A Tank Full of Trouble: A Citrus Beach Mystery (Citrus Beach Mysteries Book 5) Read online

  Megan smiled at the older woman as she made her way to the car. The design for new garden she was talking about had been a work in progress for almost three months, waiting for the owners to come to a decision they could both agree on. Megan was thrilled that they had finally decided, and she could now proceed with the work. At least she was thrilled until the woman asked if the job could be completed by the following week since she was planning on company. Going over the job in her head, Megan figured if she moved a few things around she could accommodate her customer's request. She told the woman in front of her she would put things into motion immediately.

  Pleased that Megan was able to accommodate her, the woman gushed her thanks, and took her leave.

  "You’re going to be a busy girl for the next couple weeks," Joe smirked at her.

  "Probably, but if I'm busy, then I’m out of trouble," she laughed. "Now let's get you over to the dealership before we get stopped again. At this rate I may not get to Palm Beach until late tonight. Sometimes I think this car is like a neon sign."

  Joe was quiet for the short ride to his dealership, but when he got out of Megan's car he grabbed Barney's leash and told Megan to follow him. Since he was making off with her dog, she had very little choice. Once they were inside Joe's office, he walked over to a board of keys. Finding the one he wanted, he took it off the hook and handed it to Megan.

  "What's this?"

  "This is your little reprieve. I sat watching all afternoon, and you're right -- your company car is like a neon sign attracting your customers. And that's great for business, but do you ever get any down time, Megan?"

  "Of course I do."

  "Well, I'm just as guilty as your other customers. When I see your car I think of all the things you can do to make my life easier. And I have to be honest, I don't think about whether I'm intruding into your life. So I want you to take this, try it out for the weekend, try it out for the week even. Take it with you to Palm Beach. We won't mess with any paperwork until after you've played in it for a week. By the end of that week you will want to buy this, I know it. Follow me and I'll show you what I'm up to."

  Megan looked at the car keys in her hand, a little bemused at Joe's actions and words. But since Barney was following him out the door, she got up and followed obediently. They left the main floor of the dealership and went around to the back lot. There, in front of her, were rows of new cars. She was catching on to Joe's idea, and she eyed a brilliant blue sports car, her interest piqued. Joe kept walking past the sports car that had caught her eye, and came to a stop in front of a rather nondescript Jeep. It wasn't shiny or flashy, instead it was a rather boring shade of tan, and although it was a new model, there was nothing to catch her eye. And she said so.

  "That's my point, Megan. This is Jeep’s most popular model and they’re all over the place. Which means you won't stand out like you do in the vehicle with your logo on it. I saw you eyeing that flashy little car, but this is what you need. Something that will help you blend in. I insist you try it for a week. When I get back in town we can figure out the paperwork."

  "But Joe, I really don't need another car. Besides you can’t let me walk out of here with a new car like this. We need to figure out the payments --"

  " I'm the dealer and I own the cars, I can let you to walk out with one if I want. Come on, I'll help you take the stuff out of your car you can throw it in the back of this Jeep, and head to Palm Beach. I'll drive your car to my home and you can pick it up at your leisure when you get back. Then, when I get back to town in ten days we can go over all the paperwork. If you decide you don't want it, no big deal, you got to try out a car for the week. What do you say, Megan? You up for a little adventure?”

  Chapter 3

  Megan looked over and smiled at Barney, who sat in the passenger seat. His ears were flapping in the wind, much the same way her wavy red hair was blowing from the rush of air coming through the open windows. She couldn't believe she was sitting behind the wheel of a new car, her dark glasses hiding her eyes the same way the nondescript Jeep hid her identity. No one would notice her in the vehicle that an hour ago she didn’t even know existed. Joe had worked his salesman magic and convinced her to take the Jeep. And now, as she drove down I-95, she had to admit it felt pretty good.

