Heavenly Honeymoon (Zoe Donovan Mysteries Book 15) by Kathi Daley Page A

calls, assuming he used a registered phone and not a burner. This is going to take some time. Maybe you want to go get the kids.”
    “Okay. I could use a walk and I’ll take Charlie with me.”
    It really was the perfect day. I willed myself to relax and enjoy the white sand beach, clear blue sky, aqua water, and close-to-perfect temperature. Maybe we’d go to one of the restaurants that offered outdoor dining that evening. There was going to be a spectacular sunset if the lack of clouds littering the sky was any indication. Once Ellie arrived and could stay with the kids, maybe Zak and I could partake of the moonlit walks I had fantasized about prior to our arrival.
    The first thing I noticed when I walked into the Kids Club reception area was a midsized dog sleeping on a dog bed behind the registration counter.
    “New dog?” I asked Oria.
    “He’s a rescue I’m fostering until we can find him a forever home. We don’t have a shelter on the island right now, but I’m part of a group that takes strays and abandoned animals into our homes until new families can be identified.”
    “That’s really awesome. I admire your commitment to our four-legged friends.”
    “It isn’t an ideal situation, but we do the best we can with what we have to work with.”
    “I operate a rescue and rehabilitation shelter where I live,” I revealed.
    I spent the next fifteen minutes chatting with Oria about the challenges of operating such a facility. I found that the two of us had a lot in common, especially our love of animals. If we lived in the same part of the world, I knew we would be friends.
    “There’s a fund-raiser for the shelter we’re hoping to build this weekend if you’re interested,” Oria offered.
    “I’m very interested. When is it?”
    “Saturday evening, on the beach at the far-east end of the island. We usually show an old movie on a giant screen that’s really an old sail, and there’ll be food and beverages for purchase. After the movie, for those who want to stay, some of the local bands will provide music. We’ve done similar fund-raisers in the past and they’re always a lot of fun. And they’re kid friendly if you want to bring Alex and Scooter, although it will be a late evening.”
    “It sounds awesome. I’ll mention it to Zak, but I’m sure he’ll be all for it.”
    “The movie starts as soon as it’s dark enough to see the film on the makeshift screen, but most people come early to share a meal and scope out a good spot. If you do make it, look for me and I’ll introduce you to some of the other members of the shelter committee. They’re a fantastic bunch who really care about the animals on the island.”
    “I’ll do that. Thanks.”
    I found Scooter and Alex and we headed back to the house, where I hoped Zak had good news. It occurred to me, now that I’d had a chance to think about things, that it was odd that Ricardo had been invited to be a dinner guest on the night of the cruise in the first place. He was simply a vendor for the resort. One of hundreds, most likely. The other guests were all rich businessmen staying in the VIP section of the resort, who were invited to attend with their wives. Ricardo and his escort date didn’t seem to fit the profile. As soon as I returned to the house I mentioned that to Zak, who agreed.
    “I can ask Jensen about it,” Zak said. “I really hadn’t stopped to consider that until you mentioned it.”
    “Did you find anything odd in the phone records?” I asked.
    “I’m not sure if it’s odd or not, but Ricardo didn’t have a cell phone registered, nor had he made any calls from the landline in his room since he’d been here. I suspect he uses a burner phone, which I find odd because he’s a salesman. I would think he’d need to have a public number so his clients could reach him.”
    “Maybe he used a phone owned by and registered to the company he worked for,” I suggested.
    “Good idea. I’ll see what I can find