Neptune's Ring (30 page)

Levi was able to finish the omelet which made
Sara smile when she returned to refill their coffee. “Getting an
island appetite I see,” she said with a smile.

“This food is just simply too good to not eat
every bite,” Levi said, which caused Sara to beam with pride.

“I am glad you have enjoyed our food and hope
you will be a regular when you come to the mainland,” Sara
said.

“You will probably get sick of seeing me,”
Levi teased.

“I doubt that,” Sara said. “One day you will
have to save room for one of my desserts though.”

“I have been eyeing that coconut cream pie,”
Levi admitted. “Split a piece with me, Cat?” she asked.

“Why not,” Cat said. “Two forks please Sara,”
she said and the woman walked over to serve a large piece of pie
and picked up two clean forks.

Levi took a bite and moaned her appreciation
of the rich pie. “If I keep this up, I am going to have to start
swimming back and forth between here and the island, just to work
off these calories,” she teased.

“Heaven’s no, didn’t you read the sign,” Sara
said with a chuckle as she pointed to the small sign next to the
pie, which read ‘fat free, calorie free and guilt free.’

“Ok then next time we will each have a slice
of our own,” Levi said with a grin.

“Sara’s apple pie is just as awesome,” Cat
said which gave Levi and idea.

“Sara, do you do any catering?” Levi
asked.

“We don’t have much call for it here in town,
but what did you have in mind?” she asked.

“Well we need to develop a plan for a Grand
Opening party and I am sure we could probably use a couple dozen
pies each week once we get opened,” Levi said.

“You work up what you would like for the
party and just let me know how many to prepare and the pies will be
delivered each week,” Sara said.

“Deal,” Levi said and she laid her fork down.
“No more, Cat,” she said with a chuckle.

“You are still a lightweight,” Cat teased as
she finished the last two bites of pie. “Where are you going from
here?” she asked.

“I was going to stop by Julio’s to take some
pictures of the beds they finished yesterday, so I can email them
to Nat,” Levi said.

“Want some company?” Cat asked.

“Sure,” Levi said.

“I am curious to see what Julio and Roberto
have come up with,” Cat admitted.

“After you then ma’am,” Levi said as Cat paid
the bill and they walked the short distance to the workshop.

They were met at the door by Julio who led
them into the workshop to see the first two finished beds. They had
installed the frames so Levi could take the pictures she wanted and
had the beds arranged in a well lit area of the workshop so her
camera would pick up every detail of the carving.

“These are beyond beautiful,” Levi said to
Julio, as she took several pictures of each of the finished
beds.

“Thank you, I am happy you are pleased with
our work,” Julio said. “We will make deliveries each time we finish
a half dozen, if that is fine with you,” he said.

“That will be perfect,” Levi said as she
walked over to where Roberto was working on a new piece.

Roberto turned to look at Levi and when his
eyes came to rest on the necklace around her neck he fell to his
knees and cried out. “Dear Lord, help me!”

Levi was stunned by his reaction and looked
startled at Julio as he rushed to his son’s side.

“Roberto, what is it?” Julio asked his
weeping son.

“The necklace, Father, look at it,” Roberto
said.

Julio turned and looked at the necklace
around Levi’s neck and his eyes widened with surprise.

“Where did you get that?” Julio asked.

Levi reached behind her neck and unfastened
the necklace then she handed it to Julio. “You would think me crazy
if I told you,” Levi said.

“Come with me,” Julio said to Roberto, Cat
and Levi.

He led them into a private office and ushered
them each to a seat. Julio handed the necklace to Roberto.

Roberto took the gold medallion from his
father and held it gently in his hands. He turned it over in his
palm and smiled when he saw the proof he was looking for. There, in
the very bottom corner of the medallion were the letters CV,
Celeste’s initials. Roberto smiled down upon the cherished object
as tears ran down his face.

“Julio, can you please explain what is going
on here?” Levi asked.

“Celeste Vasquez, the young woman that
disappeared from the island, was Roberto’s fiancé and childhood
sweetheart. The medallion you were wearing was a gift from him to
Celeste for her fourteenth birthday,” Julio explained.

