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Read book online Β«PATSY by Kenneth L. Ehrenthal (fantasy novels to read .txt) πŸ“•Β».   Author   -   Kenneth L. Ehrenthal



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plane is scheduled to leave at 9 am, they want you at the airport at 7 am.  The lines are like those at Disney World, but not as efficient.  First Class, of course, is a little better, but not $1,000 better per person.  With the lack of service and the greatly increased security flying has now become a real drag.  Imagine starting a happy and much needed vacation that way.  And for Sid and Heidi and George, this was a working vacation.

Sid and Heidi walked out on the small balcony of their accommodations. They looked out at the azure sea.  There was a soft on shore wind in their faces. There we a few sun worshipers down on the beach.  To Sid who the sea shore meant wall-to-wall people on Orchard Beach, the beach was empty.  Heidi pulled him closer, "This is such a beautiful place, no wonder Sarah kept returning.  In her place, so would I."

They went down stairs to meet George and go to dinner.  Since they were beat from the flight and all the discomfort, they decided to eat in the restaurant in the hotel, and save the other place for the next day.   Walking out from the restaurant, as the sun went down, and the day cooled, the perused the area around the hotel.  They fell in with many other main-landers, who were out enjoying the almost perfect weather.  A great change from the cold dark wet New York.  Sid thinking, it would be very hard being depressed in this place.  Heidi thinking, I’m so glad we came here, Sid seems so up, but tomorrow we have to get into gear and make an effort to find out about Margaret Alpert and her love of St. Croix.  George thought how could Ocho Rios be better than this?  That night, both Sid and Heidi made uninhibited love, better for both than quite some time.  Pressures of all their cases always cause some anxiety in New York.


They had food brought up and had breakfast in bed.  George was up at the crack of dawn; walking around looking....he didn't quite know what he was looking for.   He walked passed a local Realtor’s office.  It was too early to be open but it had a series of pictures of home to buy and some spectacular Villas, over looking a small cove.  Used to the prices in New York, these seemed very low, especially the rental costs.  He went back to the hotel and went in for breakfast.  As he finished and walked into the lobby, Sid and Heidi were coming down from their room.  "Hey sleepy heads", said George.  "I've had my breakfast, but I'll join you for more coffee."  Heidi smiled, "George. We already ate; my wonderful Sid feed me in bed."

Ok, said Sid, "George, you're the expert, how do we start."  George explained that perhaps the best start would be right here.  I know it's been at least 4 years since Sarah was here, but someone may remember her.   I'll go to the desk, Heidi you and Sid talk to the Concierge.  Show him the pictures we have of her, maybe that will stir some memories.  Heidi, tell him some story about being a relative or friend, make up a story, which usually loosens some memories.  Don't tell him she's dead.  George went to the front desk.  Behind was a beautiful island girl.  She had perfect features and had coffee-au-lait skin color.  Unfortunately she looked much too young to have been there 4, 5 or 6 years ago.   George was right.  She had only been on the job for six months.  She did indicate that her afternoon replacement had been there at least 10 years, maybe he could help him.  George thanked her.  He would have loved to spend more time just looking at her, but he said to himself, "she's younger than may daughter, you old sybarite.
 


Chapter 35
 
 
Sid and Heidi went to the Concierge Desk.  An older woman was behind the desk.  Heidi told her a story about trying to find the place her sister went about six years before but she said St. Croix, but wouldn't name the hotel.  She was a tourist adviser and she did not think it was professional of her to recommend specific places, even to her sister.  The woman looked at her askance.  Well let me see the picture. She took a long look.  She does look somewhat familiar.  But many white people look the same to me.  Looking at Heidi, she said "I seem to remember you here last year". Heidi reddened, turning to Sid, "I've NEVER been here before."  Sid laughed, Heidi, I believe you!"  The woman looked at the picture again.  Let me go to the office and look something up.  I'll be right back.  When she returned she carried a card.  She asked, "Did you say she was a tourist adviser?    About seven years ago, we have an inspection by some national tourist agency.  We keep records of those things.  As I recall she gave us an excellent review.  Was her name Sarah Alpert".  Sid thought bingo!  But she was here only that one time.  They thanked the woman and rushed to the front desk to find George.  George told them he had had no luck with the current clerk, but another one was coming on at 2pm.  "George", said Heidi, "we don't need that other clerk.  She was here seven years ago, but only once."  "Another mystery", said Sid.  According to our other information, she came here at least three times each year before she died."  Heidi said, "Maybe she didn't stay here the other times.  Maybe we have to go to the other hotels.  And there are so many others."  Smiling she continued, "We’ll have to stay several weeks to hit them all.  That doesn't sound so bad. I’m just kidding!"


