THIRTY-FIVE

When I started to leave the police car and rush to Gram, Hillie shook his head.

“Stay where you are.”

Punt put his arm around my shoulders, gently restraining me. I settled for smiling at Gram and blowing her a kiss.

“What’s Randy doing here?” I perched on the edge of the seat. “How did he find us so quickly?” The officers were busy talking and arguing with Randy, giving Punt and me a chance to exchange a few more words.

“Your grandmother reported your disappearance to the police late yesterday afternoon, and this morning Maxine caught the missing-person news on her police scanner. She drove by for Celia and then she picked Randy up at the shrimp docks because he called to tell her the Midnight Moon was docking early. They had a full load, and Shrimp Snerl hired Randy for another run. More information from Maxine’s scanner led the three of them here.”

“I want to follow you to that well!” Randy shouted to Jeff. “I want to eyeball Ace Grovello. Eyeball to eyeball! I want to hear what he has to say for himself.”

“We want no trouble out there,” Jeff said. “None. Miss Moreno’s been through a harrowing experience. We want to assure her safety—and the safety of all of us.”

Randy chewed his tobacco for only a moment before he continued his argument. “I rotted in prison for Dyanne Darby’s murder for years while Ace Grovello lived high, building an I’m-On-Easy-Street business and a Mr. Nice Guy reputation. I’ve got a citizen’s right to see that scumbucket now. Right now.”

“Mr. Jackson,” Jeff said, “as of this moment, Ace Grovello has been neither charged nor convicted of a crime. In the eyes of the law he’s innocent until proven guilty. As policemen we are responsible for his safety—and for yours.”

Randy pounded the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. “So what’re you going to do to him right now? What’re you going to say to him? You gonna lift him gently from the well and suggest that he have a nice day? Too bad he didn’t drown and save the taxpayers a bundle of trouble and money. Tell me what you’re going to do when you reach that well.”

“Calm down, Mr. Jackson. We’ll arrest Grovello, cuff him, read him his rights. We don’t need your help at this time. Maybe later if…”

“Please, officer,” Maxine broke into the conversation by opening the car door. She stepped from the Ford, revealing her tank top and blue and white polka dot bloomers, her red-and-white-striped stockings. “I’ll guarantee my Randy’s good behavior. Please let us go along with you. We’ll cause no problem. We’re friends of Keely Moreno. We want to see Ace Grovello in handcuffs. It’d purely set our corks a-bobbin’.”

Both officers smiled at Maxine’s earnest expression, her homespun language and appearance. “Mrs. Jackson,” Jeff said, “I guess seeing this guy cuffed and in custody might set our corks a-bobbin’, too. He’s certainly put Miss Moreno through a bad time. Follow us. But when we arrive at the abandoned house and well, you are to remain in your car. Is that clear?”

“Crystal clear, sir.” Maxine slid back inside the car beside Randy and Gram reached to pat her on the shoulder.

We entered the bridge to No Name Key where fishermen flung lines into the waves while pelicans perched on the bridge railing, watching and waiting for a tidbit. Once off the bridge, we followed the concrete road a short distance then turned onto a lane that led into the thicket and then disappeared into the growth of mangrove and thatch palm and weeds. Although by this time tire tracks leading to the old house were fairly easy to follow, stubble still thunked against the bottom of the police car. Jeff braked suddenly as a doe and two fawns ran in front of us. When we reached the house, the iguana eyed us from the front porch. The raccoon family had been peering into the well, but all three of them ran when we drew near.

Jeff stopped the car and he and Hillie got out and approached the well.

“Police!” Hillie shouted. “Grovello, are you able to respond?”

No response. Maybe he was dead. I wondered what Hillie had anticipated. Had the officers hoped to see Ace splash from his watery prison and walk toward them with his hands raised?

“Ace, we’ve come to take you to Key West.” While Jeff talked, Hillie eased to the well and peered over the rim. Then he backed off and shouted.

“Toss the gun to us, Grovello. Give us the gun and we’ll pull you from the well.”

“I surrender.”

Ace’s voice sounded hollow and hoarse, and I gasped when his gun appeared spinning in the air above the well. But instead of landing on the concrete slab, the gun dropped straight down and splashed into the water.

“Hold your hands above your head,” Hillie shouted. “Tread water. Keep your hands up.”

Hillie started easing away from the well opening, when suddenly Randy sprang from his car and dashed to the well. Before anyone could stop him, he leaned over the opening and shot a brown stream of tobacco juice straight down.

“Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!” Ace enlarged his vocabulary by three words.

I smiled. I knew from the continued stream of profanity that Randy’s aim had hit target. Randy tossed an insolent look at Hillie and Jeff, and then strolled toward Punt and me, smiling for the first time since I’d met him. He reached to shake Punt’s hand and then he turned to me.

“Thank you, Ms. Moreno.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Jackson.” I returned his smile. If Punt was surprised, he hid the fact well.

Randy then walked to his car, slid inside with Maxine and Gram and drove away. The officers made no effort to stop him. By that time backup cops had arrived to offer assistance and one of them drove Punt and me back to Punt’s apartment, thanked us for leading them to Ace, and requested that we not leave town.

Punt and I clung to each other for a long time, and I was still shaking as we relived my narrow escape. A long time passed before we could talk slowly and coherently. After we calmed down, Punt helped me take a much-needed shower then we talked some more. We assured ourselves that the law would deal with Ace, who had confessed to the murders of Dyanne Darby and Nicole Pierce, that Shrimp Snerl would hire Randy for more shrimp runs, and that the Fotopolus and Ashford Agency could go on to other business.

“Punt, I’ve something to tell you. I’ve thought about your request that I forgive Jude.” I paused, and when Punt said nothing, I continued. “I’ve forgiven him. It was the hardest thing I ever did. I put a positive spin on all his negatives. Jude gave me an appreciation of freedom. His abuse enabled me to call on and find strength I didn’t know I possessed. He supplied me with goals to work toward. I’m still relieved that he’s dead, but he gave me much to be thankful for. He forced me into a new and better life.”

“Thank you for that. I know it was hard for you.” Punt and I kissed more deeply than ever before.

“I have something to ask you,” Punt whispered in my ear once we relaxed on his couch.

My heart sank. It was true, I had forgiven Jude, but I hadn’t forgotten. Until I could wipe old memories from my heart, I still shadow-boxed with the past. I braced myself to hear another marriage proposal, a proposal I wasn’t ready for, one I didn’t yet feel I could honor.

“Keely, we both need some time to get used to your forgiving Jude, but even so, I’m asking you to be my partner.”

“But…”

He touched my lips with his forefinger. “I’m asking you to be my detective partner. Don’t tell me you’re no detective. You have two solved cases to your credit.”

Relief soon replaced my surprise. “I don’t want to be a detective, Punt. I’ve worked hard to establish my foot reflexology business. I like it. I’d hate to give it up. And what about Nikko? What makes you think he wants me as a partner?”

“We’ve talked it over, Keely. Nikko’s going to open a branch office in Miami. We’d like you as our silent, undercover partner here on Key West. Your reflexology business offers a perfect cover-up for your sleuthing activities. What do you say? Will you think it over?”

“Yes, I will.” A quick answer gave me time to think. Would Punt be moving to Miami? I didn’t ask. “I’d enjoy helping you and Nikko get criminals off the streets. Ace Grovello could have killed me. Nobody would have found my body. This is a special day, Punt.”

“Every day’s a special day when we’re both alive—and together.”

I agreed and I showed my agreement in a very special way.