Death of a Hot Chick (30 page)

He said, “Hey, Pop. Good seeing you. How’s
things?”

Slim knew Pop? They were friends? I scrubbed
vigorously at a resistant smear.

“
Could be better. Could be worse,
right?”

“
Yeah, you’re out. But your little
boat didn’t wait for you. That Chester, he’s sorta fickle that way.
Ain’t a good what they call steward of your property. You know,
keeping things safe for you.”

“
I’m finding that out Slim. You know
this gal?”

I froze in place. Then I sneaked a peek
under my armpit. I saw Slim nod.

“
Introduce us,” Pop said.

I sat back on my heels, then turned
around.

Slim said, “Sure. This here is Cyd
Denlinger.” He lowered his hand and flattened it. “I know her since
she was yea-high. Cyd, this here is Art Estep. Lots of his friends
call him Pop.”

Pop chuckled. “Not only my friends,” he
added.

“
Hello, Mr. Estep,” I said, then
wondered. Would that take me out of both the friends and enemies
category? But I knew why he was here. Might as well get it out in
the open. “I understand you once owned
Snapdragon
.”

Pop took the guard rail and moved the boat a
bit. “She’s floating. I heard the boat was on the bottom.”

“
Once the tide went down my friend
Gregory brought a pump and started pumping. Just a few minutes ago
the pump either overheated or broke down. He hopes it just
overheated. He’ll be back.”

Pop nodded, then ignored me
completely. He looked at Slim and thrust a thumb at
Snapdragon
. “Any ideas?” he
said.

“
I’m just thinking, sorta wondering
why a fool would sink her just before you get home. That’s all.
Nope. No ideas at all.” But Slim grinned when Pop scowled and
nodded.

They’d come to a conclusion, and I
knew what it was. Trying for innocence, I said, “I understand a
Chester Foltz owned
Snapdragon
between you and Nicole Joline, the owner before me.” I didn’t
mention that he’d been hovering over the boat, trying to get inside
by any means. Nor did I mention that he probably broke in
once.

Pop turned to me, his scowl changing to a
smile that actually looked sincere. He asked, “What conditions did
you find in the boat?”

“
Ah... Pretty messy. She needed
cleaning. I’d gotten her in pretty good shape, but now...now she’s
worse than before. Muddy.”

“
Did you remove anything from the
boat,” he asked, in a honey-coated voice.

“
My clothes. Toothbrush, hair drier.
Banana. I ate that.”

“
Anything else?”

Somehow, I knew he wasn’t referring to my
possessions. “That plastic bowl. It had the banana in it. Just the
peel now.”

He turned to Slim, who nodded confidently.
He reached his hand into a hip pocket. I tensed, but he brought out
a wallet. As he opened it, he said, “I’m going to buy your boat. As
is. I’ll pay twenty thousand over book price.” He pulled out some
bills. “This is earnest money.” He handed me four bills. “Two for
you and two for your friend’s work and any needed repairs to his
pump.”

The bills were hundreds. “Ah...”

“
Anything left inside that’s
yours?”

I looked at the bills in my hand. Two
hundred dollars for each of them. “Shoes. Food, but that’s
spoiled.” I couldn’t think. “A book. But that’s spoiled too. A
jacket.” I hadn’t brought much to the boat. I’d stored belongings
in hopes of finding something more permanent. “Damn. My class books
are in there, and they’re shot to hell.” Plus, my graduation
certificate. Could I get another? I did have the wallet card in my
billfold.

“
Anything of yours we find, you’ll get
back. Everything else goes with the boat. We’ll meet tomorrow at my
lawyer’s to finish the sale and transfer the title. Bring a
witness.”

“
Ah...”

“
You have a telephone? Or one of those
cell phones?” I nodded. Pop said, “You will sell,
correct?”

“
Yes.”

“
I’ll need your phone number.” He
reached into his jacket pocket. This time he brought out a small
notebook and a pen. “The number?”

I told him. He scribbled in his
notebook.

“
It’s been rewarding dealing with you
Ms. Denlinger. I’m sure our dealings tomorrow will be equally
rewarding.”