  Joe had taken charge, telling her not to worry about any details, he would handle everything. Without giving her a chance to protest, he’d transferred her personal items into the Jeep. Before she realized what was happening, he was taking the keys from her company car and trading them with the keys to the Jeep. With a promise to leave her car locked in his garage, he all but pushed her out the door. Megan laughed, at that point it had been useless to argue with him. So she would take the Jeep and enjoy it for the week, and then who knew, she might even buy it.

  As she kept pace with the other cars heading south to end their day, she admitted that she felt a certain sense of freedom. Here she was in a car that nobody associated with her, with no way to identify her as the driver. She wondered if Clark Kent felt this way before he donned the Superman cape and tights. It was a perfect evening for a drive. The wind had a bit of a chill to it, which made her thankful she’d thrown on a sweatshirt when she climbed behind the open windows of the Jeep. With daylight savings time, she realized that it would get dark soon, and she was glad she’d reserveda room at her favorite bed-and-breakfast along the Intracoastal Waterway. By the time she arrived the sun would be setting, and it would be the perfect time to sit out on the balcony and watch the fishing boats come in, loaded with their catch, often followed by the dolphins and sea gulls looking for handouts.

  She made good time, cutting almost 15 minutes off of the normal hour drive. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry to get home tonight. She pulled into the small gravel parking lot of the west of the bed-and-breakfast and waved to the owners as they came to the door to see who was pulling in. Megan had known the Jefferson’s for years, and they always made her feel at home when she visited. Frank Jefferson moved with the grace of a man far younger than his age as he worked his way over to help Megan lift her bags out of the Jeep. Bonnie Jefferson was a plump woman always with an apron on and the delicious scent of food clinging to her clothes.

  Barney jumped out of the Jeep as Frank opened the door and without hesitation ran towards Bonnie, eager to say hello and find a treat hidden in one of her huge apron pockets. She always seemed to have something for the dog, and she laughed as Barney sat in front of her begging politely. After she gave dog his treat she worked her way down the stairs and met Megan as she was coming up the sidewalk. Giving the younger woman a warm hug, Bonnie raised an eyebrow toward the Jeep which Frank was carefully looking over.

  "Oh, it's so good to see the two of you again. Bonnie, you smell delicious. I hope that's a sign of what's for dinner, because I'm starved. Frank, if you want to take the Jeep for a test drive, I’ve got the keys right here." Megan addressed both with a smile and then put her arms around her plump friend and walked up the stairs into the bed-and-breakfast.

  Frank declined her offer to take the Jeep for a spin, but he confiscated her keys and moved it over to the private parking area behind the house. He then walked in the back door of his home and followed the sounds of women's laughter to the kitchen.

  It didn't take long for Megan to get comfortable, sighing as Bonnie placed a tall glass of homemade lemonade in front of her. Soon they were catching up. Frank asked a question here and there, but quickly realized it would be a women's chat fest. Taking hold of Barney's leash, he told the women he would take the dog for a walk.

  As soon as he left, Bonnie stood up and grabbed Megan by the hand leading her out to the front veranda where they could sit and watch the evening's activity in the harbor. She lost no time asking Megan about Aiden, wanting to hear every detail about how their relationship was developing. Megan said little, but Bonnie figured she would get her to talk before the evening was over. Instead of pushing her for answers, she asked after Lucy and Paul,
wondering how their new family dynamics were working out.

  "The four of them are like a ready-made family. They all get along so well and have gotten so close to each other. It’s hard to believe it's only been a couple of months since Sammy and Toby joined their family. And Emma is having a ball being the big cousin. I have to admit I don't think I’ve ever seen Lucy and Paul so happy."

  "That's wonderful. The two of them were made to be parents. Those two kids definitely have a guardian angel who led them to Citrus Beach and your cousin."

  "It is amazing how things work out, isn't it, Bonnie?"

