It was still dark the next morning when Sabrina drove Neil to Gibney Beach, where they picked David up. Both men were quiet during the short ride to Cruz Bay. She wished them good luck on their mission as she dropped them off at the dock next to the ramp Larry used to access his seaplane. Girlfriend slithered over the center console into the front passenger seat next to Sabrina.
She returned Neil’s jeep to the empty space at Bar None and retrieved her own from the parking lot at St. John Car Rental, which wasn’t open yet. Not much in Cruz Bay was. The morning light was just beginning to illuminate the sky. School children in pink-and-maroon uniforms rushed toward the dock to catch the ferry to St. Thomas where they attended school. Day laborers sat on a concrete wall hoping to be chosen for a day’s work.
Life goes on, Sabrina thought. In one weekend, a good man is killed in a car accident. A bride is murdered before her wedding. But come Monday morning, people go back to work. Kids return to school. She took some comfort in the return to normalcy, hoping that Neil and David would find some information that could give answers about Elena. The sound of a plane over Cruz Bay comforted her because she knew they were on their way.
Ten Villas needed to get back on track. They had guests departing several villas over the next few days and replacements arriving. There was cleaning to be done, including the huge mess out at Villa Nirvana.
She called Henry to see if he wanted to meet her for breakfast at Jake’s, a favorite meeting place for them where they could enjoy coffee and eggs while they talked business. Breakfast at Jake’s would feel normal.
“Sweetie, you should probably keep a low profile until things get sorted out. Come on up here and I’ll make you an omelet,” Henry said, reminding her normal would have to wait.
She smelled the coffee from outside the front door. Henry greeted her with a hug, something he was always doing whether she wanted one or not. Sabrina wasn’t much of a hugger, but between Henry and Neil that had been changing.
“How was your date?” Sabrina asked.
“It wasn’t a date. It was dinner. I was just being civilized. David did agree to fly Neil to San Juan, after all.”
Sabrina decided to let it go. They were discussing who would do what during the next several days and that her next stop was to see how the Keatings were doing up at Bella Vista when she realized Henry knew nothing about the necklace. Should she tell him? He was her business partner, but was this a business decision? Did he deserve to know or would it burden him? Would she feel better if she told him? Why did she have to torture herself over such a simple question?
Two bites into a ham and Gruyère cheese omelet and a half a cup of French roast coffee raised Sabrina’s blood sugar enough that she was finally thinking clearly. Of course she should tell Henry about the necklace. He wasn’t just her business partner. He was also her friend. Her dear friend.
She explained about finding the necklace then not knowing how to get rid of it after she forgot to return it to Heather the day before.
“Well, whatever you do, don’t tell Detective Hodge you have it. He’ll have you in the slammer before you can say ‘not guilty.’”
“I’m going to return it to Heather and not worry why she had it in her pocket. Unless she wants to talk about it. Then I’ll listen,” Sabrina said.
“She was really down yesterday when I spoke to her. She thinks Elena’s death has changed her family forever.”
“She’s probably right. I doubt Sean will ever be the same. That Gavin is a piece of work. I suppose you know he’s claiming to an INN reporter that Ten Villas failed to provide adequate security at Villa Nirvana, which is why a murder happened there,” Sabrina said, looking at Henry to see if he knew. His expression told her he did not.
“Are you kidding me? What an asshole. I’d say he’s the one with the best motive to kill Elena because he was the most upset that she wouldn’t sign the prenup. Even Heather won’t rule him out.”
Sabrina and Henry exchanged to-do lists, then she drove out to Bella Vista with Girlfriend, which was item number one on her list.
Kate was in the orchid garden, perched on a chair in front of an easel next to a blossom, which was just opening. Sabrina called over to say hello.
“Come tell me what’s going on, Sabrina,” Kate said.
“Not much.” Sabrina didn’t want to spoil Kate’s art session by tattling on her wicked stepson, although she was tempted. She liked Kate enough that she could put her on her list of “Women I Wouldn’t Mind Having for a Mother.” Ruth had been the first woman to go on the list, but she had died long ago. She had a couple of teachers who made the list. Lyla Banks had earned a spot. Sabrina had learned that when your own mother deserts you, you have to get your mothering where you can.
“Where is everyone?” Sabrina asked, not wanting to get maudlin.
“Jack and Paul are in town calling the corporate lawyers about getting us representation for our meeting with Detective Hodge. I told them they better call John Grisham if we’re going to have to tangle with that beast. Sean’s off on another walk. He needs time alone and seems to like exploring the paths up here. It’s really a more interesting property than Villa Nirvana, isn’t it?”
“Bella Vista is one of my favorites,” Sabrina agreed. “Where’s Heather?”
“Reading by the pool. Not having her glasses was worse for her than me not having my paints. She loves to read.”
Sabrina found Heather wearing a large brimmed straw hat, with a towel covering most of her fair-skinned body, lounging on a chaise with a book on her lap. She called out softly to Heather so she wouldn’t startle her. Heather looked up from Don’t Stop the Carnival.
“This guy nails it, doesn’t he?”
For a moment, Sabrina didn’t know what she was talking about but realized Heather was commenting on the book.
“He sure does. The reality of living on an island in the Caribbean is a far cry from the fantasy,” Sabrina admitted.
“That’s what the villa construction business is all about. Selling a fantasy. It’s a lot sexier than building parking garages, I suppose,” Heather said.
Sabrina hesitated. Neil had warned her only to confront Heather if there was someone else present, but drawing Kate into what might become an altercation with her daughter seemed unfair and unkind. Besides, she had Girlfriend at her side.
“Heather, I came to return something of yours I found when I did the laundry yesterday. I meant to give it to you when I dropped off the clean clothes, but I got distracted when Sean got upset,” Sabrina took the baggie with the broken necklace out of her pocket and handed it to Heather, immediately feeling ten pounds lighter.
Heather looked at the necklace like she had never seen it before and handed it back to Sabrina.
“You must be mistaken. This isn’t mine.”
“Well, I found it in the pocket of your dress.” Sabrina gave the sandwich bag back to Heather.
“Sabrina, I refuse to accept something that is clearly valuable that doesn’t belong to me.” Heather tossed the baggie to Sabrina, catching her off guard. Instinctively, Sabrina reached out and caught it.
“Listen, I don’t know who this necklace belongs to, but it isn’t mine and since I found it in your pocket, you can be in charge of where it goes next.” Sabrina started to drop the necklace onto Heather’s chaise when Heather reached out her arm signaling for her to stop.
“I can appreciate you may be concerned that having such a valuable piece of jewelry that isn’t yours could raise certain implications about how you came into possession of it. Maybe you regret something you’ve done. I wouldn’t know. I do know you have a history with the police, but that doesn’t mean you can hand the necklace off to me. Why would anyone believe I was carrying a diamond necklace in the pocket of my dress? Seriously, whatever your issue with the necklace is, you’re going to have to deal with it better than this and without me.” Heather leaned back on the lounge chair, covering her angry red face with Don’t Stop the Carnival.