406
How many times do I need to say I'm sorry? I know setting fires is a big problem of mine, but I do love the dancing flames. Mermista barely spoke to me through dinner and desert. I was now outside of her bedroom sheepishly waving at her.
She rolled her eyes and sighed. She looked at Marika and said something to her that I couldn't hear. I watched Marika slowly get up and waddle out of the room.
"Do you need help?" I asked her. Her belly was big and was due in a month or so.
Marika smiled at me. "I'm okay, thanks though." She walked off and I turned around and let out a loud strange sound. Mermista was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.
"Are you gonna make me sleep out here?" I asked, the floor beneath my bare feet was cold.
"We have other rooms. Three big rooms and you get to pick, well not daddy's room, but from the other two." She pointed to the one across from hers and then left to the other room. The one right beside hers. "The maids keep them clean even when no one uses them."
I walked across the hall and turned the handle. I opened the door and felt for the light switch. I'd never seen this room before. With the light on the room felt warm. The walls were painted a deep but lovely sunflower color. The chandeiler gave it a fancy touch. It was nice with a walk-in closet, dresser and bay window.
I pulled the white curtains open and I smiled at the ocean. "This is great."
"Glad you like it. Goodnight, SeaHawk." Mermista said and began to walk back to her room.
407
"Wait." I called to her. "Why are you so mad at me? It's my own fault for setting these ships on fire."
Mermista came close to me. "The problem is these people know you set fires. If they put it together they are gonna find out about the Red Phoenix."
And I knew she was right. "I promise that I'll do my damnedest to stop."
Mermista left a light kiss on my cheek. "Goodnight." She said and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.
I laid awake for a while just thinking. The bed I slept on was amazing. It was firm, but soft too. Two pillows and two covers. This man slept like a little baby.
"You best get up!" I heard a voice say. "Breakfast is ready!" It was one of the maid's. "You have ten minutes then I need to wash the drool and stench out of the covers and pillow cases."
I sat up knowing I had showered. She left the room quickly. I got dressed, fixed myself up and headed for the kitchen. It was a large arched opening and heads turned to see me.
Paulie waved at me as he chewed his food. Marista came over. "We've got pancakes today. Chocolate chip and plain. Eggs, bacon, toast are also on the table."
"Thank you." I said at her excitement. I went and sat beside Amara. Mermista was between Marika and Meranda.
408
"Where's Mikey?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"Cleaning up his ship. We all decided to take his to Snowz in two days." Amara said and hearing him swearing as he came into the kitchen. "Speak of the devil." She laughed.
He was flushed in pink anger and holding a bag with something in it. He heard the new silence and looked at everyone that was looking at him. "Figg left me a note saying it's an early birthday present." He rolled his pretty eyes and shook his head. Yeah, a gag gift.
"What is it?" Marika asked, her face looking like she'd smelled an odor.
Mikey opened the bag and went to get a washing glove to put on. "I don't wanna touch it. It's a reaper costume he found by the docks. Some kid pointed it out to him."
"I saw it too!" Amara said loudly. "Why do you have it now?"
"A present." He laughed. "A creepy present. I'm just gonna toss it out now."
Mermista got up. "Wait! Maybe it's a clue." She pushed her chair back and it made a noise. "That thing, that costume might be a clue. Maybe the person that wore it," She paused so dramatically. She counted to five and smiled, "Murdered John!" Some of the people gasped. Then she laughed to herself. "Yeah, well one can assume."
Little did she know she was right.
409
And it was all Mermista could think about since breakfast. A few hours later some of them took the bag with the costume inside down to the sand and carefully laid it out.
"It's really long like a tall person wore it." Mikey said with his hands on his waist.
"None of us dressed up in that." Meranda said. "Thankfully."
Mermista's eyes popped open. "What if the real person that killed John did!" Tears just randomly fell from her eyes. "Seriously."
Amara shivered. "Goosies!" She pointed at her arm.
"Same." Marika said standing beside her sister.
I laughed. "I vote to burn it!"
"SeaHawk!" Mermista yelled. "Ugh! No! No burning it. There has to be another clue here." She knelt down and closely looked the clothing over.
"Mermista, we'll never know the truth." Marika said, "Let's just get rid of it."
A shadow came over them. "Get rid of what?"
Amara EEK-ed and hugged Andreas. Then she pointed to the costume. "That ugly thing."
Andreas's face changed from happy to scared. Every single person saw it too.
410
"Do you know something about this?" I asked him. He was a little taller than me.
Mermista got all up in his grill. "Where were you that Halloween night?" She said, her tone lower and so curious. "I'm gonna solve this damn murder mystery! I'm like so living in one of my books right now. It's kinda cool and really creepy at the same time."
Andreas kept his cool. "I saw someone, well a lot of people wearing those around SeaWorthy on Halloween."
Marika said, "I didn't see you at SeaCrush."
"I was having pizza with friends." He said to her. "I need to go talk to Marista. I'll see ya in a while."
Marika and them watched Andreas walk away. "I don't believe him." She said sadly. "The way he just looked at that costume said so much more."
Two hours later in Mermista's bedroom. I was sitting beside her on the bed. Not much was being said by anyone. The air was stiff and tense in here. Andreas hadn't said anything revealing. Maybe he was lying or maybe he'd been telling the truth.
"It's getting late. I need to leave soon." Andreas said and stood up from the edge of the bed.
Mermista also got up. "If you did have something to do with John dying, thank you. I just wish I had done it myself."
