Firework Fiasco Read online

  “It would be fun and interesting to be able to travel as part of your job, no matter what the reason.”

  Trent shrugged. “I suppose. I think the travel took a toll on Calvin, though. Or maybe it was the woman he was seeing that took the toll. The last couple of times I ran into him, he looked tired, and it looked like he’d lost some weight. I think maybe he got in over his head with all the running around. When I saw he’d entered this competition I hoped it meant he was done with all that and ready to settle into a permanent situation again.”

  I noticed Dirk had waved at Trent out of the corner of my eye.

  “It looks like duty calls. It was nice meeting you.”

  “You too,” I answered. “And good luck, even if you are just in this for fun.”

  I managed to interview three additional Elvises before Zak motioned that it was time to go. We said our good-byes to Dirk and then headed for the truck.

  “So, what did you think?” I asked.

  “In a nutshell,” Zak began, “it appears Calvin was a popular guy, although everyone I spoke to said he’d been really stressed lately. I heard more than once that he’d been spending quite a bit of time overseas the past couple of years, but he might be back in the States permanently now. On the last night anyone saw him he seemed to be in a good mood and having a good time. No one I spoke to had any idea why he’d dropped out of the competition. I did talk to one Elvis who said Calvin received a call earlier that day. He wasn’t sure who he’d been speaking to, but he seemed to be refusing to do whatever he was being asked to do.”

  “Dirk said he’d overheard Calvin on the phone talking about the stress being too much and not being able to follow through. Dirk thought he meant the competition was causing him the stress, but no one else had that opinion. What if there was something else going on? What if he got mixed up in something bad? Something he might have originally agreed to but then changed his mind about. What if the something he didn’t feel he could follow through with is what got him killed?”

  Chapter 7

  Later that evening I held Catherine in my arms while we walked around the pool. Ellie had placed Eli in an infant ring that allowed him to kick his legs and splash the water with his hands while remaining safely afloat. I’d eventually try Catherine out in the ring when she got used to me holding her in the water. Zak had the temperature of the pool adjusted so it was like floating in the bathtub.

  “Remember, no diving off the side or splashing around while the babies are in the water,” I reminded Scooter, who had just come running out from the house with his best friend, Tucker.

  “We’ll be careful.” Scooter held up a fist full of colorful hard rubber rings. “We’re going to dive down for the rings in the deep end, but we won’t splash at all.”

  “Okay,” I said. “That sounds fine. Where’s Alex? I thought she was playing video games with you.”

  “She’s on the phone with Diego. She was whispering, so me and Tucker couldn’t hear what she said, but I think she was talking all lovey-dovey to him.” Scooter made a face that conveyed his disgust. While Alex and Scooter were the same age, she was a lot more mature in almost every way, including her feelings about the opposite sex. While Scooter was in many ways a late bloomer, I had the feeling it wouldn’t be long before he was involved in intimate telephone conversations with his own crush of the moment.

  “Da.” Catherine reached out a hand for Zak as he joined us in the pool.

  “How’s my girl?” Zak asked as I shifted Catherine from my arms into his. I didn’t want to be jealous that Catherine was most definitely a daddy’s girl, but there was no denying that if we were both in the room she preferred that Daddy be the one to hold her, or rock her, or give her a bottle. “Are you having fun with Mommy?”

  Catherine slapped the water, sending drops into my face as a response.

  “I’d really like to teach her to swim this summer. Eli is already paddling around between Ellie and Levi, and he isn’t afraid in the least to float around in his ring.”

  “Do you remember Dalton Rivers?” Zak asked.

  “The guy who had you build a totally new security system for his company?”

  Zak nodded. “Anyway, when I was in Los Angeles installing the system he invited me to his house for dinner. His son was about Catherine’s age then, and he was already swimming. He wasn’t walking yet, but once he was in the water he paddled around like a little puppy. He’s four now, and he can do laps in an Olympic-size pool. Who knows, he might be an Olympic contender someday.”

  “I don’t care about the competition thing as much as making sure Catherine is comfortable in the water and knows how to swim. Owning a pool and living right on the lake, the skill is crucial.”

  “I agree.” Zak laughed as Catherine grabbed his nose and let out a squeal.

  Levi had entered the pool to supervise Eli and Ellie got out. I left Catherine with Zak and joined her. She looked tired today and I was concerned she might be overdoing. She seemed to be doing fine with her surprise pregnancy now that she was finally getting used to the idea, but I remembered those first months of my own pregnancy, when all I wanted to do was sleep.

  “Eli is really doing a good job in the water,” I said as I dried my hair. “He’s going to be swimming across the pool by the end of the summer.”

  “Yeah.” Ellie smiled. “He’s got his daddy’s athletic ability. Levi got him this little plastic bat and he’s trying to teach him how to hit the little plastic ball it came with, and he can already throw a mini football.”

  “He’s only fifteen months old.”

  Ellie shrugged. “He’s doing pretty good, actually. He can swing the bat now; Levi just has to teach him to watch for the ball. I thought I’d head in and start getting the sides together so they’ll be ready when the guys grill the meat.”

