Secrets to Die For, page 17
Nina felt her pulse quicken. “About the doctor and Sheryl. Were they, ah, seen together? Out somewhere? Like on a date?”
Lorna drew back and clasped her crooked fingers on her lap. “I really shouldn’t gossip.”
“I won't say a word to anyone.” Nina raised her eyebrows and put a forefinger to her lips.
Lorna sniffed into her hankie, looked around, and then leaned close again. “One of our residents, I won’t say who, left her scarf in his office after a visit. When she went back to get it, no one was in the outer office. So she walked into the exam room, and, well, there they were.”
“Doing what?” Not that Nina wanted to hear salacious details, but she did want to confirm the two were having an affair. If Sheryl were personally involved with the doctor, she might also be privy to his scamming patients.
Lorna’s eyes widened. “Why, my dear, I didn’t ask for the details. My ears were already burning.”
The bus slowed, catching Nina’s attention. She looked out the window in time to see a “Rest Stop Ahead” sign flash by.
“Time to take a break, folks.” Bill slowed for the turnoff. “We have a real fine treat coming up.”
Harriet’s treat, no doubt. Nina looked forward to sampling the former cook’s creation. At the same time, she also hoped to exchange a few words with Dorleen.
Chapter Eighteen
The treat turned out to be mini Danishes, which, as Nina had surmised, Harriet Hambly brought in her thermal pack. After everyone left the bus and assembled at several picnic tables, Harriet stacked the pastry on paper plates and passed them around. “The rolls are from my recipe, of course.” She held up one of the plates. “Our cook made them especially for this occasion.”
Bill produced thermoses and cups and poured coffee for everyone.
Nina selected a Danish with an orange marmalade center. The tangy orange tasted delicious. Whatever had happened in Harriet’s life, one thing was certain—she turned out to be a good cook. Watching Harriet beam with pride as she passed around her goodies, Nina had trouble believing the woman could be a murderer. But, then, people often weren’t what they seemed.
While enjoying her roll and coffee, Nina gazed around. The rest stop was a pleasant place. A warm winter sun peeked through the maple and pine trees, beaming on paths where travelers could stretch their legs. In addition to the restrooms, another building offered coffee and light snacks. A separate area provided a retreat for people with pets.
Bringing her attention back to their group, Nina saw that Dorleen and Roger sat apart from the others. She wanted to talk to Dorleen while at the same time avoid Roger. As Jessica had said, though, he guarded the woman as though she were the crown jewels. Others who approached and spoke to them soon moved away.
Nina saw her chance when Dorleen left Roger’s side and headed toward the restroom, the one place where he couldn’t accompany her. Nina quickly caught up with the woman. “Enjoying the trip?”
Dorleen wrinkled her nose. “Um, I guess. Seeing the falls might be interesting.”
Nine kept up with the woman’s pace. “I’ve never been to Florida. Do you like living there?”
“I do. Today, the temperature is in the 70s, and the sun is shining. I really miss the sun.”
Sighing, Dorleen gazed at the overcast sky.
Inside the ladies room, conversation lapsed while they each disappeared into a stall but resumed a few minutes later when they stood at the sinks.
“Have any of the charity events been scheduled?” Nina turned on the sink’s hot water.
Dorleen squirted a glob of liquid soap into her palm. “The first one is next week. Thank goodness. I really am anxious to go home.”
She cast Nina a forlorn look that begged understanding. “I’m sure Ellie’s many friends enjoy having you here—what little they’ve seen of you.” Nina soaped her hands and held them under the water.
Dorleen frowned.
“Well, Roger has been monopolizing your time.”
Doreen rinsed her soapy hands. “I can’t ignore him. He was Ellie’s nephew.”
A sudden inspiration seized Nina. “I have an idea. Why don’t you and I have lunch one day? An outing would give you a break and us a chance to visit.”
“Why, uh, I don’t know if I’ll have the time…” Dorleen lowered her gaze.
Why was she so reluctant to accept her invitation? “What day is your charity event?”
“Thursday.”