“I sold my first piece of carving to buy this
gift for her,” Roberto said as he began to control his sobs. “It
was such an unusual piece of jewelry I just knew she had to have
it,” he said, wiping back his tears. “I gave this to her as a
promise that one day we would be married,” he said. “Celeste never
took it off from around her neck and cherished it as her most
prized possession.”

Levi sat in her chair completely shocked by
what the young man had told her. Slowly, however, the pieces of the
puzzle were beginning to form in Levi’s mind.

“How on earth did you come to possess this?”
Roberto asked, the tears still glistening in his dark eyes.

All eyes turned toward Levi as they waited
for her to speak.

“Since I came to the island last weekend, I
have felt a strange presence on the island,” Levi said. “There has
not been any form of physical contact, but I have experienced
strange chills and have thought I captured a misty image on a
photograph taken inside the house which disappeared mysteriously
from the image.” Levi looked at Roberto who was listening carefully
to her every word. “As I explored parts of the island I ran across
areas that left me feeling uncomfortable, but not actually at risk.
The feeling is just a chilling sensation and once I move from the
area, it passes quickly,” Levi said.

“But, how did you come to have possession of
the necklace and why?” Roberto asked.

“I think Celeste is trying to make contact
with me and needs my help to allow her spirit to rest in peace,”
Levi said. “When I woke this morning and went into my office, that
necklace was resting on a page of my journal and the word “help”
was written on a blank page.”

Levi heard Cat gasp in shock and turned to
find her ghostly white. “Are you ok, Cat?” she asked.

“Yes, I am just shocked by all this
information,” Cat said.

“Anyhow, I felt compelled to put the necklace
around my neck, so I wore it into town this morning. I am guessing
that Celeste knew you would recognize it as the gift you had given
her Roberto.”

“It is undeniably the same piece,” Roberto
said, as he turned the medallion in his palm to show Levi the small
initials engraved in the soft metal.

“I think Celeste has come to terms with my
being in the house and the fact that I did not run away screeching
from her initial attempts to contact me. Celeste needs my help and
somehow, we will have to discover a way for her to communicate her
needs,” Levi said.

“This is all so incredible,” Cat said as she
took a cup of water from Julio. “After all these years for her to
be able to contact you,” she said as her thoughts drifted off.

“I would be forever in your debt if you can
find a way to help Celeste,” Roberto said on the verge of tears.
“She will always be my one and only true love.”

“I will do my best to help Celeste’s spirit
find some peace,” Levi promised the young man.

“Would you mind if I keep her necklace?”
Roberto asked timidly.

“It is rightfully yours to keep and I hope it
will bring you some comfort. I know what it is like to lose someone
you love so dearly,” Levi said.

Levi was shocked when Roberto stood and
walked over to her and hugged her. “Thank you so much for
everything you are trying to do for Celeste and for allowing me to
keep this small part of her,” he said.

“I will do the very best I can,” Levi
repeated as she stood to leave.

Cat followed her from the small office. “I
certainly would have never guessed you had all this going on,” she
said.

“Nothing made sense until now, Cat, and
looking back, in hindsight it all makes sense,” Levi said.
“Celeste’s spirit feels trapped on the island and she longs to be
free of this world and the pain she has suffered,” Levi said.

“I hope you can find all the clues to solve
this mystery once and for all. I know both Roberto and Celeste’s
mother would like to have some closure on her disappearance,” Cat
said.

Cat walked Levi down to the boat and watched
her as she guided the boat toward the island. “What a remarkable
young woman,” she said to herself.

Feeling more lighthearted than she had in
days, Levi stepped back onto the island with a single goal in mind.
She must find a way to help Celeste and she was determined to solve
the mystery to allow the young woman’s spirit to be set free.

She stopped and took pictures of the pool
bar, now with all three walls standing as the workers were slipping
the bar counter into place. Levi was amazed and impressed with the
speed and quality of the work of Carlos’ men as she clicked off
several more pictures. Levi continued down the path to the resort
and when she walked into the lobby, Carlos was there to meet
her.