  “I’ll help,” I offered. “I just want to run upstairs to put on some dry clothes.”

  After changing out of my swimsuit into a pair of denim shorts and a baby blue tank top, I braided my hair, then headed downstairs to the suite where Nona was staying. Deputy Buckner had told her to stay home and keep a low profile until he figured out what was going on. Nona had agreed to do so, a promise I was certain she’d never keep, but so far, she’d barely left her room, let alone the house. I had to admit her willingness to stay out of things had me more than a little concerned.

  “Nona,” I called as I knocked on her door. “It’s Zoe. Is it okay if I come in?”

  I waited for several seconds before Nona, dressed in a bathrobe, opened the door.

  “We’re going to be having dinner in a little while. Zak is BBQing if you want to come down,” I encouraged.

  “Thanks, but I think I’ll just make a sandwich and eat it in my room.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” I asked. “You usually love Zak’s chicken and ribs, and Ellie made baked beans and several salads. It’s a lovely evening and I thought we’d eat out on the deck and watch the sun set over the lake.”

  “It sounds nice, but there’s a Golden Girls marathon on. I think I’ll just stay here.”

  I raised a brow. “You hate The Golden Girls. You once told me that an entire TV show about a bunch of old women was ridiculous.”

  Nona lifted a shoulder. “I changed my mind. They aren’t so old. Younger than me. And they do get themselves into some comical situations. You go ahead and have a nice evening with your children and your friends. The last thing you need is some silly old woman hanging around.”

  I hugged Nona. “You may be silly sometimes, but you aren’t old. At least not old at heart. If you change your mind come on down. If not, I’ll bring you a sandwich before we eat.”

  “Thank you, dear. My Zak found himself an angel when he found you.”

  An angel? That didn’t sound like Nona at all.

  When I entered the kitchen, Ellie was stirring the potato salad. “What’s with the scowl?” she asked.

  “I popped my head in to check on Nona. She�
��s not going to join us for dinner because there’s a Golden Girls marathon on television.”

  Ellie gave me a skeptical look. “Nona hates The Golden Girls.”

  “I know. I asked her if she felt okay and she said she was fine, but I have my doubts.”

  “I guess she might just be dealing with the stress of Elvis #3’s death. I know she’d just met him, but still… I can’t imagine what must have gone through her mind when she woke up and found him lying there.”

  I opened a drawer and took out a knife. “Yeah, I guess it could just be that, but I feel like there’s more going on. She might be a bit under the weather despite her assurances to the contrary. It would be just like her not to want to worry me, but the Golden Girls thing is just too weird.”

  “Nona is getting on in years. Maybe she’s starting to see the humor in the process instead of fighting the inevitable tooth and nail.”

  “Maybe. But if her mood change results in her giving up everything that makes her so unique, I’m going to find it very sad.”

  “Wasn’t it you who tried to get her to give up the bike and drive something safer and more age appropriate?”

  I sighed. “It was, but now I’m sorry I said anything. She went from being a crazy but vibrant risk-taker to being a faded shadow of the woman I knew and loved in just twenty-four hours. If she isn’t back to her old self by tomorrow I’m going to see if she’s willing to get a checkup.”

  Ellie placed her hand on mine as I cut tomatoes like a wild woman. “Nona has had a tough couple of days. Give her some space and some time. I’m sure she’ll be back to driving you crazy in no time.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Can you grab the paprika?” Ellie asked as she stirred the potato salad.

  I handed her the spice, then used a spoon to take a bite. “That’s so good. It’s been a while since you made it.”

  “I usually only make it to serve with summertime BBQs and I haven’t felt up to making something so labor intensive until recently.”

  “Is the morning sickness gone?” I asked sympathetically.

  “Mostly. Every now and then I still feel queasy when I first wake up. At least Levi has been home to help with Eli now that school’s out.”

  “Is he still talking about getting a job for the summer?” Levi had made some noise about earning extra money during his time off.

  “No. We talked about it and he understands I need the help at home right now. Besides, once football practice starts up in a few weeks he’ll only have a few hours a day free anyway. And given that our very best friends in the entire world allow us to live rent-free in their fabulous boathouse, we’re actually doing pretty well financially even without any income from me.”

  I smiled. “You know Zak and I are happy to have you and Levi in the boathouse. It gives us peace of mind to know we don’t have to worry about renting it to some random person who might not take care of it as if it were their own the way you and Levi do. And with the remodel there’s room for all the Dentons.”

  “I’m excited to decorate the nursery before the baby’s born. Not that I didn’t appreciate you allowing us to live here while the boathouse was being remodeled, but the timing eliminated the need to really prepare for Eli at least in terms of getting his room ready.”

  I took a watermelon out of the refrigerator and began to slice it. “I don’t blame you a bit. You’ll have fun with the planning once you know if you’re having a boy or a girl.”

  “I’m excited about finding out, although I’m torn about which I want. Part of me really wants a girl because I’ve always dreamed of having a little girl of my own, but a second boy might be better so Eli would have someone to roughhouse with.”

  “Girls can roughhouse,” I reminded Ellie. “I certainly did.”

