Page 33 of Tide and Seek
I scowled.“No, Luke.I haven’t talked to Margie in ages.I wouldn’t say we were friends.”
“Oh, she said she called you,” he mumbled, looking skeptical.“I thought that was why you were here.”
“I’m here because of the burglary.”Why in the world would Margie have said she’d called me?Was he simply confused?
“Right.The burglary,” he said softly.
“How’d she die?”Margaret, or Margie, had been cleaning houses at Ocean Whisper Estates since before I even bought my beach house.She hadn’t been a complete stranger, but I hadn’t known her well either.We’d exchanged the usual pleasantries when I happened to be home while she worked.
“She overdosed.They found her about a week ago in her apartment.I heard it was fentanyl.That stuff’s everywhere these days.Scary, right?One minute you’re cleaning fancy beach houses, the next—poof—you’re pushing up roses.”He snapped his fingers.“Wait, daisies.Pushing up daisies.”
“God, that’s awful.”A cold sensation spread through my chest.“We chatted sometimes.We weren’t close, but she used to tell me about her kids.I think they’re both grown, and she was hoping for grandchildren.This is so shocking.She seemed like such a nice lady.It’s hard to picture her using drugs.”
“I know, right?”Luke sighed.“She didn’t seem like the type, but I guess people hide shit.You never know what anyone is really like.Anyway, it’s super sad.”Luke’s tone lacked genuine empathy and his knee bounced as he glanced toward the hallway.“Hey, do you have any coffee?”
I blinked at him, still processing the news about Margie.“Coffee?”
Royce’s expression was alert as he watched Luke.
Luke glanced at Royce nervously.“Sorry, that was random, right?”He laughed again, a strained, awkward sound.“It’s just, I’ve been having these killer headaches, and caffeine sometimes helps, you know?”
“I don’t have any coffee made,” I said, trying to sound apologetic.
“No worries.”Luke stood, rubbing his hands down his thighs in an agitated manner.“I can probably DoorDash something.”He gave another one of those wheezy laughs.“Well, I should head out.”
“Of course.”I stood, glad he was leaving.He hadn’t been much help, and he was much stranger than I remembered.
Luke moved around the couch, heading toward the front door.“It was nice seeing you, Doc.Sorry to have to drop that depressing news about Margie on you.I just thought you should know.We’ll all have to find another cleaning service.”
Right.And also a woman died tragically.
Royce and I followed Luke to the door.Luke opened it and stepped out onto the stoop.There was a sheen of sweat on his tanned face and beneath the pungent scent of pot that clung to his clothes, was a hint of body odor.
“You guys staying in tonight?”Luke asked, his eyes almost a feverish blue as he studied me.“Or were you going out to dinner?”
“Does it matter?”I frowned.
“No, I’m just curious,” Luke said.
“We’re staying in,” Royce interjected firmly, his hand on my shoulder.“We’ll probably stay in most nights.”
Luke didn’t seem to like that response.“Even though you’re here on vacation?You should go out and party.Not sit at home.”His smile was strained.“Live a little.”
“Well, you know,” I said.“We’re pretty old, remember?”
Luke laughed a little too loudly.“Guess I hit a nerve earlier.”He turned.“Take it easy, dudes.”He ambled off down the lane in the direction of his home.He lit a cigarette when he was a few feet away, mumbling to himself.
I closed the door, blew out a shaky breath, and met Royce’s gaze.
“Well, that was damn weird,” Royce drawled, locking the door.“Was he always that odd?”
I led the way back into the living room.“Honestly, I don’t think so.Today, I felt like if I turned my back on him, he might try and lift my wallet.I’m sure I never felt that way around him before.He’s not taking care of himself either.He was a bag of bones and he didn’t smell clean.”
“Yeah, there was something going on there.I don’t think he was just on weed or shrooms either.I think he was on something stronger.”Royce looked wary.“I also didn’t get the feeling he just wanted to drop by to say hi.He had some other motive.”
“I got the same feeling, but what kind of motive could he have had?”
“Not sure.”Royce bit his bottom lip.“Maybe robbery.He was probably hoping you’d be here alone.”