“Okay, we’ll do lunch on Friday.”
Dorleen waved her hands under the automatic drying machine. The air whooshed on, spreading heat to the surrounding area.
Nina stepped to the adjacent machine, allowing two other women to take their places at the sinks. The dryers’ noise prevented further conversation.
When they were outside, Nina cast Dorleen a sideways glance. “Too bad you never knew Ellie. You didn’t, did you?”
Dorleen frowned and pushed out her lower lip. “No, of course not.”
Dorleen’s firm denial put Nina on alert. “Did you ever hear anything about her?”
“Not that I can remember.” She picked up her pace.
Nina lengthened her stride to keep up. “You had no idea she was leaving you an inheritance?”
“No.” Dorleen pointed ahead. “Oh, look, the group is packing up and boarding the bus. We’d better hurry. I’d hate to be stuck here.”
“Don’t worry. Bill will make sure everyone’s on board before taking off.”
Still, Dorleen ran ahead, creating a bigger gap between them.
She certainly acted guilty. Why? Nina took the hint and dropped back. Then she helped clean up, which made her one of the last to board. As she squeezed past Lorna and took her seat, she glanced out the window at a car parked nearby. A black sedan, like dozens one saw on Seattle’s streets, yet something struck her as familiar. She leaned closer to the window, and as the bus passed the car, she saw the crumpled right front fender. Just like the fender on the car Kimmie’s elusive friend drives. Nina felt her pulse quicken. She twisted her head to glimpse the license plate, but another vehicle appeared and obscured her view.
“What’s the matter, dear?” Lorna leaned around Nina to gaze out the window.
“Oh, nothing. I just thought I saw a familiar car.”
“The one with the bashed-in fender?”
Nina widened her eyes and turned to the woman. “Why, yes.”
“I’ve seen one like it, too, at Marley. I think the car belongs to one of the help. But the one we just saw is probably not the same.”
Nina sank back into her seat. “Probably not.” They’d been traveling for an hour, so a coincidence was unlikely. And yet, the image of the black car lingered in her mind. She’d keep an eye out for the vehicle, just in case. If the car was the same one she’d seen at Marley, was it here by chance? Or was the occupant of the car following them?
****
The bus traveled the freeway for another hour and then along a winding road leading into the hills. The trees thickened, in places blocking the sunlight. The lack of traffic and slower travel speed allowed a more peaceful ride, and Nina sat back and enjoyed the view from her window.
At last, Bill pulled into the parking lot at Skookioomie Falls.
As Nina stepped from the bus, she thought of the black car and looked around to see if it followed. Although she saw no sign of the car, she vowed to keep an eye out.
Then, along with the others, she turned her attention to the spectacular waterfall cascading down the mountainside. Pristine water made a sharp contrast to the surrounding dark-colored rocks and moss-covered trees. The roar of the rushing water filled the cool, pine-scented air, and as she lifted her face, a soft mist settled on her cheeks.
Nearby stood a lodge made of traditional cedar planks decorated with Indian motifs. A cement patio with a cluster of chairs offered a place to rest and view the falls.
“The falls are six hundred feet high.” Bill stood in front of the assembled group. “A legend has to do with the daughter of an Indian chief who fell in love with a young man her father didn't like.”
Mabel stepped forward. “Tell us.”
Grinning, Bill folded his arms and spread his feet. “Okay, the story goes like this. The old man wanted his daughter to marry a guy from a neighboring clan he needed to get in good with. But a’ course she loves this other guy, one he don’t approve of.”
Bill settled his cap more firmly on his head. “So, one day she and the boy she loved came to the falls. They climbed way, way up to almost where it starts.” He pointed to the top of the falls. “The other boy followed them. The two guys fought, and one fell over the cliff into the falls. Anybody want to guess which one?” He quirked an eyebrow.
Lily raised a hand. “I know—the one the Indian girl loved.”
“Right.” Bill grinned at Lily. “Anyways, when the girl saw what happened, she jumped off the cliff after her lover.”
