Free Trouble in Paradise by Deborah Brown Page B

chairs, and
gold gilded accessories. This area was downright cold, sixty degrees at best,
with minimal lighting that cast creepy shadows. “We’ll have to sit here.” He
pointed to some chairs surrounding a claw foot coffee table. “All of our other
rooms are filled. If you need me to go pick someone up for you, I can go right
away. We don’t have any services until tonight.”
    “No one died,” I said, sitting down with him, telling the
same story I told the Qs.
    “I know Kettle. She’s easily excitable.” Dickie shuddered.
“Watusi’s very sweet and Raul is one of her regular customers. Don’t worry,
Raul and I will cover for you. That way no one gets hurt.”
    “How was Cosmo Rich’s funeral?” I asked.
    “Medium turnout, nothing like your aunt. Mostly, Cosmo’s
family and a rough crowd of fishermen and their families. They were on their
best behavior, no fights this time. Back when the captain of the Diego died of
a heart attack, every single guest showed up drunk, and when the first punch
was thrown, we called the sheriff.”
    “What can you tell us about Cosmo’s body?” Fab asked.
    “He was in bad shape, but we knew that ahead of time. We got
a heads up from a friend of Raul’s in the coroner’s office. It didn’t help that
he’d been fish food for several days. He’s lucky he didn’t meet up with a
shark. Had to be a closed casket. I tried but, even with my talent, nothing
helped.” Dickie sighed.
    Fab, who had been wandering door to door looking into each
of the viewing rooms, came up behind Dickie. “What did your coroner friend say
exactly?”
    Dickie jumped. “Broken ribs, shattered clavicle, cracked
sternum, dislocated jaw and all the bones in his face were broken,” he
stammered.
    “Any chance these injuries stem from his being in the water
so long?” Fab asked.
    “It’s the coroner’s opinion that Cosmo had the spit beat out
of him and was still alive when he was tossed to drown. There were a few minor
injuries found that were post mortem.” Dickie kept one eye on Fab as she
fidgeted around the room.
    I hoped that Tolbert hadn’t been told the grisly details.
“Any talk at the funeral about suspects, or idle chat on what might have
happened?”
    “They were tight lipped. Surprised me since that group
gossips about everyone and anything. Raul and I think it was someone with a
hate-on for Cosmo. A few people said the last they saw him, he was heading out
on a trip and never saw him again.”
    Brad had said Cosmo didn’t have any enemies, but he must
have had one. “If you hear anything at all, would you call me?”
    “Or you can call me,” Fab teased, staring at Dickie.
    Stop, I mouthed.
    Dickie recoiled in his chair. “Tolbert deserves a speedy
arrest. He’s a good man and good for The Cove.”
    “What do you know about the Rich family?” I asked.
    “I didn’t know Cosmo. Raul and I wanted some wild parrots
here at Tropical Slumber. We bought several from Tolbert, then he came over and
helped us set up feeding stations. We’ve been friends ever since.”
    “I’d like to have a couple of parrots at my house,” I said.
“But I don’t want as many as Tolbert. What if they’re like cats – you get one,
blink and there’s twenty?”
    Necco and Astro came careening around the corner. The two
Golden Retrievers skidded to a stop and sat next to Dickie, tongues out
panting.
    “They look great, Dickie.” I scratched both their heads.
Both dogs had been abandoned, left locked in an apartment to die. The local
rescue girl was overwhelmed at the time, so I called Dickie. He jumped at the
chance. Lucky dogs.
    “The best day was when they came to live with us. We had
just lost our German Shepherd and it was just what we needed. They’re the best
Frisbee players.”        
    I stood up. “You need a favor, call anytime.” Fab had
stationed herself at the front door, her hand on the doorknob. 
    Dickie suddenly waved his arms. “I have exciting news.