practice does make perfect
. The cage made a loud sound when it
rolled onto her boat, but no one was close enough to hear it. She went back to
the shed, rolling one of the cement filled tires down to the boat. She rolled
it up the plank from the dock to the side of the boat. When it rolled off the
plank onto the boat deck, it broke one of the floor boards.

Back at Paul’s
cell, she undid his restraints and sat his lifeless body up on the side of the
bed. With one quick motion his body was over her shoulder and she was standing.
It took a few minutes, but it was much easier getting his body out of the
basement this way. However, it was very tiring. By the time she was at the boat,
her knees were about to give out. She barely managed to get to the side of her
boat and dump him in. His body landed, making an awful sound when it struck the
boat deck. She climbed onto the boat. She sat a minute to catch her breath. The
cool breeze of the early evening felt good on her naked body.

Margaret
stared at the hooks, catching the moonlight. She closed her eyes, replaying her
earlier ‘trolling’ with the hooks, and the memory of his wide open eyes knowing
what was going to happen to him. Her heart was beating wildly. She could hear
the air escaping from her rushed breathing. She opened her eyes and fell beside
him, dealing with her excitement.

After
several minutes had passed, she had to get busy once again to dispose of his
body. She stood up, brought back the fish oil and covered his body completely.
She rolled his body into the cage and sealed it. She then attached the anchor
chain to the cage and to the rubber tire filled with cement. She stood up,
checking her work. Then she put on her wet suit right over her naked frame.

The roar
of the first engine starting sounded like a lion, and when the second joined
the first, it was a rumbling harmony. She undid the ropes tying the boat to the
dock and jumped back into the boat. Her feet hit the oil on the deck. Her back
crashed onto the deck, the air rushing out of her lungs.

*.*.*

She felt
the gentle movement of the boat, opening her eyes to see the stars in the sky.
The boat engines were rumbling. She could hear the waves hitting off the side
of the boat. The cage was beside her. Paul’s body was right where she left it.
The limited moonlight made his naked frame and the hooks sparkle. She rolled
over, slowly getting to her feet. Her back and head were aching. The boat had
drifted several hundred yards down the shore line and was a few hundred feet
out from the shore behind someone else’s property.

She went
over to the helm, put the engines in forward and pushed both levers. The
engines gave a deep rumble and she turned the boat out to sea. She looked back
to the shore to see if anyone was looking at the boat, but she didn’t see any
sign of life.
Well Paul, sorry for the delay, but now we’re headed to your
final adventure. She would have to be more careful the next time…which might be
sooner than later.

Chapter
56

I was in
my hotel room playing back the events of the day; my sneaking away to Bermuda without telling anyone, my finding and following Mercedes to the dive shop, my
waiting hours for their return, and then watching her and the other agent
talking in an animated fashion when they returned.

I hadn’t
really done all that much, but for some reason I felt exhausted. I hadn’t eaten
all day and didn’t feel like it now, especially dressing for a late dinner. The
bed felt so comfortable and there was a slight breeze coming in the open doors
to my balcony. My mind was replaying the part of Mercedes and Ralph over and
over again.

*.*.*

I felt
cold and woke to find the drapes blowing in from the open doors. I looked at
the clock and realized I had fallen asleep for almost three hours. It was after
eight and I debated just changing and going to bed for the night. I closed the
balcony doors and straightened out the drapes. For some strange reason I wasn’t
as tired as I was earlier. I started to think about Mercedes and Ralph again,
deciding to take a walk.

Outside
in the fresh air, with the sound of the palms moving with the breezes, I
decided to head up to where Mercedes was staying. I couldn’t understand why I
was doing that, but I just couldn’t stand being so close and not seeing her.
When I reached her hotel I took a seat on the veranda. There were some people
coming and going, but it wasn’t crowded by any means. I didn’t have any luck
spotting her, so I decided to head inside to observe the night life.

I took a
seat at the bar in the lounge. I could see and hear the steel drum band playing
in the ballroom from where I was seated. I was slowly drinking a rum and coke
and when I looked out toward the dance floor—I couldn’t believe my eyes. There
was no mistaking Mercedes’ long red hair trailing down the back of her
bright-blue dress. She looked great even at a distance. The band finished their
song and I got a view of the young man with her…it was the same man I saw her
with earlier in the day…Ralph, I’m sure.

