As they boarded the plane for Key Biscayne and took their seats, Olivia moved closer to Wayne. The sky was clear and the flight was expected to land on time. Arrangements to leave had gone easily. Olivia and Wayne had packed quickly and he called to make reservations at the hotel.
“We’ll get rooms down the hall from each other,” Wayne said.
“Good,” said Olivia lightly, although she felt a tinge of disappointment. Actually, business was all they had focused on for a while now. Neither of them had said a word about their sudden, passionate embrace as their last case was ending. The kiss had struck like lightning and had been unforgettable, at least for Olivia. It had definitely changed the equilibrium between them, she thought. Olivia was surprised that Wayne hadn’t reached out again. But she knew above all that Wayne was careful and thoughtful. He wasn’t someone who would allow passing impulses to take over his life. Had their embrace been only a passing impulse for him, Olivia wondered, or was there something deeper growing inside?
The plane lifted flawlessly into the cloudless sky as Wayne looked over at Olivia.
“This is magical, isn’t it?” he said softly.
That was a great way of putting it, thought Olivia. “It definitely is,” she agreed, hoping that Wayne was speaking about their relationship. There had been an inevitable quality about it and working together had only made their connection deeper.
“I can’t get over the way cases just keep falling in our laps,” Wayne added.
Olivia paused a moment. Wayne wasn’t talking about his feelings for her, but about the cases they worked on, the business they were building together. In fact, right after they’d packed, they both dove into their computers, focusing on whatever information was now publicly available about the murder.
She had better listen carefully, Olivia thought. There was no point in getting pulled into something that wasn’t mutual between them. Perhaps the closeness between them was only happening in her mind?
“We’ve certainly been fortunate about getting cases,” Olivia responded lightly, pulling a bit away in her seat, closer to the plane’s window.
“Agreed. Let’s go over what we know now about Morton Townsend,” Wayne continued. “It’s good to be as prepared as possible when we arrive.”
Olivia felt upset momentarily. There would have been nothing wrong with spending a moment reflecting on how good it was to be together, she thought.
“Morton owned and ran a string of health clinics,” Wayne continued. “They were small, boutique operations for those who want special attention. These kinds of medical practices are becoming more common these days.”
Olivia was aware of that. “I know about those operations,” she commented. In fact, her own parents belonged to a practice like that. And so did her first fiancé, who had passed away after his long battle with cancer. He’d joined a small, boutique practice too late, though, after his chances were basically over. It was painful thinking of him now. Olivia looked out the plane window and rubbed her hands over her face.
“Anyway, so far, I haven’t seen anything at all questionable about Morton Townsend,” Wayne continued. “He was a married man with three grown children, a long-term marriage, and a fine reputation, including charitable contributions and works.”
Olivia felt grateful for the research Wayne had done already. He was good at it and enjoyed it.
“Morton also had a few clinics in Nashville, Tennessee, it seems,” Wayne continued. “He spent half a week there and half a week in Key Biscayne.”
“Sounds like an interesting balance,” Olivia remarked. “We’ll have to look into both locations.”
“Not immediately.” Wayne raised his hand. “First we have to check in with the police in Key Biscayne and discover their overall strategy. The murder took place in Key Biscayne, so the police down there are in charge.”
Olivia and Wayne usually checked in with the local police as soon as they arrived on a case and Olivia was fine with that. As a previous officer on the police force, Wayne was more sensitive to protocol than she was. Olivia was newer at this work. After her first fiancé had died, Olivia stayed alone for a while. Then she’d met Todd, had a whirlwind romance, and quickly became engaged. But to her great horror, on the very night of their beautiful engagement, Todd had been murdered.
The murder of her second fiancé, Todd, had been so shocking and devastating that it literally pulled Olivia out of the life she’d been living. She then turned into someone obsessed with finding killers. It was the only way she could make sense of what had happened to her and go forward. Olivia had become a licensed private detective, with a keen eye and a surprising talent for seeing beneath the surface and unleashing the truth.
Olivia now tossed her long, beautiful blonde hair over her shoulders and smiled. It was actually exciting to be embarking upon a new case. There was no reason to dwell upon whether or not her relationship with Wayne was going to deepen. In fact, thinking that way could become a terrible distraction. She tossed a quick look at Wayne out of the corner of her eye. He was completely absorbed on the computer, going over his research on the case.
“From the nature of the injuries described, this crime had to be personal,” Wayne mumbled.
“How so?” Olivia wanted more details.
“Mort’s skull was crushed badly along with the bones in his face,” said Wayne. “Whoever did this was getting back at him for something, hated his guts.”
“You can’t jump to that conclusion yet.” Olivia felt jarred. “It could have been a business deal gone bad, or someone could have been hired to take him out.”
“No.” Wayne showed her a picture of the body.
