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elevator.
    “So, Maria, where was the Coral Belle?”
    She pointed in the direction of the business district. The business district of Islamorada being the thin strip of shops, restaurants, and bars that ran up and down the Overseas Highway.
    “A mile and a half down the road. There’s a medical office on the property now. Some doctor who has a vein care center. I think he operates on varicose veins. An Indian name.” She paused. “Malhotra. I think that’s his name. He’s got half of it. The other half is an orthopedic surgeon’s office. Neal or O’Neill. Something like that. Their signs are out front.”
    And there it was. That simple. Although nothing in my life is that simple. Couldn’t be. Never was. The property mentioned in the cryptic letter was one and a half miles down the road.
    “This is a strange question, but was the foundation of the old hotel still intact when they built the medical office?”
    She shook her pretty head. “I have no idea. I just know that that’s where the hotel was.”
    She stared off into the blue ocean and I followed her gaze, watching colorful sailboats offshore with red, white, and blue canvas, two loud Jet Skis racing on the parallel, and two pelicansswooping down to capture unsuspecting fish in the clear blue water. For a couple of minutes there was a peaceful calm.
    Then the thunder of a motorcycle split the afternoon and someone spit up a white cloud of dust in the parking lot as they headed toward the highway.
    “Why are you so interested in the old hotel?”
    “James is sort of a history buff.”
    She gave me a sideways look. “James? That James? Didn’t seem to be the history type.”
    When it came to making money, James could be the history type.
    “Skip! Get up here. Stat.”
    I looked up, and on the second-floor balcony stood James, pointing his finger directly at me.
    “Should Maria come up too?”
    “Get your butts up here. Now.”
    I nodded my head at Maria and we both hopped off our stools.
    Halfway to the elevator, I heard the voice. “Hold it. I need to be paid for those drinks.”
    “Bill my room!”
    And then I realized she had no idea who I was. As far as I was concerned, Bobbie could eat the bar tab.
    I ignored her, and we both ran to the elevator.

CHAPTER NINE
    Pelican Cove, for all of its wonderful features, has very, very slow elevators. We should have taken the steps. But, no, I decided we would take the elevator.
    When we finally got to the second floor, we raced down the walkway to our room. James was standing outside the door.
    “Nobody should see what I’m going to show you guys.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
    “James, what’s this all about?”
    Maria looked at James, then at me, then back at James, obviously confused.
    “Honest to God, pally, this is not suitable for children.”
    “No kids here, James.”
    He slid his key into the slot and slowly opened the door to our small room.
    Immediately I could see the bed, covers torn off. Not even a sheet on the mattress, which led me to believe that the maids had done a half-assed job.
    Clothes were strewn around the room. We weren’t the neatestguys in the world, but the room looked like a hurricane had hit it.
    “James, somebody’s tossed our room.”
    He was pale. With no comeback, my best friend was shaking his head.
    “Over here, amigo.”
    He motioned to the far side of the bed.
    I walked toward him.
    James was pointing, looking at me as if he couldn’t focus anywhere else, but still pointing.
    Lying on the floor, faceup, was a man’s body, the side of his head bashed in. Eyes wide open, he stared at me, dark blood soaking into the carpet.
    “Oh, my God.” Maria Sanko was frozen, her mouth hanging open, the color drained from her face.
    “I checked.” James swallowed hard. “There’s no pulse. He’s not breathing.”
    Grabbing the phone by the bed I dialed zero.
    “We’ve got a dead body up here in three fifteen.”
    “A what?”
    “Dead body. Guy