  The two women nodded their heads in agreement and raise their glasses in a silent salute to good fortune and guardian angels. They grew quiet as they sipped their drinks and watch the activity on the water. When Frank and Barney joined them, Megan felt surrounded with goodwill. It was a peaceful feeling after a hectic day. Frank sat down next to Bonnie and pulled out an old pipe which he puffed on while Barney curled up at his feet, content to just be with some of his favorite people. Megan tried hard to keep her eyes open as she got more and more comfortable in the rocking chair she sat in. Giving herself a little shake she reached for her purse and pulled out a small notebook. There was no reason she couldn't start on her to-do list. She had a lot to accomplish the next morning. More with the added requests from the clients she’d run into throughout the day. Plus, she needed to pick up Mrs. Claytor's packages at Nordstrom and then she planned to visit Mrs. Purdy’s shop. Thankfully, the last was one stop that was already on her agenda, and one she looked forward to.

  The rest of the evening went by quietly as Megan relaxed in the company of her friends. At one point Frank heated the grill, and made hamburgers for dinner. Along with Bonnie's homemade potato salad and some fresh fruit it was the perfect light dinner. By mutual agreement they all turned in early, and Megan made her way to the room they always put her in. She counted herself lucky because it was one of the prime rooms in the bed-and-breakfast. She could wake up and look out the windows to see the morning activity on the water. Barney curled up in the dog bed that Frank placed there for him, and soon his snores could be heard. Megan shook her head at the sound, thinking to herself that the dog snored just as loudly as her late husband had.

  Chapter 4

  Saturday

  Megan was up early the next morning. After a light breakfast, she waved goodbye to her friends and left to get started on her list. Bonnie assured her that if she needed to stay an extra night it would not be a problem. The tension had left Megan as she realized that she would not have to rush.

  First on her list was a visit to one of her favorite garden centers. There were several items for different customers she wanted to pick out and have shipped to Citrus Beach. First up: a comfortable chair and table for Joe to put in his new office courtyard. The man loved to smoke a pipe, but smoking in the house was forbidden, so having a chair out in the courtyard would be perfect.

  She was also looking for small statue for another customer. Her promise to Sammy that she would look for gardening tools suitable for a 10-year-old rang in her head. Sammy had surprised both of them by discovering a love of gardening. She spent many an afternoon working with Megan in her garden. Sammy loved to be outdoors playing or digging in the dirt. When she was inside, her creative nature came out as she sat by Lucy’s side working on jewelry. Lucy created custom jewelry and Sammy showed a natural ability and talent which Lucy was trying to encourage. Toby on the other hand loved cars, especially classic cars. Which was good, because Aiden and Paul also loved classic cars, and it was not unusual to find the three of them in Paul's garage tinkering.

  As Megan drove the familiar route to the old garden center, she acknowledged that she was developing a liking for the Jeep. Barney seemed to enjoy it too, and was busy sniffing out his new surroundings. It was as if he could smell the scent of adventure that the Jeep promised; his constant sniffing of the passenger side was yielding clues to what those adventures could be. He settled down when Megan started the engine. Mostly, his head was up to the window, nose twitching and ears flapping, as they drove down the streets of Palm Beach.

  Once they arrived at the nursery, Megan allowed herself the luxury of taking her time as she strolled up and down the aisles, both inside the garden center and outside through the beautiful flowering plants. The owners greeted her when she arrived, but let her wander as she wanted without interruption. They kept a close eye on her though, and when she looked around for somebody to wait on her, they were right there. Since she hadn't driven one of her company’s vans or trucks, she didn't have to worry about loading. Instead, she enjoyed simply having her order taken, and arranged for delivery to Citrus Beach at the beginning of the week. She bought more than she should have, as always, but she’d found pieces she knew several customers would be interested in. Maybe not now, but down the road. Once the paperwork was done and the bill settled, she wandered back to the Jeep, Barney at her side ready for the next stop.

  As Megan's day progressed, the tasks on her to-do list dwindled. There was a certain luxury to not have to load her car or worry about space. Instead, she arranged for the items she purchased to be delivered. There were a few packages she stuck in the back of the Jeep, but not many.

