Marty Ambrose - Mango Bay 02 - Island Intrigue (24 page)

“It wasn’t like that,” I said. My voice shook, matched
by my shaking extremities. Reaction was setting in. “I
didn’t want to take a chance on her harming Kevin or
the other kids.”

Kevin raced in. “Miss Mallie, the principal is coming-“

“It’s okay, Kevin. Detective Billie has everything under control” I held out my arms, and he threw himself
into my embrace. I’d have Wanda Sue and his mom
explain everything to him later. “Madame Geri heard
everything that Beverly said: full confession.”

“If you’re expecting me to thank you, you can wait
till hell freezes over,” Detective Billie spat out.

“It’s no use fighting it.” Madame Geri spoke up. “The
spirit world says you two are destined for each other.”

“She’s destined to drive me crazy,” he muttered.

“He’s destined to deserve it,” I retorted.

Without another word, he hauled Beverly Jennings
out of the classroom, and I continued to hug Kevin.

Madame Geri shook her head in dismay.

GGHoney, how can I ever thank you?” Wanda Sue
said as we sat on the picnic bench outside my Airstream.
The cold spell had finally passed, and we basked outside in the warmth of the afternoon Florida sunshine.
We were both wearing shorts-mine loose khakis, hers
tight spandex-and T-shirts. Needless to say, Wanda Sue
filled out her top a lot better than I.

“There’s no need to thank me. What are friends for?”
I heard myself say the words, and, for the first time in my
life I knew what it meant to care about someone enough
that I would risk my own well-being to help her. I wasn’t
the family flake that no one could count on. Even Nick
Billie had complimented me on my quick thinking at the
elementary school-once he’d gotten over his irritation. Nevertheless, our “karmic destiny” was still very much
in question. Oh, well. “How’s Frank?”

“He’s doing better than a June bug on a summer’s day”

I interpreted that to mean that he was on the mend.
“Are he and Sally Jo going to get together?”

“Lordy, who knows?” She shrugged. “Maybe down
the road. Right now she’s putting her energies into helping Kevin get through all this stuff. The school counselor is lending a hand. It turns out Kevin wasn’t starting
all those fights with his classmates. Miz Jennings was
goading him into being angry with the other kids.”

“She’s a nutcase, that’s for sure”

“Thank goodness that crazy woman has been brought
to justice-with your help.”

“She almost yanked out my one claim to beauty” I
rubbed my sore scalp ruefully. “I hate to admit this, but
I’m going to miss having Madame Geri as my sidekick.
Of course, she’s a total sham, but she did help me bring
down Beverly. Or, rather, Marley did.”

Wanda Sue clucked her tongue. “She’s not a fake.
She’s the real thing. You have to have faith, honey”

“I prefer to put my trust in things I can see and prove
for myself.”

“Humbug.”

At that point I heard the door to the RV next door
open, and two voices filtered over to my site. My eyelids shot open. I looked at Wanda Sue. “It’s them” The
famous mystery couple!

The voices drew closer, and I turned toward the sound. Excitement darted through me like an arrow
zinging toward its target. It had to be Christina Aguilera
and her man. I just knew it.

As they rounded the front of their motor home, I got
my first glimpse of the mystery guests.

I jumped to my feet, and my mouth dropped open.
“Mom. Dad. What are you doing here?”

“We wanted to surprise you,” my mother tittered. “A
friend from Tampa loaned us their spanking-new RV,
and we’ve been scoping out your little island in our rental
car for the past weekjust to see if we wanted to buy a
place here. We didn’t want you influencing our decision,
trying to get us to choose Mango Bay”

As if that was a possibility.

“Anyway, your father and I are pulling out this afternoon and heading for Sun City. I’m sorry to say it,
Mallie, but this is the dullest place we’ve ever been. Nothing happens on this island, does it?”

I started to protest, then thought better of it.

Sometimes silence was the best answer.