The
steel drums started a slow song and they resumed dancing. Soon they were
dancing very close and I couldn’t look away. They started talking, then smiling
and looked like they were really enjoying themselves. A few seconds later he
resumed his close hold and they danced almost frozen in the same spot. I could
tell I was jealous and wished I had the courage to go tap him on the shoulder
and surprise Mercedes.

I
weighed the benefits and consequences of that move, and followed a safer path
of just watching them. Soon the song ended and they walked over to a table
close to the raised stage. Mercedes looked beautiful, her red hair was catching
the ballroom lights, and her long legs were very evident sitting at the table.
The waitress came over and Ralph nodded his head. Mercedes held up her hand,
but he showed two fingers. She shook her head, but he must have convinced her
to have another one anyway.

My eyes
were locked on them. I never noticed the female bartender standing opposite me.

“Sir,
can I refill that drink for you?” she asked.

I
studied the glass in front of me and was surprised it was empty. “I’m sorry.
No, this was fine. Can I have my check please?”

She
quickly returned, leaving the check. I looked at it, paying the bill and
leaving a tip.

“I’ll
get your change.”

“No,
that’s good. Thank you.” I waved for her to take it. When I turned to check on
Mercedes their new drinks had arrived and they were back dancing another slow
song. Mercedes eyes were closed. She looked like this was all familiar
territory for her.

I was
beginning to get the idea I might not be the only man in her life. So…what are
you going to do about it?

Chapter
57

“Jules,
are you okay?” Holly broke the silence.

“I’m all
right. How about you?” Jules asked.

“This is
a strange setup. She’s really scary. I can’t say I like what’s happening to us,
but I would rather be alive than dead. From the looks of things, she killed
that man.”

A new
voice said, “She did kill him. He was Paul Williams. She’s already killed Roger
Elliot and Shawn Dustin. We’re next, or more exactly…I am.”

Holly
immediately asked, “Is that you Nils?”

“How did
you know my name?” Nils asked.

“We came
to find and hopefully rescue you. Your father hired my firm to find you. The
good news is—I did that in record time…the bad news is I found you, but not before
she found Jules and me,” Holly said, trying to make light of the situation.

“She’s
gone, so you don’t have to whisper. I think I’m next on her reduction of
inventory. However, maybe she’s not tired of me yet,” Nils commented.

“Nils,
we’ll find a way to get you out of here safely…right Jules?”

“If you
say so my dear,” Jules said, with a slight laugh.

Nils
asked, “Who else knows you’re here in Bermuda?”

“Well
our office knows, and the FBI knows. They were also here earlier, and I
wouldn’t be surprised if they were here again.” She paused and then continued,
“I’m sure we have been reported as missing. How did she kidnap you?”

There
was no immediate response. “When I arrived here, my brother and I got into a
silly fight. The next day I decided on the spur of the moment to book some
SCUBA lessons, and hopefully make a dive. Well I called the number the hotel
recommended, and went out to this dive excursion place. I knew ahead of time
the dive excursion was being run by a woman, but it didn’t sound threatening.
She was more beautiful than I expected. The next thing I knew I was waking up
in this cell, being given lessons in obedience instead of diving. She’s a real
fruit cake.”

“Why
Nils…is that any way to talk about a lady? But, thanks for the compliment on my
beauty…I’ll try to remember to reward you for that.” A new voice interrupted
the conversation. “I think you folks have had enough conversation for one
evening. Since you all have broken one of the rules of the house—you all have
to receive your just punishment. Who wants to be first?”

There
was no response. She appeared in each of their doorways, and it didn’t take a
genius to know what she had in mind. “Okay then, will it be a blond man, a
redheaded woman, or a black man?” She paused, “eeny, meeny, miny, moe, out goes
Y…O…U. However, I’ll be right back. It seems that Paul didn’t want to leave me
after all. I should have been more diligent and made sure he was dead and had
not just passed out before I hauled his body away. I have to go get him, but I
will be right in to see you.” She pointed at him and raised her voice, “Just a
warning for all of you—I’ll be using a knife next time.”

Chapter
58

Mercedes
felt the room spinning and it wasn’t from dancing. “Ralph, I think I’m going to
be sick. I have to leave now.” She tried to get up but she felt lightheaded.
Ralph steadied her, put some money on the table, took her pocketbook and guided
her out of the ballroom.

