Sunny Side Up (Lake Erie Mysteries Book 1) (6 page)

“That sounds reasonable to me. We can head back to the boat once all the commotion dies down. Maybe Hammond saw something and can fill us in when we get back.”

Sirena’s nose wrinkled as she pushed herself away from the table. “Suit yourself, ladies. I really think I need to go.”

I could not identify either the strange look on her face or the words she mumbled to herself as she left.

“What do you think that was all about? She seemed awfully distracted.”

June sipped her drink, appreciating its soothing effect, then replied, “Well, what do you expect? She’s left sitting here with her new squeeze’s former partner. Awkward! Plus, she doesn’t know us at all, and finally, she’s probably genuinely worried about her store. Everyone seems to be heading in that direction. It is a shame about her cocktail though.”

I watched Sirena stride resolutely away from us. “Hey, check it out, June. She isn’t a goddess after all. She has toilet paper stuck to the seat of her skirt.”

“Hmmm. Looks more like a dryer sheet to me.”

The excitement was winding down almost as quickly as it had begun. We sipped our drinks and speculated on all the possible causes for the mad rush.

“Maybe we should be a little more concerned. Everyone was headed in the direction of the marina. I hope our boat is okay. Maybe there was a big bust and they captured those minnow bandits Hamm told me about. Maybe they had guns or there was a fight.”

“What the heck are you talking about? What’s a minnow bandit?”

“Oh, sorry. I never got the chance to tell you. It’s a pretty strange story. Morgan asked us to be on the lookout for…”

June interrupted. “Jack is really interesting, don’t you think? Cute too. I’m sure whatever the commotion was, he has it handled. Do you think he’ll be back?”

“Don’t you want to hear about the minnow bandits? I thought you wanted to hear about the minnow bandits.”

“On second thought, Francie, you probably need to tone down the drama on this one. Someone probably tripped and broke an ankle. It doesn’t take much to get people all riled up around here.”

“You’re probably right.” I sighed. “I’m probably overreacting.”

Then in unison, we reached toward the center of the table for Sirena’s abandoned martini. It was indeed a shame to waste it.

June and I shared Sirena’s abandoned drink. Neither of us was particularly fussy about the variety of fruit added to our drinks as long as the vodka is top shelf, and it was. After that, it was definitely time to think about heading home for the night.

We giggled and wove our way back to the marina, and I was proud to say I only slipped off the curb twice. As petite as June was, she was surprisingly steady on her feet and kept me pointed in the right direction—for the most part.

It was about a half mile from the downtown bar to the marina, so we had time to rehash the events of the evening, and speculate on the source of all the excitement.

“I can’t wait to get the real scoop from Hamm,” I announced. “He always remembers details and is a master of insignificant facts. I’m sure he’ll have the whole thing figured out before we get back to the boat or hear any reports from the news.”

June nodded in agreement but didn’t answer. She was focused on the job at hand and stepped up the pace.

“First things first, Francie. Let’s just concentrate on getting back for now.”

The rest of the walk was unremarkable. The cool night air and exercise had sobered us up, and by the time we got to our dock, the effect of the two and a half martinis had all but worn off.

There were no lights on inside the boat. This was odd since by now it was quite late.

“Hammond, what are you doing in the dark? Hamm? Honey?”

Within seconds of getting onboard and flipping on a light, it was obvious that Hammond was not in the cabin. If I wasn’t sober a minute ago, I most definitely was now. I hurried back out to the cockpit and scanned the dock, thinking maybe he was enjoying the view while finishing his cigar. He wasn’t on the dock, so I looked out toward the lake.

“There you are!” He was just now arriving from the grassy area that led to the small strip of beach and the lake beyond.

I stepped off the boat and onto the dock, planning to meet him halfway. When he got close enough to hear me, I began to speak again.

“I was getting worried. Did you find out…?”

