did you know?”
“That annoying Hewitt intuition must be rubbing off. Why Ki?”
“No reason, other than he’s a misogynist jerk.” I thought a second. “But then again, Ki seems to hate everyone—female, male, human, avian.”
“Not his girlfriend.”
“Carmen Dupree?”
Wilson leaned over and nudged his shoulder into mine. “What say we take a road trip to Nettles Corner tomorrow? Check out the other side of the island.”
It took me a moment, but eventually I recollected where I had heard about Nettles Corner. Ki had told us that’s where his girlfriend lives.
I cleared my throat. “Far be it for me to remind you of this, but aren’t we supposed to be leaving these things to Captain Vega?”
“I changed my mind, Jessie. Vega isn’t doing squat. The guy hasn’t even been back to Wacky Gardens since last night.”
“That’s weird, isn’t it?”
“It’s wrong. I always make myself a nuisance at the scene of the crime. It’s the crux of almost any investigation.” Wilson caught my eye. “You remember how often I was at your place after Stanley Sweetzer died?”
I smirked. “That’s because you thought I was cute.”
“Or the murderer,” he clarified. “I kept bugging you, because I wanted to get the details before jumping to conclusions. But Vega?”
“Is jumping to conclusions.”
“You heard the guys at Kamakaze’s—Vega’s about to pin this on a tourist. Which means one of us.”
“But there’s no motive, remember?”
“Maybe, but Vega’s used to blaming tourists, and it’s two days before Christmas. I’d bet money he’s gonna take the easy way out on this.”
“Easy for whom?” I asked indignantly.
Chapter 11
Monster indeed! Delta Touchette sheathed her machete and nodded in self-satisfaction. For the Monster of Ebony Island was, of course, no monster at all. Just an ordinary man. But perhaps, not so ordinary. Delta took a cautious step forward to get a closer look at the person she was spying in the clearing ahead. Oh, he was most unpleasant. Filthy he was, with long, snarled, and disheveled hair, and an even worse beard.
And that beard was becoming more unsightly every moment. For the man was gnawing on some such bones he was pulling from the fire in front of him, seeming to care not at all what dropped or dripped onto his whiskers. His fingernails were long and yellow—the same color as his skin. Occasionally, he looked up from his unwholesome repast to flash a set of crooked yellow teeth at the crates, boxes, and chests that surrounded him in his den. Ill-gotten gains, no doubt.
Delta pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. Why, of course! She was looking at none other than the Pirate of Diamond Island. The Monster of Ebony Island was, in fact, the Pirate of Diamond Island! Wouldn’t Skylar Staggs be interested to learn that!
Skylar Staggs. Delta closed her eyes and indulged in a brief yet exhilarating memory of the sheriff of Port Mekipii Hui. The only man on Diamond Island brave enough to escort her to Ebony Island. The only man Delta had ever—
A grunt from beyond pulled her out of her reverie. Delta opened her eyes as the creature before her yanked another grisly bone from the fire. She wrinkled her nose and backed away into the jungle from whence she came.
As she blinked at the gathering gloom, the urgency of her situation dawned on her. She was hopelessly lost. Her stomach growled, reminding her she was also hopelessly hungry. The dinner Auntie Eleanor had mentioned hours earlier had long ago come and gone.
Delta raised her sapphire eyes skyward, past the trees that towered overhead, and glimpsed the emerging stars. A wave of panic seized her when she realized she would have to spend the night in the jungle, for it would be impossible to find her way back to her Auntie’s estate at this hour. Whatever that hour might be, exactly.
Reminding herself she was a brave and daring adventuress, afraid of nothing, and willing to endure any hardship or
“That annoying Hewitt intuition must be rubbing off. Why Ki?”
“No reason, other than he’s a misogynist jerk.” I thought a second. “But then again, Ki seems to hate everyone—female, male, human, avian.”
“Not his girlfriend.”
“Carmen Dupree?”
Wilson leaned over and nudged his shoulder into mine. “What say we take a road trip to Nettles Corner tomorrow? Check out the other side of the island.”
It took me a moment, but eventually I recollected where I had heard about Nettles Corner. Ki had told us that’s where his girlfriend lives.
I cleared my throat. “Far be it for me to remind you of this, but aren’t we supposed to be leaving these things to Captain Vega?”
“I changed my mind, Jessie. Vega isn’t doing squat. The guy hasn’t even been back to Wacky Gardens since last night.”
“That’s weird, isn’t it?”
“It’s wrong. I always make myself a nuisance at the scene of the crime. It’s the crux of almost any investigation.” Wilson caught my eye. “You remember how often I was at your place after Stanley Sweetzer died?”
I smirked. “That’s because you thought I was cute.”
“Or the murderer,” he clarified. “I kept bugging you, because I wanted to get the details before jumping to conclusions. But Vega?”
“Is jumping to conclusions.”
“You heard the guys at Kamakaze’s—Vega’s about to pin this on a tourist. Which means one of us.”
“But there’s no motive, remember?”
“Maybe, but Vega’s used to blaming tourists, and it’s two days before Christmas. I’d bet money he’s gonna take the easy way out on this.”
“Easy for whom?” I asked indignantly.
Chapter 11
Monster indeed! Delta Touchette sheathed her machete and nodded in self-satisfaction. For the Monster of Ebony Island was, of course, no monster at all. Just an ordinary man. But perhaps, not so ordinary. Delta took a cautious step forward to get a closer look at the person she was spying in the clearing ahead. Oh, he was most unpleasant. Filthy he was, with long, snarled, and disheveled hair, and an even worse beard.
And that beard was becoming more unsightly every moment. For the man was gnawing on some such bones he was pulling from the fire in front of him, seeming to care not at all what dropped or dripped onto his whiskers. His fingernails were long and yellow—the same color as his skin. Occasionally, he looked up from his unwholesome repast to flash a set of crooked yellow teeth at the crates, boxes, and chests that surrounded him in his den. Ill-gotten gains, no doubt.
Delta pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. Why, of course! She was looking at none other than the Pirate of Diamond Island. The Monster of Ebony Island was, in fact, the Pirate of Diamond Island! Wouldn’t Skylar Staggs be interested to learn that!
Skylar Staggs. Delta closed her eyes and indulged in a brief yet exhilarating memory of the sheriff of Port Mekipii Hui. The only man on Diamond Island brave enough to escort her to Ebony Island. The only man Delta had ever—
A grunt from beyond pulled her out of her reverie. Delta opened her eyes as the creature before her yanked another grisly bone from the fire. She wrinkled her nose and backed away into the jungle from whence she came.
As she blinked at the gathering gloom, the urgency of her situation dawned on her. She was hopelessly lost. Her stomach growled, reminding her she was also hopelessly hungry. The dinner Auntie Eleanor had mentioned hours earlier had long ago come and gone.
Delta raised her sapphire eyes skyward, past the trees that towered overhead, and glimpsed the emerging stars. A wave of panic seized her when she realized she would have to spend the night in the jungle, for it would be impossible to find her way back to her Auntie’s estate at this hour. Whatever that hour might be, exactly.
Reminding herself she was a brave and daring adventuress, afraid of nothing, and willing to endure any hardship or
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