Once
inside the elevator, she tried to steady herself by placing her palms behind
her against the wall. As she closed her eyes, the spinning feeling was even
worse. The elevator stopped. She could feel Ralph guiding her towards her room.
He was going to have to hurry. “Ralph, hurry…I’m not going to make the
bathroom.” He located her key in her pocketbook, opened the door and guided her
inside. She pushed him out of the way, rushing to the bathroom. Fortunately she
made the toilet, but everything exploded, and exploded some more. The cool
floor was comforting while she hugged the toilet.

*.*.*

She
could feel the cool breeze in the room and opened her eyes. It was light
outside and the balcony doors were both open. Mercedes tried to remember things
about last night, faintly remembering being sick in the bathroom. She didn’t
remember anything beyond that. She looked down and the sheet was only partially
covering her—she was nude. She immediately pulled the sheet over her, searching
her brain for last night’s details.

She
remembered dining and drinking with Ralph. She also remembered missing Scott,
dancing with Ralph, and doing more drinking. The puzzle pieces were starting to
fall into place.
Oh my God…don’t tell me I made the mistake of going to bed
with Ralph.
She listened to see if he was possibly in the bathroom. There
wasn’t any noise to be heard.

“Ralph?”
She uttered his name, but not too loudly. There wasn’t any response, so she
called his name a little more intently, “Ralph?” She was alone. She looked
around the room, catching sight of her blue dress thrown in a ball on the
chair, her underwear partly on the chair and the floor. She wouldn’t have done
that with that dress.
“Shit, shit, shit...that son of a bitch took my
clothes off and took me to bed. I knew he was going to be a problem. What did
you do Mercedes? What did you do?

*.*.*

The hot
bath felt extra special. She was still trying to remember more of last night.
After she was sick, did she let her guard down? She almost went too far the
last time, but he had fallen asleep when she went into the bathroom. Did she
actually go to bed with him last night? If she did, how could she not remember
even one part of being with him? If they did sleep together, why wouldn’t he
still be with her? She knew he had removed her clothes, which meant he had
every opportunity to take advantage of her. She slipped down into the tub until
her head was under the water, and then screamed.

Oh
Scott, what have I done? How the hell am I going to face Ralph this morning?
Should I act like nothing happened? Or, will that give him the wrong idea about
things. Maybe he will fill in the details. That will tell me enough about what
happened. We have some serious work to do, and I don’t need you as a problem.
If she had Ralph right here, right now, she would pummel him to death.

That’s
when it struck her. She remembered telling Scott never to let her render him
defenseless. She could feel her heart beating in her ears, her breathing was
rushed.
Maybe I’m more like my sister than I realized. Holy shit, did I
black out last night, or did another personality take over?
She raked her
hair with both hands, and then stopped suddenly. She looked at her red nails. Two
of them were broken. She felt even more confused and trapped. She strained to
tightly close her eyes.

*.*.*

She was
finally ready to face the consequences. Looking at her reflection, one would
never know the anguish of an hour ago. Her hair looked radiant and her makeup
seemed more striking than yesterday’s. The pink color of the shirt might have
had something to do with her radiance. The Bermuda shorts cut across her knees
just right, and when she turned to look at her calves her pumps couldn’t be
better.

She took
a deep breath, dialing Ralph’s room. “Hello.”

“Ralph,
good morning. Are you ready for breakfast?”

“I feel
great today, ready for anything. Max told me he was going to the US Navy base
to see how he could get more attention on finding the ‘Import-ant,’ if not all
of the missing yachts. He said for us to continue our investigation, and that we
did great yesterday. He also told me to have you obey every command I give you,”
Ralph said with a chuckle.

“Ralph…about
yesterday.”

“Wasn’t
it great?”

She
hesitated. “Yes, finding another body was progress…if you can somehow
understand that. But, about last night.”

“Wasn’t
that great too. I really enjoyed myself, how about you?”

She
considered his response. “Well, I have some mixed emotions about it…and I don’t
like being sick.”

“Okay
Mercedes, let’s have breakfast. I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes. I
enjoyed last night, and maybe we can repeat last night with the exception of
your being sick.”

“See you
downstairs in ten. Bye.” She hung up the phone quickly.
Holy shit, I get the
impression from all of that that we might have spent part of the night
together. I’ll have to check to see if Ralph has any visible scratches.
She
had repaired her nails and applied a fresh coat of nail polish. If they do
drink tonight, she has to remember to stay away from the rum.
Why am I even
thinking about being with him?