I stopped mid-sentence when I finally got close enough to see Hamm’s appearance. He was carrying his shoes, his cargo shorts were torn, and there was a dark stain on the front of his new shirt.

“What the… Where the… Why do you smell like a campfire?”

I was at a loss. In all of our years together, I had never seen Hammond so disheveled. I had, however, seen that look on his face before. “Get the front lines ready. We’re leaving. Now!”

“Are you sure you want to do that, Hamm? I’ve had a few drinks and don’t think I’m really steady on my feet enough to be manning lines and fenders in the dark. It’s really late, hon. why don’t you just get some sleep and we can talk about this in the morning?”

“Whatever.” Hamm didn’t say anything else, but I was relieved when he walked past me and headed into the boat. He closed the cabin door behind him.

I didn’t know yet the source of Hamm’s foul mood or the cause of his uncharacteristic appearance, but I did know that now was not the time ask him about it. I also knew that any attempt to engage my husband in civil conversation would probably result in tears on my part, so I left him alone and joined June, who was sitting at the picnic table on the dock in front of the boat.

“So what was that all about? Did I do something to piss him off? I thought I was behaving. This is probably all my fault as usual.”

“It is so not your fault!” I was confident of this at least. Something much bigger was eating Hamm, and by the end of the weekend, we would both know what it was. I was more than wide-awake now. Sleep didn’t seem to be an option in my immediate future.

“It’s such a beautiful night. How about I open a bottle of wine and we can sit out here for a while? I should probably give Hamm some space right now. He doesn’t seem to want company.”

“That’s an understatement. Are you sure he won’t get mad if we hang out for a while?”

“June, he’s not mad at you, or at me for that matter. I’m sure he’ll tell me all about whatever happened to get him so upset it in the morning.”

“Okay then, I wouldn’t mind a glass of wine.”

I waited about five minutes before I quietly went aboard the boat to grab a bottle of wine, two glasses, and an opener. Hamm was snoring softly on the couch, still wearing his dirty, torn clothing and smelling like he had been roasting marshmallows at a campfire. He didn’t even stir, and I was back on the dock in no time.

I opened the bottle and poured each of us a generous portion of Fandango. It was a red blend I hadn’t tried before, but my brother Jim, a wine merchant, gave it to me for my birthday in March, and since he knew what I liked, I was sure it would be nice. We weren’t disappointed.

The bright moon was high in the sky, reflecting in the water and creating an otherworldly effect on our surroundings. We sat quietly in our own thoughts, sipping our drinks for a few minutes, but since girlfriends are not capable of extended periods of silence, unless they are fighting, June leaned over and whispered, “What do you think about all of the commotion earlier? I wonder where Clifton and the detective ended up. Did you think Sirena was acting kind of odd? And you’ve really got to be wondering what on earth happened to Hamm. I feel like we stepped into the Twilight Zone.”

We hadn’t even been on the island for a full day, but it seemed like ages since that peaceful cruise across the lake. We must have talked for over an hour, replaying the events of the day until we had exhausted nearly every possible explanation, and the contents of our bottle as well.

I had just stood up and picked up the empty bottle when the sound of a powerful outboard motor broke the peaceful atmosphere. “Quick, June, get down!”

“What are you flipping out about, Francie? It’s just a boat.”

I never did fill June in on the details of the strange request Hammond had received from Detective Morgan while we were inside Ruby’s Treasure Chest.

“Just duck down and be quiet! See if you can see who’s driving the boat or any identifying numbers or information on the hull.”

“What’s this all about, Francie? I feel like Harriet the Spy.”

I gave her the Reader’s Digest version of the tale of the minnow bandits, and as soon as I stopped talking, I could see that she was in one hundred percent.

“Let’s nail these greedy thieves. I’d love to get a first-hand interview and go home with two awesome articles. I might be able to take the rest of the summer off at this rate.”

