Well Read, Then Dead(22)
“Absolutely not. There is no way I am going to help you put yourself in danger. And Augusta! At her age she shouldn’t be considering anything more strenuous than . . . than . . . a book club meeting.”
His face was bursting with finality, but I wasn’t one to give up easily.
“We wouldn’t actually investigate. I thought that with your help and Ryan’s we could let Augusta know how the inquiry is progressing so she would know things before she read them in the paper.” I watched him soften. “And when she has a question, I’d ask you or Ryan and get her the answer.”
His eyes were hardening again.
“Unless the information is confidential. Naturally we couldn’t expect to learn any confidential information.”
As I watched his face, always transparent, I could see the side of his brain that labeled my plan foolish and ridiculous wrestling with the side that strived to be Boy Scout helpful.
I held my breath, then his expression changed and I knew the Boy Scout had won.
I exhaled even before he started laying out ground rules. Half listening to Cody’s safety list, I haphazardly nodded now and again while preparing to casually ask what he knew about any wrecker crews working in the area. I was willing to bat an eyelash or two if it would help get the information I wanted.
Cady wrapped up with, “I mean it, Sassy.”
I lowered my eyelids as meekly as I could and planned to gaze through my lashes while I agreed to obey, thus lulling him into a false sense of security before I brought up the wreckers.
Aunt Ophie came bursting through the kitchen door, shattering the mood I was working so hard to build.
“I think this awful day has left every one of us worn.” She stood with her hands on her hips and rocked back and forth on the impossibly high heels that she’d pranced in on so many hours earlier. “I told my darlin’ niece that a relaxing dinner would do us all a world of good. And she agrees. We’re going to enjoy a leisurely meal at that gorgeous restaurant with the great seafood. You know, the one set right on the water.”
Unaware that she had described most of the restaurants in Fort Myers Beach, she gave a “that settles that” clap of her hands and turned back toward the kitchen, untying her long white chef’s apron as she walked.
The always logical Cady opened his mouth, and I could see the question coming. He’d be asking which seafood restaurant Ophie was planning on visiting. I shook my head to stop him. He threw me a quizzical look and I explained.
“No point in starting a Q&A. Ophie’ll only confuse you. She’ll play some combination of Charades and Twenty Questions for the fun of making us dizzy. Besides, I’m too tired for dinner. I want to go home.”
Cady stood immediately and offered to drive, but that wasn’t what I wanted.
“You are sweet but I need exercise. I think I’ll walk, and if I want to speed things up, I’ll jump on the trolley.”
I tiptoed across the room, barely slowing at the kitchen pass-through to declare my intention. Then I slipped out the front door before Bridgy and Ophie could delay me with a barrage of objections and/or questions. Poor Cady—they were sure to hold him accountable for my vanishing act, but I needed to spend time by myself.
I turned off my cell phone as I crossed Estero Boulevard and zipped along until I found myself on the sun-bleached sand bordering the always vibrant Gulf of Mexico. I slid out of my sandals and buckled them around a belt loop on my shorts. I meandered around the late-day sunbathers and a few energetic volleyball players, until I reached the wet sand at the water’s edge. Peeking out of the foam-encrusted seaweed dropped by a fresh wave was a pink twirled seashell looking for all the world like a spiral of strawberry frozen yogurt curled up in a Menchie’s cup. I was fairly certain it was a tulip shell. I shook it to make sure that it was empty and put it in my pocket for Bridgy, who was becoming quite the expert on all things related to mollusks. As the salty water stroked my feet, I stood and looked across the Gulf to the sun floating above the horizon. It didn’t take a brainiac to anticipate a magnificent sunset was on its way. Dazzling southwest Florida sunsets are as predictable as shells and seaweed along the beach.