Jillian Chantal

Today’s Tuesday Tales word is end. Too bad I’m not at THE END of this story so you’ll have to suffer with another post from it. Remember, it’s the contemporary that is set in Pensacola (Til Murder Do Us Part). Be sure to check out the others’ stories here.

It was hard to tell who he was but she thought it might have been that detective from yesterday. The man had the same curly hair as far as she could tell since he was stretched out in the chair but she wouldn’t know for sure until he either took off the glasses so she could see his sky-blue eyes or until he opened his sarcastic mouth, whichever came first. She chuckled under her breath at that thought.

As she arrived at his chair, he stood and whipped the glasses off his face. He held them by one stem and with his free hand, he reached out to shake hers. “Remember me?” It was the detective and he actually smiled. His eyes sparkled almost as much as the sun’s rays on the ocean when he smiled. It was quite breathtaking. Margot thought it was a good thing he didn’t dazzle her with that secret weapon yesterday as she might have melted into a puddle at his feet.

“Indeed I do remember you, detective Higgins. Did you drive all the way out here to the beach and pay the toll so you could tell me again how wrong I am about my former brother-in-law?”

“On the contrary, I came to talk to you about the research I’ve been doing and to pick your brain some about your sister’s death. Can I treat you to breakfast?”

“I’ll need a shower first. Do you have time to wait?”

“I do. I’ll sit out on the deck and enjoy the sunshine until you get ready. How’s that?”

“I’ll be quick. I don’t want to hold you up.” Margot pulled the elastic out of her hair and ran her hands through it as she led the way to the beachside door into the hotel.

“Take your time. I’ll be here.” He sat at one of the tables with the umbrella up to shade the area from the sun.

Margot turned to face him with her hand on the door. “I thought you were going to soak up the sun? What’s with sitting in the shade?”

“As a Florida native, I know to take it easy in the sun especially when it’s going to be a scorcher later today. It’s nice to keep cool while I can. A bit of shade isn’t the end of the world even though some of you northern folks think if you’re in Florida you need to be baking yourselves to a shade of lobster red.”

“You think I’m from the north?”

“Yep. You are.”

“I didn’t think I had an accent.”

“Sure you do. Everyone has a bit of language that gives away where they’re from.”

“If you know so much, where do you think I live?”

“I didn’t say live. I said where you come from.” He grinned and again, his eyes lit up. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was flirting with her.

“Then where am I from?”

“This isn’t getting your shower taken.” Richard waved his hand in a casual way toward the lobby.

“You’re going to have to answer sooner or later.” She took a step inside.

He called out, “You’re from Ohio and live now in California.”

Shocked, she gaped at him. He was right. How could he know either of those things?”