They decided to walk around the area near the hotel.  The wandered into the "straw market", the jewelry shops, the numerous "T" shirt stores, bathing suit kiosks, and sat down after several  hours later in an open air cafe and sipped iced coffee.  OK, we know she was here, we know she was here at least 9 or 10 times in the three years before she died.  But where did she go?  Except for the first we're still up a tree.  George then recounted his early morning wandering?  He told them about the realtors and the places shown in his window, maybe she stayed in one of those rentals Villa's said Sid.  I wonder how many Realtor's there are on St. Croix.  That could take as long as going to all the hotels.  And no we are not staying here more than 2 more days!  "Let's simplify this", said George.  "If she came here for the first time seven years ago, wouldn't she find a realtor near the hotel?  Let's start there.  How many could there be around here?" 
 
Let's split up, three can cover a lot more ground than one!  As they went in different directions, Sid got a twinkle in his eye.  Before looking for a Realtor, Sid found his way back to a jewelry store.  One they had visited earlier.  Heidi had found a ring she loved and laughingly told Sid about, along with several ear-rings and a necklace with rubies and diamonds.  Sid looked at the ring carefully.  It was a 2 ct pure white round diamond in a simple setting, which the jeweler told him, was platinum.  The price was an astounding $1,500.  In New York, a ring like that would have been at least $10,000.  Sid knew a little about diamonds, since he had purchased one for his wife by going to a friend of his fathers in the diamond business, a relative, I think who had schooled him in diamonds.  He bought the ring, had it placed in a ring box, wrapped and put in his pocket.  For later!  


George first went back to his original Realtor.  The place was open now.  An Older black man met him at the door.  Smiling he said, "Sir, do I have a deal For you!"  George answered, how do you know I came in here for a deal?"  The man continued, "All Americans come here for a deal"." May I introduce myself, my name is Prince Cromwell", and I've been in this business for over 30 years. If there is anyone on this island who knows more about real estate on St. Croix, you'll never meet him."  He took out the picture of Sarah Alpert and showed it to Prince.  "She would have come in to rent a villa about 6 or 7 years ago."  He looked very carefully at the picture.  He Shook his head, saying, "I don't think so."  So you don't remember this woman coming in here to rent a house, a villa, or even to buy one', said George.  Yes, said Prince, "she never rented or purchased any property from me, but the man she was with did!  What, excitedly said George, "The man she was with?"  "Yes", said Prince.  George paused, "and who was he?"  Prince excused himself and went to the back of the office.  When he returned he was holding a folder.  He was perusing several pages.  "Ah", he said, "here it is.  The man who purchased the villa, and I say he got a bargain, was Tomas McGinty of New York City.


                                                                                                 
                                        
 
 
   Chapter 36
   
 
The snow was falling quite heavily as Sid looked out his window.  The world outside looked clean and white.  Wind was blowing the snow into eddies along the street.  Tomorrow the white world would turn first to gray and then later to a dull brown.  As traffic moved down the street black ruts would appear.  Snow plows would come and the snow would be pushed to the sides making high gray banks on both sides of the road.  He could understand the great lure of St. Croix, or any other warm southern clime.  Heidi called from the bed, "Sid, come to bed, let's stay in all day and cuddle."  That sounded great to Sid, but the information they had learned on St. Croix was working on his mind.  Sarah and Thomas have been together there.  But was there any way to prove that they had had a tryst three times each year before she died?  And even if they could, how would those facts indicate a romance back in New York.  Sure it was circumstantial and circumstantial at best.  Even if they could line up all the dates there, how could they extrapolate that to New York?  It would seem that since both lived in New York, found property in St. Croix, together, that they would continue a relationship once they got back to New York.  But again possible was not proof!  So they still had to get the St. Croix dates, and then the information about her New York benefactor.  Probably they could get her dates, but McGinty's was another story.  The New York information was going to be more difficult.  Heidi had spread the Sunday Times on the bed.  She was reading the style section while Sid perused the sports. 
 
Suddenly Heidi started, "look Sid, "Thomas McGinty's daughter is getting married."  "That's nice, said Sid, "how can that help us?"  "I don't know", she said. "I just think it's not just a coincidence that we are trying to find information about McGinty, and today he's in the papers, at least his daughter is."  "Sometimes, and I do believe this," she said, "that things happen with no reasonable logic, that, at the time we can figure out."  "Dada Dada" said Sid, "strange things are happening."  "Come on Sid, haven't you ever had certain
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