And he left.

I watched him disappear, heard his car purr
to life, and stood, mouth open, until I could hear it no more. I
couldn’t say a word.

“
You’re coming up aces,” Slim said. “I
was some afeared. That’s why I come quick as I heard. I was still
feared when I seen him.”

I spread the bills in my fingers. How
come this guy who just got out of jail was handing out one hundred
dollar bills? And, according to Kaye, handing out thousands as
well. How did he know who had
Snapdragon
and where I was? Why did he want to
buy a sunken boat? Was that rumor about hidden loot true? Had to
be.

Slim said, “Guess ten years in the slammer
calmed him down a tad.”

That was calm? That was barely suppressed
fury. And what about Slim? He was no crook. “I guess you know him,”
I said. Somehow, I couldn’t ask any more.

“
Well, some.”

Smith Harbor’s most famous ex-con sure knew
Slim. Not only knew him, but took his word on everything. I had to
wonder. Why?

~
~

How much was twenty thousand over the going
price for a lobster trawler? I had two hundred in cash, another two
hundred for Gregory, a bunch of wet clothes, and nowhere to go. So
what did I do? I dialed Kaye.

Who didn’t answer.

Without
Snapdragon
to worry about, I had other problems.
Dirty clothes to clean, and Gregory’s waiting-to-cool-off pump to
watch over. Biggie—a nagging ghost who wanted a murder solved. Oh
yeah, a banana peel to toss. I walked to the Dumpster and took care
of that. As I headed back, Gregory arrived.

“
Hey, let’s start....”

“
Pop was here,” I said and pulled the
bills out of my pocket. “Two for you and two for me. Yours are for
your time and any repairs the pump might need. Mine....”

“
What?”

“
Pop wants to buy
Snapdragon.
As is. Tomorrow. My two hundred is
earnest money, he said.”

Gregory took the bills, stared at them. “Two
hundred dollars?”

“
So, we’re done here. At least, I’m
not going to do any more until I’m sure. Can a person trust a
mobster?”

He mumbled something under his breath. He
thought a bit, then made up his mind. “I’ll run this pump over to
the shop. Get it checked out. I’ll need a new one if this is done
for. I sure don’t want a pump that conks out with customers on
board.” He grabbed his pump and headed for his truck.

One problem solved. I picked up a muddy
shirt and shook it. Could I wash my clothes at the marina head?
Without soap? I gathered them all, but I didn’t go far. A team with
huge pumps arrived.

“
This a lobster trawler named
Snapdragon
?” one guy asked. When I
nodded, he said, “Mind moving, Ma’am? We need to put our equipment
on that finger pier.”

Okay, was I ready to trust a mobster?
Pop said he’d buy the boat, gave me two hundred dollars, but I
still had the title. “You know, officially, this is still my boat,
and this
is my finger pier,” I said.

“
Okay, lady,” the men said. Another
guy started talking on his cell phone, but too quietly for me to
hear. I knew what would happen.

Gregory came back from his truck. “What’s
going on?” he asked.

“
I think we’re waiting,” I
said.

“
For what? Or should I say, who
for?”

My courage was taking a major hit with
three guys with their massive pumps staring me down, and the big
one likely headed my way. I stared at nothing, working up any scrap
of indignation I could find. I didn’t say a word. Gregory didn’t
push. He sat on the dock box opposite
Snapdragon’s
slip.

Fifteen minutes later, Pop arrived. “What’s
the problem?” he asked me.

I was ready. As calmly as possible, I said,
“You asked Slim if you could trust me. I know you’re offering a
great deal for a sunken boat, but I’d like to ask Slim if I can
trust you.”

Pop blinked. Stared. I nearly passed out.
Then he started laughing. He laughed until tears came to his eyes.
He laughed until he choked. After a bit he shook his head. “Best
one I’ve heard since I went up,” he said. “Yeah, you run along and
ask him. My guys here will wait.”

“
And Gregory will wait too,” I said,
hoping I was right.

Gregory nodded, but I knew he would want
explanations later. Big time.