  “True. But there’s no guarantee a boy and a girl will get along.”

  “There’s no guarantee two boys would get along either,” I said.

  “I guess you have a point. I know the baby’s gender is one of those things that’s already decided and out of my hands, so I’m trying not to overthink it.”

  I picked up the pitcher of ice tea and headed to the back door. “Not overthinking it is a very good idea.”

  ******

  After the Dentons left I went to check in with Nona again. When I’d taken her a sandwich she’d instructed me to leave it on the table. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find she hadn’t eaten it. I hoped she was simply fighting off a cold and there wasn’t something more serious going on.

  “Nona.” I knocked on the door. “It’s Zoe. Can I come in?”

  She didn’t answer one way or the other, so I quietly opened the door and slipped inside. The television was still on, but Nona was nowhere in the room. I glanced in through the open door of the bathroom, but she wasn’t in there either. “Nona?”

  When it was obvious the suite was deserted, I went back downstairs to have a look around. She wasn’t in any of the rooms, so I headed out onto the front drive. “Oh, Nona. What are you doing?” I said to myself when I saw her Harley was missing. Turning around, I went in search of Zak.

  “Nona’s missing,” I told him.

  “Missing?”

  “She wasn’t in her room when I went to see her, so I checked the drive. Her Harley is gone.”

  Zak’s lips tightened. “If she wanted to go out why wouldn’t she just tell us?”

  “Because Deputy Buckner told her to stay close to home and she was probably afraid if she told us she was going out we’d try to stop her. She didn’t want to argue, so she pretended to be enthralled with a Golden Girls marathon. We’ve been around back all evening. She could have left at any point.”

  “I’ll call her,” Zak offered. “Maybe she’ll answer her cell.”

  She didn’t.

  “Should we go look for her?” I asked.

  “You stay here with the kids and keep trying to get her by phone. I’ll take a run by her favorite bars. Hopefully, it won’t be a problem tracking her down. If she comes home or answers a call text me.”

  “You might want to find out where the Elvises are tonight. I have a feeling Nona might be out doing a little sleuthing of her own.”

  Zak looked at his watch. “What time did the competition end?”

  “Everyone had to have a chance to perform and the first three Elvises had to be eliminated. I guess you should check the beach first. Even if the contest is over there might be stragglers.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you after I check out the beach. If you think of anything else call me.”

  “If she isn’t at the beach check the motel where the Elvises are staying. If she is trying to figure out what happened to her the other night, she might go back there to talk to whoever’s around.”

  “Did she mention any of the other Elvises by name?” Zak asked.

  “No. She pretty much referred to them by number. She mentioned one who dressed all in white. I think she said he was Elvis #7. And I spoke to Trent Pinedale at the party today. He seemed really nice and isn’t in the competition to win. He’d probably tell you what he knows if he knows anything.”

  It didn’t take Zak long to find Nona’s pink Harley parked in the beach parking lot where the competition had been held. The only problem was, the contest was over, the crowd was gone, and there was no sign of Nona anywhere.

  Chapter 8

  Saturday, July 7

  When Deputy Buckner called the next morning to let us know that Nona had been released from jail and had been sitting in front of the sheriff’s office for the past hour, I was outraged. First, I demanded to know why Nona had been arrested.

  “Drunk and disorderly conduct.”

  Okay, I hated to admit it, but that fit.

  When I asked why we weren’t called immediately, he said he’d allowed Nona to call us and, in fact, had sat across the desk from her while she did so. She spoke to Zak, or at least pretended to speak to Zak, then reported that we’d already gone to bed and weren’t
able to come to get her.

  Apparently, she’d lied.

  Her Harley had been impounded because overnight parking at the beach, which she must have circled back around to, was illegal. We were informed that we’d need to pay the impound fee to get it out. Deputy Buckner said he’d offered to give her a ride home, but she’d refused. He’d assumed she had a ride lined up, but considering she’d been sitting on the bench in front of his office for over an hour, he was beginning to doubt that was true. This, it turned out, was why he’d called me when he had.

  “Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t leave. I’m on my way,” I assured the temporary deputy.

  “Was that Nona?” Zak asked when I passed him on the stairs.

  “Yeah. She needs a ride. I’m going to grab my purse and pick her up.”

  Zak frowned. “Where’s her bike?”

  “In impound. It’s a long story. I’ll fill you in when I get home.”

  “I can go,” Zak said.

  I shook my head. “No, it might be better if I go. I won’t be long. Catherine is in her jumpy chair in the den with Alex and Scooter. All three are watching cartoons.”

  When I arrived at the sheriff’s office and saw Nona sitting like a forlorn child on the bench in front I wanted to cry. I carefully pulled into a parking space and sat for just a moment as I tried to decide how to approach the increasingly unpredictable woman. Deciding to play it by ear once I got a feel for her mood, I got out and walked across the lawn.

  “Beautiful day,” I said as I sat down next to her.

  “Humph.”

  “It looks like you could use a ride.”

  “I have a ride. I just need some money to get it out of motorcycle jail.”

  I took Nona’s hand in mine. “Do you want to talk about it?”