We crouched behind the picnic table, straining our eyes to make out any clues. The boat passed slowly right in front of us. Two men who couldn’t have been more than twenty were working their scam right before our eyes. The tall, skinny kid worked the hydraulic nets while his beefy partner in crime scooped hundreds of tiny, silver, squirming fish into rows of buckets. They had this fish-napping thing down to a science. We had to concentrate on all the details, trying to commit everything to memory since neither of us had our cameras or phones nearby. I didn’t even have a pencil or paper since my handbag was back in the cabin. It never fails. As soon as I set it down out of reach, there was something I needed. For lack of a better plan, I focused on memorizing the twelve-digit hull identification number displayed on the right side of the transom. Apparently, the brilliant criminals hadn’t thought to conceal the numbers that could quickly identify all the information about the boat and its owner. June took mental notes on the physical features and clothing of these two brazen entrepreneurs.

The boat finished its mission and left the marina, heading east. As soon as it was out of sight, I unfolded my body from its awkward position under the picnic table and went in search of pen and paper. Hammond was sitting up rubbing the stubble on his cheeks when I entered the cabin.

“What was all that racket about? I was sound asleep. Hey, what time is it? Maybe it was those guys the detective told me about.”

“Oh, honey it was them. I need to write this down before I forget. Let’s see: OH55 5SPF 1029. I can’t wait to bust these goons!”

“Well, it’ll have to wait at least until the morning. What are you doing up so late anyway?”

“June and I were just talking about everything that happened today. Did you ever find out what all the sirens were all about?”

“No. I had my own problems. I’m going to bed.”

I really wanted to ask about his clothes and his mood, but I decided I would let it go until morning. Technically, it was morning, but I wanted to get some sleep before the sun came up. “Good night then, hon.”

I went back outside to check on June and found her pacing back and forth on the dock. “Hey, Francie, that little adventure got me all wound up. Can I borrow your bike and ride back to the bed and breakfast? I should be tired by then and able to catch some Zs. I’ll bring it back in the morning. If Hamm still wants to go back to Beacon Pointe, I’d like to come along if he doesn’t mind.”

“I don’t know, June. It’s awfully late.”

“Don’t be silly. There are street lamps the whole way back, and there won’t be any traffic, that’s for sure!”

I was reluctant to give in, but I knew she’d wear me down until she got her way. “Okay, fine. At least promise to text me when you get back safely. I’ll wait up.”

She was already balanced on the seat and ready to take off. As she rode away, she called back to me, “I’ll text you in a few minutes. Bye!”

As promised, five minutes later, I received the short message “home safe c u in am.”

Relieved that all was well, I fell into bed and was out in seconds.

Shortly after sunrise, much earlier than I wanted to be up and around, I awoke to the glorious smell of Starbucks Breakfast Blend. I lay under my cozy down comforter torn between the notion of staying tucked into my comfy berth or giving in to the lure of caffeine. I couldn’t ignore the aroma any longer, so I tossed my pillow aside and followed my nose to the coffee. I poured a generous mug and shuffled out to the cockpit where I found Hammond staring out at the placid water, holding his own steaming cup in both hands. The mood was still quiet, and I still had no clue what had switched his own mood so suddenly from lighthearted to sour last night.

We had already paid for dockage for the three-day holiday weekend, and I was certain that if we left now, our dock would be reassigned, and we wouldn’t be able to return if we wanted to. I sat down beside my husband and drew my legs up onto the seat so I could scoot them under Hamm’s legs. Judging by the fact he allowed me to touch him with my feet, which he usually hates, I figured it was okay to proceed with my questions.

“So, honey, are you ready to talk about last night?”

“It was nothing, really. I guess I was just angry at myself.” He rubbed my knee softly and continued to look out to the water.

“First of all, when I went to light up my cigar, my lighter was gone again. I was pretty upset, I mean, twice in one day! But I didn’t feel like walking all the way back into town to look for it. I found a pack of matches from the Island House in my shirt pocket, and I don’t even remember putting them there. I wasn’t drunk, that’s for sure, so all of this weird stuff kind of bothered me.”