“Welcome back,” he said. “I trust all went
well in town.”

“Very well indeed, thank you, Carlos,” Levi
answered.

“I have a surprise for you,” Carlos said with
excitement.

“Well let’s go look,” Levi said as she
followed Carlos into the hallway.

Carlos opened the door to the first guest
room and turned on the lights. Not only had the crew finished
painting this room, but the flooring had also been laid in an
effort to show Levi how a nearly completed room would look. Levi’s
eyes lit up as she walked around the room, snapping pictures.

“Carlos, this is so beautiful,” she said.
“All this room needs is furnishings and it will be ready for
guests,” Levi said, still amazed by the beauty of the room.

“We all joined in to lay the floor so we
could have this surprise waiting for your return,” he said with a
soft smile.

“You did well, Carlos. Would you mind if I
just sat in here awhile to admire your hard work?” Levi asked.

“Not at all, take your time, boss,” Carlos
said. “Just give me a shout if you have any questions.”

Carlos left the room and Levi sat down in the
middle of the floor as her eyes drifted around the room. She
couldn’t resist calling Nat and she fished the cell phone out of
her pocket to dial Nat’s number.

“Good morning, Levi,” Nat said when she
answered the phone.

“Good morning, Nat. You will never guess
where I am at this moment,” Levi said.

“Ok, so tell me and end my suspense,” Nat
teased.

“I am sitting in the middle of the floor of
our first completed room,” Levi said. “All it needs now are
furnishings and guests.”

“That is fantastic news. So tell me about it,
what does it look like?” Nat asked.

“It is almost beyond words,” Levi said.
“Carlos and I discussed going a lighter shade on the walls this
morning and the paint and flooring complement each other very
well.” Levi sighed and looked around the room again. “I have
pictures and I will be sending them to you within the hour, but I
couldn’t resist calling you,” she said.

“I am so glad you did, Levi, and I will be
dying to see those pictures, so don’t forget to send them,” Nat
said. “I can tell from the excitement in your voice you are very
pleased with the work.”

“You just have to see it for yourself,” Levi
said.

“Well go woman and send me those pictures,”
Nat said.

“Alright, I will talk to you later,” Levi
said.

“Goodbye for now, Levi and thanks for
everything,” Nat said.

“Bye,” Levi said and ended the call.

She went in search of Carlos to let him know
she was going up to the house.

“I will be up at the house for the rest of
the afternoon,” she said. “Nat is dying to see the pictures,” she
added with a chuckle. “If you need anything, just give me a
call.”

“I sure will, Levi and if we don’t speak
again today, I will see you tomorrow,” Carlos said.

“Later,” Levi said and walked to the golf
cart.

The men were just beginning to take their
lunch break as she walked from inside the resort. They smiled and
spoke politely to her as she passed. She was eager to send the
photos to Nat and then to begin developing a plan to solve the
mystery of Celeste’s death.

When Levi entered the house she went to the
kitchen and started a pot of coffee. She had a feeling this was
going to be a long night and would need the extra stimulation to
keep her thoughts straight. She picked up the camera and envelope
from the counter and walked into the office to download the
pictures. When she moved the mouse on her screen the laptop came to
life and Levi smiled at what she saw on the screen. Typed on the
screen were three words jammed together with no spaces. Levi read,
“bookgartennite.” Celeste had found a means to communicate with
her.

Levi wrote the words down on a piece of paper
just as they were written on the screen before minimizing the text.
She wanted to be sure if she lost the text she would have the words
exactly as they were written.

She downloaded the photographs and then sent
a sample of them to Nat. Levi walked into the kitchen for a mug of
coffee and had just sat down at the desk again when the phone
rang.

“Levi Johnson,” she heard Liz’s excited voice
say. “What on earth are you doing?”

“Hello, Liz and what are you talking about?”
Levi asked.

“I just hung up the phone with Cat and she
told me what has been going on over there,” Liz said with a
concerned tone in your voice.