Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 02 - Vacation is Murder (2 page)

The Spencers

THEY WENT DOWN A SIDE hallway to the sight-seeing travel desk. A woman sat behind a counter that was littered with brochures. She was in the midst of helping another gentleman arrange a day trip and didn’t make eye contact with Sean.

“You look into the dolphins, and I’ll get a coffee.” Sara went to leave, but Sean pulled their clasped hands to his chest, positioning them over his heart.

“We stay together. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Oh, Sean.”

“You don’t realize how beautiful you are, do you. Any number of men could whisk you away when I’m not looking.”

“They could try.”

He smiled at her. Old Man Quinn surely went to heaven. He had left Sean so much more than money—he’d left him with the ability to have the life he had envisioned.

Sara’s large sunglasses were perched on top of her head, nested in a bed of brown curls. She wore a white dress that was strapped at the nape of her neck. Her shoulders were bare and the front resembled the shape of a bikini top, but its length flowed out from beneath her bodice and draped to the floor. Navy blue bangles adorned her wrists and diamonds accented her earlobes. The bangles tied her outfit into Sean’s—he wore white shorts with a navy blue stripped collared t-shirt.

The man talking to the Mexican woman asked if they took Visa, and she responded by pulling out the appropriate paperwork. She explained to him, as she took all of his information, that the transaction would be processed at the front desk. She told him to stay seated and that she’d be right back.

Sean pulled Sara tighter to his side and sweat dripped down his back. With the open nature of the resort, the morning heat already kissed the air and the salty trace carried on the breeze induced a type of high.

“We could come back, Sean. Maybe we’re not meant to go anywhere today.” She swung their arms and he steadied the motion.

As much as he loved to watch her in a bikini, toying in the surf, or lounging by the pool, he wasn’t sure he could handle another day of such monotony. He needed to
do
something, and her suggestion of swimming with the dolphins fit that bill.

She smiled up at him. “Ah, never mind. You’re attached to the idea.”

“You know me too well.”

“I always have, hon, but now I don’t have to hold back.”

The Mexican woman had excused herself to run the man’s credit card and, after several minutes, Sean, too, was starting to wonder if this was a sign that they should hang around the resort again today.

“We should have asked the Spencers to come with us,” Sara said.

“It’s probably too late at this point.”

As if they sensed her speaking of them, the couple came out of the resort’s restaurant, heading in their direction. They both smiled, but Catherine waved and hugged Sara.

“Good to see you guys,” she said, as if they hadn’t seen each other in days.

Catherine tapped a quick kiss to each of Sara’s cheeks and then proceeded with hugging and kissing Sean. She smelled of floral perfume and coconut oil. Her bleached-blond hair was styled just above her shoulders, with long bangs framing her face.

The couple, in their mid-fifties, had both mentioned they’d fallen in love quickly and didn’t have to search long for the right one. They were here celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary.

Although neither Sara nor Sean had gotten much of their background out of them, they did know the couple owned a business back home in Maine and, based on Catherine’s diamonds, weren’t hurting financially.

While Catherine seemed eager to discuss her husband’s success, Earl preferred to change the subject whenever it came up.

The cop inside Sean found that interesting. Assuming Earl had worked to build his company from the ground up, why not bask in that accomplishment? But Sean knew from his life journey that some people didn’t know how to celebrate successes, only mull over failures.

Catherine went back to Sara and held her hand. “What are you two up to today?” Catherine traced a finger around one of her hoop earrings.

“First, let me tell you, I love your outfit.” Sara gestured to Catherine’s fuchsia-colored bikini wrap-dress.

Catherine beamed. “Thank you. How sweet. You look stunning, as always.”

A few awkward seconds passed before Sara picked up on answering Catherine’s previous question. She glanced at Sean. “He’s taking me to swim with the dolphins.”

“Hope that’s nothing like swimming with the sharks.” Earl chortled. His gray hair, mussed as always had strands going this way and that. His thick mustache and bushy eyebrows were both in need of a good trim. While his wife took care with her appearance, he was dressed down, wearing a white t-shirt and pair of red swim trunks in place of shorts.

“Oh, Earl.” Catherine batted a hand toward her husband. “He thinks he’s funny. Dolphins. That sounds like fun.”

“Would you like to come with us?” Sara extended the invitation.

“We were going to hang out by the pool,” Earl said.

“Oh, let’s go with them, dear. We’ve been by that pool every day since we got here. We haven’t even ventured out to see any of the ruins.”

“There are more than one?” Sara’s eyes widened.

Sean watched for the Mexican lady to return. Thankfully, she was on her way now.

“Yes, there are a couple, and from what I understand, several options. I looked into them quickly yesterday, but this stick-in-the-mud said he paid for the resort, why dole out more cash?”