I held my coffee cup in both hands, enjoying the warmth, and waited for him to continue.

“While I was down near the lake, smoking my cigar, I heard all of the sirens. I guess I was so distracted looking back into town that I didn’t notice a recently snuffed-out campfire near the edge of the water. I tripped right over it and ruined my shorts, scuffed up my new shoes, and lost my cigar. Apparently, I shouldn’t walk and smoke at the same time. I’m sorry I got so upset. I guess the combination of June and Cliff and shopping just had me on edge. And then there’s the fact I keep losing things and finding things. You know it takes me a while to learn how to relax again at the beginning of the summer and get used to all of our weekend friends.”

The corner of his lip twitched a bit in a poorly disguised smile. “And you know I really am sorry about June’s assignment. She’s good at her job, and she seemed to be enjoying herself. I also noticed there were some interesting dynamics starting up between June and Jack.” There was that lip twitch again.

“I’m sure June got enough material to work with. If not, she knows her way back to Kelleys if need be. She comes here a lot on her own, you know. There is also the Internet, which she probably could have used in the first place. A trip to the island was just much more intriguing. I noticed some exchanging of phone numbers happening over drinks, too. This might get interesting. How about a refill on that coffee?”

He held his cup out to me and I brought our mugs down to the galley for refills. We spent the next half hour or so lingering over our last cup of coffee and speculating about the cause of all the sirens and commotion the night before. We accomplished nothing. Neither of us still had the slightest clue.

By 8:00 a.m., June was back at the dock just like she promised. My bike was parked right beside Hamm’s; she had already returned her rental bike, and now she was standing by, awaiting orders from the captain.

We performed all the duties required in preparation for getting underway. June took charge of the hose and electric cord while I made my way to the bow of the boat, unhitched the dock line from the cleat, untied the spring line, and waited for my cue to push off.

Once Hamm had maneuvered the boat out of the marina and set his course for the mainland, June and I relaxed and curled up and got comfy on either side of the wraparound seat.

“This isn’t what I had planned for the holiday weekend by any stretch of the imagination. You didn’t have to come back with us, but thanks. You had such a nice room, and you seemed to have something starting up with the handsome detective.”

“Nonsense! My boss paid for my room on Kelleys, and I’ll probably take the ferry back tomorrow for the parade. I’m dying to find out who will be crowned the new King and Queen. Maybe it will be Clifton and you!” She laughed, and before I could reach over and smack her, she added, “Sorry, I meant Sirena.”

“Ha, ha. Very funny.”

“Jack Morgan isn’t going anywhere either, and I know where he lives. Well, not the exact location, but hey, we’re talking Kelleys Island not Chicago or New York. Besides, it’ll be nice to spend one night on the houseboat and get caught up with everyone on the dock. Meanwhile, we might as well decide what we are going to wear tonight.”

“I guess you’re right. I wasn’t planning on it, but since we’ll be back at Beacon Pointe anyway, we can go to the yacht club Memorial Day party tonight. We’ll have to figure out what food we’re going to bring too.”

So we spent the rest of the short trip back to the marina discussing and deciding on the important matters of what to wear and what to eat.

“See you tonight. Thanks for everything!” June hopped off the boat and high-tailed it back to her houseboat as soon as we pulled into our dock slip.

Some of our friends were socializing on the dock already, drinking coffee, taking advantage of the nice weather, and getting caught up with all the latest news. June got right in the middle of a debate over whether the monthly yacht club parties should be potlucks or catered. I really wasn’t in the mood to get into that conversation.

Hamm secured the boat and then went right down below to take a much-needed shower. I didn’t mention it to him, but I was thankful he was finally getting the lingering smell of smoke out of his hair. I felt like laying low for a bit and mulling over some of the strange things that had happened the day before. I turned on the cabin TV and tuned in to the local news channel for the sake of background noise while I made a list of ingredients I would need to put together a nice Mediterranean pasta salad for tonight. I had everything except cherry tomatoes back at the condo, and I could get those at the Beacon Pointe Market.