“Sort of like Romeo and Juliet,” someone said.
“Wait a minute.” Jessica looked around the group and put out a hand. “The guy who was left was the only witness, wasn't he? What if he wasn’t telling the truth?”
Wally chuckled. “Jessica, Nina has you turning everything into a mystery.” He winked at Nina.
Bill shrugged. “The story’s all written up in pretty language, better’n I can tell it, in a book for sale at the lodge gift shop.”
“Can we hike up to the falls?” Selma pointed toward the cascading water.
“Yep. There’s a path with lookouts along the way. One is the Lovers’ Leap, and you can see for yourself where the guy fell. The path’s kinda steep, though, so you have to be real careful. Those who don’t want to hike can stay here.” He indicated the chairs on the cement patio.
“I’m ready for a hike.” Roger pulled a camera from his inside jacket pocket. “I want to get me some pictures. I’m a pretty good photographer, aren’t I, Nina?”
He cast Nina a sly look. Nina recognized the camera as the same one he used to photograph her at the clinic, and her stomach clenched. “I wouldn’t know.” She straightened and narrowed her eyes, hoping to call his bluff. She had no idea what she’d do if he did blab. Worry kept her nerves on edge.
“How ‘bout you, Dorleen?” Roger turned to his companion. “You want to see the falls up close, don’tcha?”
Seeing Roger’s attention diverted, Nina relaxed a bit and focused on Dorleen.
The woman gazed at the waterfall and knitted her brow. “I don't know…I’m not real crazy about heights.”
“Aw, c’mon.” Roger grasped her elbow.
Dorleen grimaced and pulled away. “I can look at the falls from here.”
However, when Bill assembled the hikers at the bottom of the path, Dorleen was among them. The others included Roger, Nina, Jessica and Joe, Harriet Hambly, Sheryl, Mabel and Selma, and about half a dozen others. After settling Lily with the group to stay behind on the patio, Wally joined them, too.
Nina followed the others up the path, with Bill leading the way. On one side rose a cliff, thick with moss-covered trees and leafy ferns. On the other, a wooden rail protected them from another cliff that dropped vertically to the ground level. The mist-laden air cooled Nina’s cheeks, and the scenery was spectacular, with each turn offering a different view of the roaring falls.
Roger and several others who brought cameras stopped here and there to take pictures.
Halfway up, Nina and the group came to a cement bridge that spanned the middle of the falls. They lingered, oohing and ahhing over “nature’s grandeur,” as Wally described the setting.
“Lovers’ Leap is up there.” Bill huffed a breath and pointed toward the opposite side of the bridge. “The climb is steeper than the path we’re on now, but I’ll lead whoever wants to tackle it.”
While several members returned to the lodge, others—including Nina—accepted Bill’s offer. The climb was steep, as he had warned, but they managed to reach Lovers’ Leap, a small ledge set in the rocky side of the cliff, almost at the top of the falls. A low stone wall protected the drop off. Peering over the wall, Nina glimpsed the group waiting at the bottom. She shivered and stepped back. Although the view was spectacular, Lovers’ Leap needed to be approached with caution.
Roger scurried around, taking pictures.
“Hey!” Bill waved at Roger. “Don’t go out of bounds. Could be dangerous. Only this here section is protected.”
“I see a shot I wanna take.” Roger plunged into the bushes.
Nina shook her head as she watched Roger disappear. Did he really have a photo in mind? Or was he just showing he was above following orders?
Bill pursed his lips and mumbled under his breath.
When the group had rested a few minutes, Bill led them down the path. After collecting the others, he took them to the lodge for lunch.
A totem pole topped with an eagle marked the entrance. Inside, a hostess escorted the group through a spacious and attractively furnished lobby then into the restaurant. Nina gazed around, noting the ceiling and three walls of glass, which enabled diners to view the falls.
After being seated with the others, she looked up to see Roger and Harriet outside on the deck.
A flush reddened Roger’s face, and he poked a finger at Harriet.
Harriet propped her hands on her hips and jutted out her chin.
