Kendel Lynn - Elliott Lisbon 02 - Whack Job Read Online Free PDF Page A

table.”
    “Finally, Carla. Where have you been? We need more coffee.”
    “Carla, honey, do you love my idea or what?” Busy said. “Major ballistic, right?”
    “Love it,” Carla said. “Love love. I’m already on it.”
    “What idea? All ideas must be approved by me,” Jane said. She flipped through her neat portfolio with the speed of an accountant two days before tax day. Her shiny straight bob fell forward as she really put her back into it. “What are you talking about?”
    “It’s a surprise,” Busy said.
    “Not from me, it isn’t.”
    “Yes, Janie, even from you.”
    Jane’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I don’t like surprises.”
    She didn’t like anything she couldn’t control. And by the way her fingers gripped her Monte Blanc, I feared Busy was going to get a surprise of her own.
    Carla ignored Jane and waved at me. “Mr. Ballantyne is on the line for you.”
    About the shooting, no doubt. A two thousand mile land mass and a five hour time difference was no match for an island filled with retirees with nothing to do but golf and gossip.
    “Carla, can you take my spot? I won’t be but a minute.”
    I gave her my best smile as I quickly gathered up my blank notebook and rushed to the door.
    She patted my arm when I passed her. “Only because I’m supposed to be in the meeting anyway.”
    “Those chicken and waffle things were your best yet.”
    The door clicked shut behind me and I scurried to my office in the west wing of the first floor. A converted solarium filled with fresh flowers from the garden and windows to the ceiling. I tossed my notebook on the desk and picked up the handset.
    “Mr. Ballantyne, how is Alaska?”
    “Hello! Hello! Elliott! Can you hear me?” Mr. Ballantyne shouted into the phone as if he was using a tin can on a string.
    “Loud and clear, sir.”
    “The turtles are abundant! We’ve rescued three so far. And a leatherback, Elliott, right here in Cordova. The most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
    Longtime advocates for the local loggerhead turtle population, the Ballantynes, Edward and his adorable wife Vivi, left for Alaska six weeks earlier. They accompanied a research team from Sea Pine Island intent on aiding a recent uptick in turtle migration in the Gulf of Alaska.
    “Wonderful! I hope you’re taking pictures. The Islander Post wants to do a special feature for the holidays.”
    “Vivi has taken so many, we may be shareholders with Kodak by now! How are things for the Wonderland Tea? I’m hearing great things from the hospital.”
    “On schedule. We’re hammering out the final details now. The topiaries were being unloaded as I arrived.”
    “Yes, yes, seems you’ve had a busy morning so far. Spoke with Gilbert Goodsen a bit ago. Shameful to hear such crime on the island. But I do suppose one must be diligent when dealing with strangers, even those on our conversant community.”
    I shook my head as he spoke, remembering Gilbert taking a bag full of cash to a bar with a banana as a plan. Gilbert needed to have his head examined while he was at the hospital. Pop up to psych and see what’s shakin’.
    “Gilbert says you’re enthusiastic to help him with Jaime. Getting started lickety split, he said. Is that right, my dear?”
    I rankled at Gilbert using Mr. Ballantyne to push me. It’d only been an hour since I agreed to find the egg. “I’m already on it, Mr. Ballantyne. With Jaime’s name on the short list, I was already scheduled to speak with her today, as a matter of fact.”
    I wasn’t actually, so I grabbed my Rolodex as we spoke, flipping through the cards marked “G.”
    “Brilliant! Right up your alley! One last thing. The Labor Day Regatta is tomorrow and Vivi sponsored one of the junior yachts. She’s just blue over not being there to see her favorite little sport come in. You’ll step in and take her place?”
    “Absolutely, Mr. Ballantyne. I’m on the case. Both of them.” I abandoned the Rolodex in favor of my