Olivia looked at it and shivered. Wayne was right. The killing had been intensely grisly. Many more blows than needed.
“Overkill,” said Wayne.
Olivia agreed. “Why?”
“That’s what we have to figure out,” he replied crisply.
“It does seem like some kind of vendetta,” Olivia added. “From the sound of his life, there was no reason for it, though. On the surface, everything seemed to be going smoothly. We’ve got a lot of digging to do.”
“None of their lives goes smoothly,” Wayne quipped, a flash of bitterness stinging his tone. “Scratch the surface and everyone’s life is a mess. Most of the victims are tortured people, or ready to torture someone else.”
“Whoa.” Olivia was taken aback by Wayne’s cynicism. “Not everyone’s life is a mess. Not everyone is tortured! We’re only seeing a slanted segment of the population, Wayne. There are people who are happy, who love each other and can be trusted.”
“Really?” Wayne turned to Olivia, looking put out. “Please show those people to me.”
Something was bothering Wayne and Olivia wasn’t sure what it was. This was a side of him she hadn’t seen so vividly.
“Are you saying no one can be trusted?” Olivia asked, point-blank.
“No, of course I’m not saying that,” Wayne backtracked. “I’m just saying you have to be careful, very careful, before you get too involved with anyone.”
Olivia thought of her relationship with Todd then. Olivia hadn’t been the least bit careful about falling for him. After mourning the loss of her first fiancé for a long time, when she’d met Todd she was ready to live fully again. Their attraction happened almost instantly and she went along with it without looking back.
Todd was handsome, exciting, adventurous, daring. They’d been deliriously happy together, too. Or so she’d thought, anyway. Olivia hadn’t paused to check into who he was or what his past could have told her. At that time, if anyone had told Olivia that Todd was still seeing a former girlfriend even as he became engaged to Olivia, she never would have believed it. Life had taught her otherwise, though. In fact, Wayne had been the detective on that case. Olivia originally met Wayne in Key West, as they were trying to solve Todd’s murder.
“Look at what happened between you and Todd,” Wayne said then, as if he were reading her mind at that moment.
“Funny, I was just thinking that,” replied Olivia. “You’re right, I wasn’t careful at all. I went with my feelings completely.”
“See what I mean?” said Wayne, softly.
“And I’m glad I did!” Olivia answered robustly. “Even though I was fooled and hurt at the end, we had real happiness together. I felt completely loved and cared for by him.”
Wayne looked at Olivia, amazed. “But for how long did you feel that?” he asked.
“It doesn’t matter how long, does it?” Olivia retorted. “Even a little while is wonderful.”
“I don’t agree.” Wayne started shaking his head.
“Well, it’s better than living a life of bitterness and suspicion, isn’t it?” Olivia asked emphatically. “Why let one bad experience ruin everything?”
“No one is saying to live a life of bitterness and suspicion,” Wayne retorted. “Just to be careful, be slow, know what you’re getting into.”
Olivia tossed her hair back over her shoulders again. Did anyone ever know what they were getting into? she wondered.
“I prefer the thrill of going with my feelings,” she replied swiftly. “Who can fall in love being slow and careful?”
Wayne said nothing at all.
“Who can fall in love if they’re always terrified of being hurt again?” she added.
Fortunately, a voice came over the loudspeaker then, interrupting their tense conversation.
“Prepare for landing,” the voice proclaimed. “We’ve had perfect weather conditions and are arriving in Key Biscayne early.”
*
Olivia and Wayne picked up their luggage and got a cab quickly. First stop, they were headed to their hotel, the Mermaid, a few miles from downtown where the police station was situated.
The cab whizzed to their destination and Olivia and Wayne looked out the windows, oddly silent during most of the drive.
“It’s beautiful here,” Wayne remarked slowly as they passed palm trees, blue skies, and long stretches of sand. I think you’ll love the hotel I’ve reserved the rooms at, too.”
“I’m sure I will,” said Olivia as the cab drew closer to their destination and the hotel came into sight. Olivia looked the place over. It was a beautiful, medium-sized hotel, well appointed with palm trees and flowers surrounding it. A great place for a secret rendezvous, she thought.
“This is a well-known spot for bird watching,” said Wayne, “and also for honeymooners.”
Olivia stepped out of the cab and breathed the sweet air deeply. Why did Wayne choose a place for honeymooners? she wondered. It seemed odd to her.
“Penny suggested we come to this hotel,” Wayne continued. “She said it was perfectly located, close to the family’s home and also to the police station.”
“I like it,” Olivia decided.
“After we check in, I think the first stop for us is to the scene of the crime,” Wayne said. “Then we can go meet the police.”
That sounded right to Olivia, too. She wanted to stand in the place where Mort had been when he was assaulted. She wanted to see what he saw and feel who else could have been there beside him when his life had been suddenly taken away.