Wishing she could read lips, Nina covertly watched. When Harriet and Roger finally entered the restaurant and joined the others, they sat at opposite ends of the table. They exchanged one last glare then ignored each other.
The cocktail server arrived. Most of the group, including Nina, ordered a glass of wine.
Roger requested whiskey and soda. When the drinks arrived, he raised his glass. “Here’s to success.”
Lorna leaned toward him. “Whose success are you referring to?”
“Mine.” Roger looked around the table. “We’re finally gonna get our downtown mall.”
“No kidding.” Wally’s eyebrows peaked. “I thought the opposition killed the project.”
“Money talks.” Roger nodded. “Money talks.”
Nina glanced at Dorleen. Had Roger convinced her to invest in his venture? If so, she gave no sign she was even remotely interested in the subject and instead gazed at the falls while sipping her wine.
“One day you’ll all thank me for my fine leadership.” Roger drank his whiskey and then hiccupped.
“I doubt that’ll happen,” Lily muttered into her napkin.
“The mall’s gonna be real nice, with trendy shops and covered parking.” Roger regaled them with details of his pet project.
Finally, the server appeared again to give highlights of the buffet menu.
Several of the group excused themselves and went to select their food.
Thinking she’d heard enough of Roger’s monologue, Nina trailed them. At the buffet, a dazzling array of choices awaited, including poached salmon, barbecued ribs, potato salad, and several kinds of pies, for which the lodge was famous. Tantalizing aromas filled the air, making Nina’s mouth water.
She finally made her choices and returned to the table. For the next few minutes, she enjoyed her food, especially the poached salmon’s tangy sauce and the nutty flavor of the green beans almondine.
The server brought Roger another drink. Having finished his talk, either by choice or because he lost his audience, he sat back and gazed out the window.
When lunch was over, Bill pushed back his chair and stood. “Okay, folks, we leave in half an hour. I’ll bring the bus to the patio, and we’ll board there.”
Most of the women visited the restroom and then the gift shop.
The men gathered outside to examine the totem pole and other carvings that decorated the lodge environs.
Roger and Dorleen left the table together. Roger tripped over his chair, and Dorleen grabbed his arm to steady him.
After perusing the gift shop and purchasing two copies of a children’s book on Indian legends—one for the library and one for her own collection—Nina joined the others on the patio.
Sheryl ministered to a woman who picked up a splinter on the hike.
Harriet Hambly fussed with her thermal bag.
Joe and Jessica stood to one side, talking.
Dorleen sat by herself on a bench.
Where was Roger? He’d stayed close by her side the entire trip. Why had he suddenly abandoned her? Nina was about to ask Dorleen when the bus rumbled down the driveway.
Bill parked the vehicle, alighted, and approached. “Okay, folks, time to go. Is everyone here? Let me count noses.” As he counted, he pointed a finger toward each person. “One missing. Who?” He looked around.
“Roger,” chorused several of the group.
“Ah, fer Pete’s sake.” Bill folded his arms and tapped his foot. “Where’d he go? Anybody know? Dorleen?”
Dorleen turned up her hands. “He lost his camera and went to look for it.”
“I knew that guy was trouble.” Bill pursed his lips. “He better hurry up. If we don’t leave soon, traffic is gonna be impossible.”
Nina and the others waited for several minutes, but Roger failed to appear.
“Did you see which way he went?” Bill asked Dorleen.
“He headed back up the path to the falls.” She pointed toward the walkway.
Bill rolled his eyes. “Oh, great.”
Along with the others, Nina scrutinized those who emerged from the path, but Roger was not among them. She looked toward the parking lot. Maybe he wandered there, although for what reason, she couldn’t imagine. But then, when the subject was Roger, who knew?
Scanning the vehicles, she spotted the car with the dented right front fender and started. The car certainly looked like the one Kimmie’s mysterious friend drove. A shiver slithered down her spine. Had the car followed them? If so, why? She kept a steady eye on the car, hoping to catch sight of the driver.
“Look!” someone shouted. “Up there!”