I found Slim headed my way. “Heard he’s
back,” he said. I didn’t stop to worry about how Slim knew these
things.

“
He’s waiting with a crew to pump out
the boat, but I’ve got to know. Can I trust him? I don’t know how,
or why, but he trusts you. So tell me.”

“
I gotta look him in the eye,” Slim
said.

And that’s what Slim did. He walked up,
said, “Hi Arthur.”

“
Slim,” Pop said with a
nod.

“
Now this little Cyd gal, she be
mighty dear to me. Like family, but more like a chile, instead of a
sister, you understand?”

“
I understand, Slim.”

“
Cyd, he be doing right by you,” Slim
said, then turned and left.

And that was it. Something, was it family,
had impressed them both. “Okay,” I said and gathered my muddy
clothes.

Pop said, “I have your telephone number.
I’ll fix it with my lawyer and get back to you.”

I didn’t trust myself to say more. I nodded,
and walked off the finger pier with Gregory on my heels. We were
hardly out of ear-shot when he said, “Now we get the explanations,
right?”

I took a gulp of fresh air and nodded again.
Had I really done that? Stood up to the mobster everyone was afraid
of?

Yes I had. I could see it in Gregory’s eyes.
A “wow” accompanied by a “my god what will she do next?”

“
Do you have a washing machine I can
use?” I asked.

~
~

After I told the full story, Gregory rubbed
a spot on my forehead. “You need a shower,” he said. “So do I. Does
that suggest anything to you?”

“
No.”

He grinned. “Jumping to conclusions, aren’t
we? I really wanted to ask if you wanted the first shower. But I’ll
take one while you start the washer.”

Did I believe that? No way. “Sure. Go
ahead.”

Gregory had a top of the line washing
machine, the kind that does a super job, with a window in front so
you could see how little water it needs. I pulled the chair over
and watched as the water started running in. Almost immediately,
the basket inside started turning. The clothes climbed up one side,
then flopped down as the top circled over. It was a series of
falls. My clothes didn’t fill up the washer. Even the water didn’t
fill up the washer. After a bit, the revolving stopped, the water
ran out, then more ran in and the basket began turning again. I
stared as if hypnotized.

Okay, I would get several thousand dollars.
I didn’t know how much, but way more than I had already. I’d just
finished the classes and learned everything I already knew. I’d
take the test. I’d have my license, money, and.... A ghost
demanding answers.

I talked to her, like she was living inside
my body. Thoughts really. Thoughts that went unanswered.

“
Nicole, I didn’t find your killer. I
don’t know what to do next.”

Would she always be with me, haunting me
forever?

“
Nicole, perhaps you need to go where
ghosts go.” But, how could I tell her to go away? Where would she
go? Would she know? Could I ask her?

Probably not. She was remarkably uninformed.
Just knew that she was dead. That was something. Did ghosts always
know they were dead? What if she’d insisted she was still alive and
made me take care of her boat, and who knows what else?

“
Your turn,” Gregory said. He knelt on
one knee, so his head met mine, with the clean, soapy, shampoo
aroma enveloping me.

“
Um, you smell nice.”

“
You smell like the bay, which is
always a nice smell to me.” He brushed his nose in my hair. “Damp,
and mud, and salt, and a hint of crab shell.”

I turned my face to tell him how silly he
was, and he kissed me. Tenderly. I didn’t want to, but I pulled
back. “This has got to stop,” I whispered.

“
I know,” he whispered and kissed me
again, then jumped up. “You’ll taste so much better after that
shower.”

Of course, that’s when the washer stopped.
“Drier time.” Quickly I threw everything in the drier, started it,
and headed for his shower.

Which was completely masculine. Navy blue
towels. Razor beside the toothbrush. The toilet seat up.

I stood in the shower for a long time before
I heard my cell phone ring. Had to be Kaye. I dried myself, wrapped
up in clean towel and looked for a hair drier. None. I used
Gregory’s comb. Sat and called Kaye.

“
Cyd,” she said before I got a word
out. “He’s out of jail. He must be in town. Pop, I
mean.”