Page 30 of Mai Tais and Murder

“We need to be smart about this,” Mel said finally. “These people, the ones Abramson exposed in his manuscript, they’re powerful. They’ve already shown what they’re willing to do to keep their secret.”

Helen nodded, her mind racing. “But we can’t just walk away. Not now.”

“No,” Mel agreed. “We can’t.” She reached for Helen’s hand again. “But we need a plan. Something that protects us while ensuring the truth comes out.”

The lobby’s air conditioning raised goosebumps on Helen’s arms, or maybe it was the weight of their situation. “We have less than forty-eight hours,” she said. “To figure out what to do and how to do it safely.”

“I know,” Mel said, her expression holding a mixture of concern and determination that Helen had come to know well. “And I promise you, we will find a way. But first, we need to go to our apartment and talk this through.”

As they stood to leave, Helen caught sight of their reflection in the lobby’s decorative mirrors. They looked like any other couple on vacation. She was in resort wear, and Mel in her comfortable Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts. Nothing about their appearance suggested they were sitting on explosive evidence of corruption. And very possibly murder.

* * *

From their balcony,Mel watched the afternoon shadows lengthen across the courtyard. Her mind kept returning to those black suitcases, trying to piece together a timeline of events. Movement in Abramson’s office caught her eye. Mel’s eyes widened as she realized Felicity Coedy had just entered, her red hair unmistakable even from a distance. The literary agent moved straight to the desk where they had last seen Abramson. “Helen,” Mel called softly through the open glass door. “The literary agent is back.” She watched as Felicity started to rummage through the papers on the desk before focusing on the desk drawers. The woman’s movements were precise. They were not the frantic searching of Brigitte earlier. It was someone who knew exactly what they were looking for.

Mel watched as Felicity noticed the slightly open drawer. Felicity’s posture changed. Even from across the courtyard, Mel read the tension that suddenly appeared in her shoulders. The agent began a more thorough search of the desk, her earlier precision giving way to increasingly aggressive movements.

“What’s happening?” Helen asked, joining Mel on the balcony.

“I think she’s realizing something has been taken,” Mel whispered, though there was no way they could be heard. “And she’s not happy about it.”

They watched as Felicity pulled out her phone, typing rapidly. Mel’s detective instincts hummed with warning. Something about the woman’s behavior suggested more than just literary agent concerns. The way she carried herself, her authoritative presence in the elevator. It all pointed to someone used to wielding real power. Suddenly, Felicity’s head snapped up, looking directly toward their balcony. Mel instinctively ducked down in her chair, pulling Helen with her, but it was too late. For a moment, their eyes met across the courtyard.

“Did she see you?” Helen asked, pressing close to Mel’s side.

“Yes,” Mel said grimly. “And she definitely recognized me.”

They waited in tense silence, barely breathing. When Mel carefully peered out again, Felicity was gone from the window. “We need to move,” Mel said, already stepping into the apartment and thinking of what essential belongings they needed to gather. “I’m beginning to think that woman is more than just a literary agent, and now she knows we’ve been watching.”

Helen nodded, quickly grabbing her purse with the thumb drive and tablet containing Abramson’s manuscript. “Where are we going?”

“First? A walk on the beach,” Mel said, her mind racing through options. “We need to be visible, public. Then we’ll figure out our next move.”

They took the stairs instead of the elevator, Mel’s hand protectively on Helen’s lower back. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the open-air corridor. Every shadow seemed to hold potential danger. As they emerged onto the path that wound through the courtyard and led to the beach, Mel kept her pace deliberately casual while scanning their surroundings. The area was still busy with late-afternoon tourists. She knew that was good. Witnesses made everything safer.

“Talk to me,” Helen said softly as they walked. “What are you thinking?”

Mel guided them onto the sand and toward the water where the sound of waves would make it harder for anyone to overhear. “I’m still not sure, but what if Felicity Coedy is trying to double-cross Abramson? What if she is negotiating directly with the people behind the game fixing?”

“Which means she’s dangerous?”

“I think she could be,” Mel answered. “And now she knows the drawer was opened. I’m afraid she will guess we have whatever was in it. Or at least realize we know who else might have been in the apartment.”

They walked in silence for a moment, their feet leaving paired tracks in the wet sand. “The pale man,” Helen said. “Do you think she’s the one who sent him?”

Mel nodded slowly. “It fits. She tries to control the situation legally first with pressure, maybe bribes. When that doesn’t work...” She let the implication hang in the air.

“And now she knows we’re involved.”

“Yes.” Mel stopped walking, turning to face Helen. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to put you in danger.”

Helen’s hand found hers, squeezing gently. “Don’t you dare apologize. We’re in this together, remember?” The beach was beautiful, the sun just starting to set in the distance, and Mel knew under different circumstances, it would be breathtakingly romantic.

Instead, Mel found herself cataloging escape routes and calculating how quickly they could get to the airport if needed. “Thank you,” Mel said, pulling her closer. “I remember.” She kissed her gently before pulling back and letting the seriousness of their circumstances come back into focus. “But I think we should consider finding another hotel. Somewhere she won’t expect us to go.”

“Agreed,” Helen replied. “But first, shouldn’t we make another copy of everything on that thumb drive? As insurance.”

Mel smiled. “Good idea,” she answered. “We’ll need to be careful, but I agree that insurance is exactly what we need.”

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