Sea Change

she was in the water,” Healy said, “somebody wonders where she is.”

“That’s true whether it’s murder or not,” Jesse said.

“But if she were traveling, and the only person who knew her was the person she was traveling with, and that person killed her . . .” Healy rolled his hand.

Jesse leaned back in his swivel chair and grinned at Healy.

“It was a quiz, and we both aced it,” Jesse said. “Sure, I’m with you. I think she was murdered.”

“But you have no proof,” Healy said.

“Hell no,” Jesse said. “Not yet.”

“She might have arrived by bus,” Healy said.

“Yeah, and she might have hitchhiked. I got twelve people in this department including me. We’re dancing as fast as we can dance.”

Healy smiled.

“You got a homicide. I’m the commanding officer of the state homicide unit.”

“So you’re offering to help?”

“I am.”

“Never too big to give the little guy a hand,” Jesse said.

“Exactly,” Healy said.

“Just as long as we’re clear on whose case it is.”

“It belongs to all of us,” Healy said, “who love truth and justice.”

“Like hell,” Jesse said. “It belongs to me.”

“Oh,” Healy said. He shrugged. “Okay.”

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J esse was on the phone to a detective in Fort Lauderdale named Kelly Cruz.

“Your floater was a woman of means,”

Kelly Cruz said.

“Really?”

“Un-huh, family owns a bunch of health food markets all over the South. Plum and Partridge.”

“Cute,” Jesse said.

“It’s even cuter,” Kelly Cruz said. “Family name is Plum.”

“Not Horvath,” Jesse said.

“Nope, that’s a married name,” Kelly Cruz said. “She’s had several.”

R O B E R T B . P A R K E R

“You know the husbands?” Jesse said.

“Not yet,” Kelly Cruz said. “But she was divorced most recently from a guy named Lawton Horvath.”

“What do you know about Lawton?”

“White, blond hair, even tan, slim, good at golf and tennis, pretty good at bridge, no visible means of support.”

“When’s the last time Lawton saw her?” Jesse said.

“When they got divorced. He got the house and a cash settlement. She moved here.”

“Worked out nicely for Lawton,” Jesse said. “He with anyone now?”

He could hear the laughter in Kelly Cruz’s voice.

“Attractive young heiress, recently divorced, with a thing for older men,” she said.

“We may have stumbled across his means of support,”

Jesse said.

“We’re law officers,” Kelly Cruz said. “We’re probably too suspicious.”

“What else you know about Florence?”

“Soon as she moved to Fort Lauderdale she joined the East Bay Yacht Club,” Kelly Cruz said. “Started hanging out at the bar there. Bartender says she was making a lot of friends fast.”

“Male friends?”

“Yep.”

“Got any names?”

“Not yet, you know, it’s not really our case,” Kelly Cruz said. “I’m the only one working it.”

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S E A C H A N G E

“Understand,” Jesse said.

“I found something sort of interesting when I tossed her condo. I’ll FedEx it to you, you gimme a FedEx number.”

“Tight budget in Fort Lauderdale,” Jesse said.

“Like I say, it’s not our case.”

Jesse gave her the Federal Express number.

“What are you going to send me?” he said.

“Videotape. Florence and two guys having sex together.”

“Amateur?” Jesse said.

“Far as I can tell. She’s having sex with both of them at the same time,” Kelly Cruz said. “Looks uncomfortable as hell to me but she seemed happy with it. Kept turning to smile into the camera. Sort of proud.”

“As well she should be,” Jesse said. “You got anything else?”

“I got a call into her family but so far nothing back. I’m working on the earlier husbands, but so far no names. She used to live in Boca. I’ll check around up there. Not too many people knew much about her around here.”

“It’s ten or fifteen miles, isn’t it?” Jesse said. “You sure the budget will stand it?”

“Good, be a northern wiseass,” Kelly Cruz said. “It encourages us down here in the swamps.”

“Just a little light-hearted banter,” Jesse said.

“Is that what it was,” Kelly Cruz said. “You hotshots learn anything up there?”

“We’re in the middle of a series of yacht races up here,”

Jesse said. “Race Week.”

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R O B E R T B . P A R K E R

“Oh boy,” Kelly Cruz said.

“Three of the yachts are out of Fort Lauderdale,” Jesse said.

“Hot damn,” Kelly Cruz said. “I’m only a detective for five years, but that might be a clue.”

“Might be,” Jesse said. “They are owned by the following, you got a pencil?”

“I’m ready.”

“Thomas Ralston,” Jesse said. “Allan Pinkton. Harold Berger.”

“Addresses?”

“All in Fort Lauderdale,” Jesse said and read them off.

“Never heard of any of them,” Kelly Cruz said. “But they probably never heard of me, either. I’ll check them out. They may not be home, of course, they may be up there taking part in the excitement.”

“You seem negative, Detective Cruz,” Jesse said, “about yacht racing.”

“Don’t mean to,” Kelly Cruz said. “Must be at least as exciting as watching a miniature golf match.”

Jesse was silent for a moment.

“Well, no,” Jesse said slowly. “It’s not that much fun.”

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C hannel 3 Action News set up downtown in Paradise, in the parking lot behind the Ranch Market. There was an equipment