Just then I remembered what was niggling at the back of my mind. I put on my glasses so I could accurately read the series of letters and numbers I had jotted down the night before.

“Hello, this is Francesca Egge. I need to speak to Detective Morgan, please.” While I was on hold with the police station, I went over the details June and I had uncovered about the minnow bandits last night.

“Morgan here. How can I help you?”

“Hello, Detective. I have some information you may find useful…”

After my conversation with the detective, I felt much better, but I still had so many questions I wanted to ask Hamm.

As if on cue, he came out of the bathroom, smelling like Irish Spring with a hint of my herbal shampoo. A mischievous smile spread across my face as I reached for the towel around his waist. “Hey, good looking! I have an idea of what to have for breakfast.” Suddenly, I forgot everything I was going to ask him.

After I showered and dressed in white shorts and a pink T-shirt, I dried my hair with a towel and headed for the coffee pot to brew a second pot so we could have a do-over of our early morning routine. Hamm was finally feeling relaxed and had gone out to the cockpit to wait for me.

While I stood at the counter, waiting for the world’s slowest coffee pot to finish its job, I straightened up the cabin, made the bed, wiped down the counters, and washed the glasses from last night. I started feeling kind of bad again that June had paid for a room on the island and wasn’t using it until I remembered again that her boss had footed the bill. Still, it would have been nice for her to spend the night in a clean, cozy bed and breakfast and wake up ready to enjoy the Memorial Day festivities on the island. For that matter, it would have been nice for Hamm and I to be there as well. Oh well, we were definitely making the best of the situation. The coffee still wasn’t quite ready, so I attempted to tame my unruly hair and apply a little color to my face.

Just as I was swiping on the last bit of mascara, I heard the first notes of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” chirping on my cell phone. I managed to grab the phone and silence the ring before the chorus finished. It was the ring tone I had assigned to June, and I was fairly certain that it would be an unwelcome interruption to Hamm’s emerging relaxed state of mind.

“Hang on a second, June. I’ll be right back.”

I poured Hamm a cup of coffee, brought it out to him and informed him, “I’ll be right back, dear.”

Back in the cabin, I grabbed my phone again.

“Hey, what’s up?”

I could barely make out what she was frantically whispering over the line. It sounded like she was in a wind tunnel.

“What’s going on? Speak up. I can barely hear you.”

“Listen, Francie. Something weird is going on. I took a cab into town this morning to hit the farmer’s market for the ingredients to make my strawberry rhubarb dessert for the party tonight. I know Hamm really likes it, and I thought it might make him feel better. As I was getting ready to leave, I swear I saw Sirena and some guy behind the vendor’s barn practically duking it out. He grabbed her arm, and she turned around and slapped him. You’ve got to come out here and tell me I’m not imagining things.”

My hand instantly went to my forehead and I closed my eyes, trying to fight the urge to scream.

“I’m in the middle of my morning cup of coffee with my husband, June. I’m sure you just misunderstood the situation. Besides, Hamm will be thoroughly irritated if I just take off right now. He’s finally starting to relax.”

“I’m serious, Francie. I wouldn’t have bothered you if I didn’t think we needed to do something to help. I just wouldn’t feel right approaching her by myself though, being Cliff’s ex and all. She might think I was spying on her or something.”

“Well you kind of are, June. What exactly do you propose we do?”

“I’m just going to sit here at the picnic table by the entrance and keep an eye on them until you get here. I’ll have a plan by then.”

“I don’t suppose I can talk you into just coming back to the marina. I can mix up some Bloody Marys and help you prepare your dish. Or we could go to the condo and have mimosas?”

“I knew I could count on you, Francie. I’ll see you in ten.”

It was the exact response I had feared. I guess I had to break the news about my early-morning trip to my husband. She lures me in every time.