Get Fluffy

seem to have a better idea, I went with Plan A.

She positioned the wheelchair so it was parallel to the Jeep and set the brake. I grabbed Cliff by the waist and hugged him against me. I gagged when he exhaled.

“Oh my Lord, he reeks.” I swallowed past the puke inching up my throat.

I took a deep breath and pulled him forward. He toppled out of the Jeep and onto me. I staggered under his weight. “Ugh.” I quickly found my balance, then pivoted so his butt was aimed for the wheelchair.

“Here he comes,” I murmured into his chest.

And there he fell.

I stared at his sorry drunken self. There was no way we’d ever get him on the boat. I’d have to wait for Grey.

“We have to get his keys,” Tricia said.

I held them in front of me. “I grabbed them before you got here. He’s really heavy. We’re not going to get him on the yacht.”

“We’ll find a way. Even if we have to dump in the Pacific.” Her eyes sparkled with a touch of vindictiveness.

Before I could say a word she was off with Cliff. I had half a mind to leave them both. As tempting as it sounded, I couldn’t do that, not even to Tricia. I rushed to catch up to her.

I unlocked the security gate, and we strolled on through. It was easier getting onto Cliff’s boat today than it had been with Darby.

“You didn’t say why was Cliff at your house?” Tricia asked, looking straight ahead.

“He was going on about Mona and Jo. Did you hear about Jo?” I asked suddenly aware that she was really quiet and hadn’t said a word about Jo’s run in with public transportation.

She nodded. “Horrible.” She picked up her pace.

Something Cliff said popped into my head. Both Jo and Tricia had known about Mona’s finances.

My mouth suddenly went dry. I slowed down and started to assess my escape options. If Jo was dead, and Cliff had an alibi, and Darby really didn’t do it, that left only one person.

Holy crapola.

She stopped in front of Ruthless and parked the wheelchair. “I see you’ve figured it out.” Her voice was cold and lifeless. Just like Mona and Jo.

I took a step backward, but she grabbed my arm and shoved me against the yacht. It was totally unexpected.

She shoved something hard and cold into my side.

“Board,” she ordered, ice dripping from her words.

Oh. My. God. Tricia killed Mona.

I was on autopilot. I was trying to remember everything I could about the yacht when Darby and I were here the other night. Was that just a day ago?

“What about Cliff?” I asked. “You can’t just leave him in the wheelchair.”

“Don’t worry about that greedy idiot. I have plans for him, too. I’m framing him for your murder.”

I swallowed. “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t want to die.”

She shoved me downstairs. I stood in the salon frantically looking for an escape.

“I don’t understand, why did you kill Mona? You were friends.” If Darby couldn’t wrap her mind around a best friend sleeping with the husband, how was she ever going to accept murder?

Tricia paced, waving a wrench in front of her. That’s what she’s shoved in my back? I’d thought she had a gun. Dang.

“Mona wouldn’t give me my money,” she whined.

“She was broke. You heard Owen.”

“She wasn’t broke. Cliff was selling her art on the black market. If she was a real friend, she would have given me my money. We had a contract.”

“The one you lost?”

“I didn’t lose it. What kind of idiot do you take me for? She never gave me my signed copy. She hid it somewhere. That night, I demanded what was mine. I needed that money. She laughed at me. I was so angry, I hit her. I didn’t mean to, but afterwards I was glad.” Her lip curled with disgust.

“She laughed at everyone. Humanity was her private joke,” I said. It was true. Tricia wasn’t the only one Mona had belittled and demeaned.

“Well who’s laughing now?” she asked, wild-eyed, slapping the wrench in the palm of her hand. “I wish I could say I’m sorry I have to do this, but I don’t like you. Never have.”

“I don’t like you either. You should know, Grey’s on his way.”

She shot me a scorching look, cold and calculating. “Well, you’ve taken care of the last step for me. I was trying to figure out who would stumble upon you and Cliff. Now I don’t have to worry about it.”

Great. “Glad I could help with my own demise. Did you know about Darby?” I asked, stalling. Hurry up, Grey.

“I overheard Cliff and Mona arguing about her one night. And then after I’d killed Mona that little brat called. It was destiny. I just added three little letters, I-C-E, before her name, and it was perfect. Until you poked your nose in everything.”

Wow, that phrase was really getting around.

Now, I have to admit the irony of the current situation wasn’t lost on me. I’d sworn to Grey and Darby I would never allow myself to be held captive by a psycho hit man.

I’d never considered a wrench wielding psycho woman.

“You had to know I’d never let Darby go down for a crime she didn’t commit.”

Grey had to be here by now. I had no idea how he’d get past the security gate, but I had every confidence he’d find a way.

“It was fine when you were trying to prove it was Jo or Cliff. Then Jo was about to tell you about me and what I knew.”

“What are you saying?”

“I pushed her. You know, the Laguna bus system is very timely.”

She was mad. Crazy. A freakin’ killer. Good grief, after two murders, what’s one more?

“How?” My voice broke.

“She wasn’t running from you. I saw her walking down the street and knew that was my chance to get rid of her, too.”

A loud splash interrupted her tirade.

“Was that Cliff?” I asked.

She turned to look, and I shoved her into the mini bar and ran for the sleeping quarters. I shut the door and locked it. I pulled out my cell and called the cops.

Tricia started screaming obscenities-banging on the door with the wrench. I swallowed my fear. Lord, I hoped that door held.

In the background I could hear a loud booming voice shout, “Police.”

Thank God.

Tricia squealed and pleaded but from where I was hiding, the cops weren’t having any of it.

Someone tried to open the door. “Melinda, are you in there?” It was Grey.

I unlocked the door and threw myself into his arms. “What in Sam Hill took you so long?”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

It had taken a good twenty-four hours, but our lives had settled down. Somewhat. All the way back to Laguna, Grey had lectured me on leading with my emotions and not my head. I knew he was talking more out of fear then anger, but that didn’t lessen the sting.

Then we walked into my house, and there sat Detective Malone chatting it up with Nikki. I won’t repeat exactly