  Glancing at her watch, she was surprised to find it was lunchtime. Deciding that Barney had been such a good dog he deserved a little time for his own, she turned the Jeep and headed toward the beach. She knew of a dog friendly one where Barney could run and tire himself chasing the waves. As she expected, her faithful companion loved the opportunity to stretch his legs and run. There was also the added bonus of the attention he got from both young and old. The kids wanted to play with him and the older couple walking along the beach always seemed to have a pat for his head and a kind word.

  Finally, Megan gave a whistle for him to follow. Time was up and they had plenty to be done.By 3:00 she had completed most of her stops. All that was left was her favorite destination. Mrs. Purdy’s consignment shop was in an affluent area of Palm Beach, catering to the exclusive taste of the island’s residents. Megan and Mrs. Purdy had meet a few months prior when Megan had been researching a ring she’d found while investigating the murder of one of her close friends in Citrus Beach. Mrs. Purdy had provided valuable information, information that helped Megan solve the crime. They had also developed a liking for each other and had kept in contact. Megan made sure that any time she came to Palm Beach she took the time to stop and visit. The shop was quiet when Megan arrived and Mrs. Purdy looked pleased to see both of them. When she saw Megan walk in, she got a huge grin on her face and coming around to from back of the counter, she quickly engulfed Megan in a warm hug and then bent down to scratch Barney behind his ears. They spent a few moments catching up, then got down to business.

  Mrs. Purdy showed Megan some items she had put aside for her, and her security guard, Ralph, loaded Mrs. Claytor’s packages into Megan’s car. With Barney leading the way, he took them out to her Jeep, which was parked in the shop’s secure, private parking lot. He returned with a grin on his face, and teased Megan about her car.

  "Planning on doing a little off-road driving this weekend, Megan?"

  "You know, Ralph, I hadn't even thought about that. What an excellent idea. I'm sure Barney would like that, too."

  Hearing his name, Barney gave bark and wagged his tail , even faster if it was possible. His three human friends laughed as he pranced from one to the next seeking approval.

  "Here’s the keys to your Jeep.” Still grinning, Ralph went back to his station by the door, sneaking a treat to Barney before he walked away.

  Megan quickly inspected the items Mrs. Purdy had set aside for her, giving her delighted approval. Then the two of them sat down in Mrs. Purdy’s office for one of their favorite activities. Mrs. Purdy took great delight in providing a true English tea for her favorite customers. She always entertained in the privacy of her own office which was decorated with elegant antiques and exquisite
pieces of art. Megan enjoyed partaking in this ritual as much as Mrs. Purdy enjoyed hosting it. She always felt like a special client and just a bit highbrow. Of course, the highbrow activity was contrasted by the hearty laughter from the two women as Mrs. Purdy recanted one of her many tales regarding the items in her consignment shop.

  The time passed quickly and soon dusk was falling. Realizing how many hours had passed, Megan said her goodbyes. As she got behind the wheel of the Jeep, Megan debated whether she should drive to Citrus Beach or spend one more night at the bed-and-breakfast. Making a quick decision, she decided to spend one extra night in Palm Beach. Nobody was expecting her at home and to be honest she was feeling a little too tired to drive back in heavy traffic. She pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the ocean, away from the turnpike.

  Bonnie saw her pull into the driveway of the bed-and-breakfast, and quickly made another spot for her at the dinner table. They ate a wonderful meal and Megan shared her activities of the day with them, promising to show Bonnie some of her purchases she had made. Dinner was delicious, as usual, and when the table was being cleared afterwards Frank delighted in taking Barney for another walk. The rest of the evening was spent sitting on the porch talking quietly together.

  Chapter 5

  Sunday

  It was another beautiful Chamber of Commerce day when Megan woke and she almost regretted having to go home. There were parts of Palm Beach that she truly enjoyed, and it seemed like it was a world away from Citrus Beach. But she had a ton of things to do, and before she knew it Monday morning would be here and her week would begin in earnest. This time of year there was always plenty to do, and it would be easy to fall behind.