The outing at the Big Sur Café dinner was the first time we had operated as a six-person men’s group.
The restaurant was housed in a non-descript one-story wood building a quarter of a mile south of the bridge over Pfeiffer canyon. I bought several bottles of a good chardonnay for our table, although I only had a sip because I was driving. The six of us dined in traditional Italian style: antipasto, minestrone soup, green salad, lasagna, chicken cacciatore, and gelato. The meal stretched out over more than two hours.
When we arrived at the cafe, I was worried about Paul and Rory fitting in, because they had been outliers, but the others easily accepted them. In fact, Lucky and Paul appeared to have a special affinity.
It was a classic men’s gathering with lots of talk about what was wrong with the San Francisco Giants, even though Lucky was a Mets fan. For the first time, Paul seemed to relax, and I thought we’ve become a cohesive group. We lingered over the meal.
When we got ready to leave, Theo said, “Is it okay if I ride back with you, Otto, and Rory?” He smiled. “I want to give Lucky and Paul some privacy.”
It was after nine, when the four of us arrived back at the Satori parking lot. Throughout dinner I had been worried about Greg. Instead of heading directly to the baths, I took a detour through the dining room and stopped at the bar to see if David Sanders was around. He was sitting at a small table, nursing a glass of white wine, and reading a paperback.
“Sit down Tom,” David said. “How was your dinner?”
I pulled out a wooden chair and sat. “Fun. Good food.” I waited a beat. “Did you find out anything more about Greg Tanaka?”
“Just enough to whet my curiosity. Greg’s car isn’t parked in the visitors’ area, it’s parked way up in the staff area, by the art cottage.”
“That’s strange.” The art cottage was on the north end of the Satori campus, about half a mile from the dining room. “How did it end of there?”
“That’s what I wondered,” David said. “I asked staff to check the log at the north gate. They said that Greg’s car, a Mercedes sedan, went through the keypad procedure at 2:38 AM last night.”
“Anything of interest on the camera?”
“No. Whoever used the keypad knew about the camera and kept their face hidden beneath a hoodie.”
“I don’t like this,” I said. “Tomorrow, when there’s light, Kate and I will check out Greg’s car.”
“Good idea. His California license plate number is 6TR244.”
As I approached the baths, I could hear the women from our workshop laughing and singing Irish songs. Otto was waiting for me in an adjacent tub.
“I was too nervous to get in the women’s tub on my own,” he said with a smile.
With some trepidation, Otto and I approached the largest tub, which contained only the seven women from our workshop. “I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Otto said. “They seem to be having a private party.”
“We’ve come this far,” I said. “Let’s ask if they want us to join them.”
Lois and Tammy were guarding the tub entrance. “Can we get in?” I asked.
Lois called to the others. “Tom and Otto are here. Do we want men to join us?”
The moon hadn’t risen, and the night was dark enough that I couldn’t see where Kate was. From the far end of the tub, I heard her say, “Only if the men are proven worthy. Only if Tom and Otto are willing to sing a song.”
“The men can respond to this,” Aoife led the seven women in “The Parting Glass**.”
Of all the money that e’er I had
I spent it in good company
And all the harm I’ve ever done
Alas, it was to none but me
Of all the comrades that e’er I had
They’re sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e’er I had
They’d wish me one more day to stay
But since it fell into my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I’ll gently rise and softly call
Good night and joy be to you all
Fill to me the parting glass
And drink a health whate’er befalls
Then gently rise and softly call
Good night and joy be to you all.
When the women stooped singing, Otto and I stepped into the tub. “Stop there,” Aoife said, “let’s hear your song.”
“I need your help,” I said. “I’m not much of a singer.”
“I have an idea,” Otto said. “You should know this song.” Otto launched into “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” and I followed with my thin baritone voices.
This is the moment
I’ve waited for…
The women applauded. “You have proven worthy,” Aoife chuckled. “You may enter.”
Otto and I waded across the tub to where most of the women had congregated. Kate was sitting against the far wall with Julie on one side and Lucy on the other. Lucy slid over so I could sit next to Kate.
“I did it,” Kate said. “I’m in the hot tub and I’m naked.”
“Congratulations. How are you feeling?”
“I was euphoric until you showed up. Now I’m embarrassed.”
“I don’t want you to be embarrassed,” I said. “I’ll go.” I started to get up.
Kate clasped my hand. “Don’t go yet.” She sighed. “I want you here. I’m having fun.”
“You’re sending me a mixed message.”
“I know,” Kate sighed. “I worked on that in the group today. On the one hand I want you close and on the other hand I push you away. Cheryl helped me understand that’s because I’m afraid to be vulnerable with you.”
“That’s understandable.”
“You seem so reasonable, Tom. Are you feeling vulnerable?”
I thought for a second. “I am. But I’m blown away by the strong attraction I feel for you. Every time we get close, I feel this surge of energy between us.”
Kate squeezed my hand. “I feel that, too.”
“You guys are so cute,” Julie said.
“When are you going to kiss?” Lucy asked.
“We’re figuring out our relationship in front of an audience.” I laughed.
“it’s my fault,” Kate said. “I talked about you in the women’s group.” She slid closer. “If it’s any consolation, they like you.”
“Except for Tammy,” Lucy chortled.
“I understand,” I said and lowered my voice. “So, we will move onward.” Despite the hot water, I grew aroused.
“Yes.” Kate moved her head so she could whisper in my ear. “We’re going to…” she searched for the right phrase “…get together. But not tonight. I’ve had a great day with all the women but now I’m exhausted.”
“Mama bear is tired,” Julie said.
“Mama bear?”
“She adopted me and Lucy as her cubs,” Julie said. “She’s going to teach us Taekwondo and help us deal with Earle-world.”