“You make me sound like a penny-pincher, Cathy.”

“Aren’t you?” She smiled pleasantly at her husband, but the tension sparking between them was hard to miss.

Sean put his arm around Sara. They would never become the Spencers.

“Señor,” the Mexican travel woman called Sean over.

Sean addressed Sara. “Ah, darling.” He shuffled the few feet to the desk, keeping his hold tight on Sara so she had to move with him.

“So, what do you say?” she asked the Spencers over her shoulder. “Dolphins or the pool?”

“Oh, Earl.” Catherine laced her arm through Earl’s.

“All right, we can do the dolphins today, but I don’t want to go see any ruins. I heard it’s a two-hour drive out there. There’s a lot of heat and a lot of walking.”

“My husband’s so fragile.” She patted his arm and he scowled at her verbal stab.

Sara grinned. “Sean and I are doing that tomorrow, aren’t we, darling?”

“Of course we can.”

The woman glanced between Sara and Sean. “Actually, Señor, if you want to see the ruins, you must reserve for Thursday. The bus is already full for tomorrow.” Every word she spoke came out kissed by her Spanish accent.

Sara nodded her head rapidly. “Let’s do it, Sean.”

He leaned in and whispered into her ear. “It’s not the appropriate place or time for
that
, but we could skip the dolphins.”

“Sean.”

“The shuttle to take you to the boat for the dolphins arrives in twenty minutes. Do you want to make a reservation for today?”

“Yes,” Sara answered.

The woman looked at Sean and he nodded in agreement, handing her his credit card. “Run through four tickets for the dolphins and two for the ruins,” he said.

“Sean, that’s not necessary.” Catherine placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Maybe your husband can treat us to a nice dinner when we get back. One outside the resort.”

Her face lit into a huge smile. It had her cheeks balled and her eyes glistening with life. “Agreed.”

“One moment, por favor.” She took Sean’s credit card and went off to charge it.

The one thing he noticed with Mexicans was they knew how to take life one thing at a time. They were hard workers, and when they started a task they stuck with it until completion. But what she likely considered a hurried pace to the front counter, back in America would have been a slow saunter.

People passed by while they waited. Sara was an abundance of light. It thrilled Sean that he could make her happy. Catherine didn’t stop smiling, but Earl appeared to be uncomfortable. He kept shifting his stance and averted his eyes whenever Sean glanced over.

A woman in a yellow sundress, paired with a large-brimmed white sunhat approached. A gust of wind rushed through, blowing her hat off.

It fell at Earl’s feet and they both bent over to pick it up, knocking heads.

“Oh, my apologies,” she said. Her one hand rubbed her forehead while she reached out for the hat with the other one.

“No prob—”

His words stopped when he straightened out and leveled eyes with her. They retained eye contact for a few seconds until Catherine tugged on her husband’s arm.

Earl let go of the hat. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She never returned it to her head but keep it in front of her as she excused herself.

The Mexican woman came back with Sean’s receipt and dug out four tickets from her desk drawer. She handed those to him, along with the two passes he purchased for the
Chichén Itzá
ruins.

“You may want a one-piece suit.” The travel woman pointed her finger, going up and down Sara. “Sometimes bikinis fall off with the dolphins.”

Earl
tsked
. “They are little perverts.”

Sara turned to Catherine. “All right, I’m going to get a change of clothes.”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Sara pulled on Sean’s hand. “Darling, please get me a coffee. I’ll make sure you have everything you need too.” Her brows sagged and she pouted.

“Of course.” He smiled.

Her hand filtered from his, then both women hurried toward the elevators, leaving him with Earl. The man may have a business, but he wasn’t a communicator by any means. He only spoke when necessary, and when spoken to, but he was pleasant enough.

“You didn’t have to buy our tickets.” Earl gestured to the travel desk.

“You’re taking us for a nice dinner remember?”

“It might have been cheaper for the tickets.”

Before Sean came into money, he had always spent it thoughtfully—at least for the most part. He valued return on investment, whether that be intrinsic or entertainment. Some friends termed Sean a spend-thrift, but they hadn’t met Earl Spencer.

Squealing brakes echoed through the lobby from the front turnaround. The shuttle was here.

“I better go get that coffee.” Sean glanced at the elevator, and, as if on cue, it chimed and the doors opened. Both women came out together.

Sara had changed into a pair of black capris and a teal tank shirt. She carried a loaded beach bag over her shoulder and Sean took it from her.

“Thank you, hon.”

He lifted it up and down. “What have you got in here?”

“Everything we’ll need.” Her eyes settled on his hands.

“And my guess, a little more,” he said.

“Where’s my coffee?”

“Sorry, darling, but we’ll have to get something once we’re there. The shuttle’s already here.”