“So, I’m about to be surrounded by badasses?” I chuckled.
“As long as you treat Mama bear right, no harm will come to you,” Lucy laughed.
“Uh huh.” Kate was falling asleep. “I’m turning into a prune,” she said. “I need to get out of the tub.”
“I’ll help you,” I said.
Kate and I waded across the tub to the entrance. I helped Kate out of the tub and handed her a towel.
We walked to the showers. “Do me a favor and make sure no men are in the shower room,” Kate said. “There were only women when we first got here.”
I looked inside and saw only one young woman showering in the far corner. “The coast is clear,” I said.
We entered the shower room, hung up our towels and turned on the hot water. The young woman exited.
In the subdued light in the shower room, water glistened on Kate’s lithe body as she turned in the spray. My heart pounded.
“Why are you staring at me?” Kate asked.
“Two reasons. First, I’m admiring your beauty. And second, I’m making sure you don’t have an ‘Earle’ tattoo.”
Kate snorted. “You’re awful.” She sprayed me with hot water. “Okay, wise guy. Turn around so I can check you for Fiona tattoos.”
“Not a one,” I said, as I slowly turned around.
Kate reached out and pinched me on the left buttock.
“Something’s very wrong with me,” I laughed. “I like it when you do that.”
Kate pulled me closer. Just then we heard a mixed group enter the dressing chamber. “Perhaps we should dry off,” I said.
We moved to a corner of the dressing chamber, and I shielded Kate with my body while she dressed.
“I guess I’m more old-fashioned than I thought,” Kate said. “I’m not used to all this nudity.”
“If you want, I can close my eyes until you’re finished dressing.”
Kate chuckled. “That’s a different problem.” She sighed. “When you look at me, my heart gets tingly. It’s disconcerting. I feel like I’m back in high school.”
“I could promise not to look at you, but I would be lying. I like the way you look.”
Kate tilted her head to one side, smiled, and finished dressing.
We began to walk up the hill toward the dining hall. Somewhere on the gravel path, we started holding hands.
“Do I remind you of Fiona?” Kate asked.
“You don’t look alike, but there is something about your personality, your independence, that is similar.”
“That’s what Cheryl said.”
“What else did she say?”
“She liked her. Cheryl said Fiona was very funny but not someone that suffered fools gladly. She said having seen you with Fiona helped her understand why you were attracted to me.”
“Did this come up in the women’s gathering?”
“A bit. As we went around, all the women talked about the men – or women in Lois’ case – in their lives.” Kate kept holding my hand. “When it came my turn, I said that you and I were beginning a relationship, but I was nervous because your wife had so recently died.”
“I understand that, but I feel ready to start a new relationship.” I tightened my grip on her hand. “I feel excited about getting to know you.”
Kate stopped and tilted her head to one side. “You are tingling my heart again.” She turned and led me further up the hill. “All the women in the group – except for Tammy – feel that it’s a good idea for us to be together. Cheryl said she understood why I was nervous but that in her experience of you, she had found you to be an honorable man. She believed that you would be straight with me.” She began to chuckle.
“What’s funny?”
“Excuse me,” Kate blushed. “I have a dirty mind. When I said that my mind went right into the gutter.”
“I thought we were going to wait until tomorrow to get into the gutter.”
Kate snorted. “We did. But I’m wavering.”
We reached level ground and began to walk around the dining area. Kate stopped and changed the tone of her voice. “I need to tell you about the call I got from Laura Sanchez.”
“What’s happened?”
“The autopsy revealed that before his death, Malcolm Eastwick was pumped full of drugs.”
“Wow. Did Laura explain what they think happened?”
“The deputies think Malcolm let someone into his cabin on Saturday. They had a drink and the assailant drugged him. While Malcolm was out, they tied him to a chair. Then they injected him with more drugs. When he woke up, he gave them the information they needed, probably the location of the missing money, and the combination of the wall safe.”
“So, they think died in the chair?”
“Yes. And then the perp loaded him on a cart, rolled him to the conference-center deck, and tossed him down the cliff.”
“In the middle of the night,” I said.
“A very determined killer,” Kate shuddered. “Laura and I think it might have been a professional hit.”
I made a face.
“Laura warned me the killer may still be on campus.”
“That’s really creepy.”
“I know, but she could be wrong,” Kate said. “Whoever did this could be long gone; they probably got their money from Malcolm’s safe and hit the road. That’s what a professional would have done.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. But I was concerned enough that I got my pistol out of the office safe.”
“You’re going to carry your gun around?”
“Yes.” Kate tilted her head to one side and grinned. “Except in the baths and certain other situations.”
“Good to know.” I smiled. And stopped walking. “I have something interesting to tell you. Greg Tanaka has disappeared.”
“Cheryl said he dropped out of the workshop.”
“It’s more complicated than that. He stopped coming to the workshop and didn’t notify Cheryl or David. He checked out of his room but didn’t inform the front office or housekeeping. And, the strangest thing of all, he didn’t leave the Satori campus.”
“How do you know that?”
“On Sunday, Greg drove into the campus in a Mercedes sedan and parked in the guest parking lot. In the middle of last night, Greg or someone else drove his Mercedes out of the guest parking lot and into the restricted staff parking lot half a mile up the road.”
“There’s a computer log?”
“Exactly. And a video record. Only it doesn’t show much, just someone in a hoodie using the keypad.” I frowned. “Greg’s Mercedes is parked by the art studio. I thought tomorrow you and I could check it out before we go on our big date.”
“Okay,” Kate said. “But right now, I need to get into bed. I’m exhausted.” We started walking again.
Five minutes later, we reached the door of her room.
Kate unlocked it, looked at me, and sighed. Then she kissed me on the cheek, turned around, and went inside, closing the door behind her.
**A traditional Scottish song