“Oh. That shouldn’t be a problem. Did anyone else come down and claim it?”
Alyssa shook her head. “No.”
“Who brought it down?” Nikki asked.
“Cute guy. I don’t know, maybe thirty, in good shape. Dark hair, on the tall side, and lean build. Nice guy, kind of weird, though, because he wouldn’t look me in the eyes, and that always gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
Nikki figured Alyssa was talking about Kurt Kensington. She’d checked him in yesterday and noticed the same thing. He was either busy fiddling with his hands, looking down, or looking away. “Well, do you know who the suitcase belongs to?”
“He didn’t say. After he left, I pulled back the cover on the plastic info card and it read IWAO YAMIMOTO.”
Nikki sat up ramrod straight. “Yamimoto? You sure?”
“Don’t think I’d forget a name like that.”
“Iwao Yamimoto was the man who was murdered last night.”
“Oh. I didn’t know. Oh, my God!” Alyssa replied.
The doctor looked up at them.
Nikki lowered her voice. “Yeah. I think that must have been Kurt Kensington, one of the S.E.E. members, who brought down the suitcase. What I want to know is, why did he have Iwao’s suitcase and why did he only bring it down this morning?”
Fourteen
BY the time Nikki made it back to the winery, the dream board session was in full force inside the meeting room. Round tables had been brought into the room, which already contained sofas, a fireplace, and books that served as the winery’s library. It was the oldest room besides the mansion on the property and was the room that the rest of the hotel had been built around. Derek and Simon’s dad had built this separate room outside of his home so he could boast about having a private library. He’d had it constructed in that same Italian style that the now surrounding hotel and spa had been done in and it used to double as a party room.
Alyssa stopped by with Petie to see what the dream board thing was all about. Nikki had mentioned it to her in the hospital. Everyone turned and looked as they walked into the room. Simon and Marco saw that Petie had a cast on and immediately came over.
“What happened?” Simon asked.
Alyssa told him about the unfortunate jungle gym incident.
“That’s terrible. Poor boy.” Marco’s accent sounded even more charming when directed at a little guy. Marco kissed Petie’s cheek and retrieved an ink marker off one of the tables. “Can I draw something on the cast?” he asked Alyssa.
“Of course.”
Marco drew a smiling monkey and signed his name. Petie watched, curious as he drew it, and started laughing along with the adults when he was finished and then made goofy monkey faces.
Simon then took over and drew an elephant next to the monkey. This was a big hit, too.
“This looks interesting.” Alyssa nodded in the direction of the room.
It was pretty strange. Here were adults flipping through magazines, writing down affirmations on note cards, and cutting and pasting their “wants and desires” onto their poster boards. It looked like a preschool classroom only with bigger people. Petie wanted down from his mom’s arms and was ready to charge toward the art supplies.
“I don’t think so.” Alyssa pulled him in tighter. “I better get him home. I wanted to see it for myself, though. Not such a bad idea. Maybe I should do one.”
“You should,” Simon said. “It’s so much fun. We’re all really exploring our creative sides.”
Marco nodded. “It is a good time. Come and join us.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t. I should get Petie down for a nap. It’s been a hard day for him.”
“Wait a minute,” Simon said. “Do you have magazines and markers at home?”
“I’m a mother. I have both,” Alyssa said.
Simon went back to his table and brought over a rolled-up poster board. “Maybe while he’s taking a nap, or even another time, you can do one for yourself.”
“Thanks, Simon. I think I will.” Alyssa took the poster and tucked it under her free arm.
“What are you going to put on your dream board?” Nikki asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. I suppose for starters a heart-a healthy one for Petie.”
Petie pointed to his heart and said, “Heart.”
“You’re so smart,” Nikki told him, choking back some emotion. He was so sweet.
“Then who knows? Maybe a mansion on the ocean.” Alyssa laughed. “And a photo of some hot guy.”
Nikki laughed. “Who do you think is hot?”
“I don’t know. I’m kind of into rock stars.” She laughed.
“Oh honey, who isn’t?” Simon said.
“You know who looks like a rock star? That cutie Detective Robinson. He’s soooo sexy. Nikki even said once that he looks like Lenny Kravitz.”
“That is true.” A vision of Detective Robinson came to mind and Nikki had a lightbulb moment. “Hey, what are you doing Sunday night?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. At home with this guy.” She tickled Petie’s tummy.
“No. You’re not. I’m having a little dinner party at my place. You and Petie are coming.” She turned to Simon and Marco. “And so are you two.”
“Oh goodie. I love dinner parties,” Simon said. “They’re so chic.”
“We should get back to our projects. Nikki, you’ll join us, no?” Marco asked.
“Sure.”
The boys said their good-byes to Alyssa and Petie and went back to their table.
“You’re doing a dinner party while trying to run this charade?” Alyssa asked.
“I’ll burn off some steam with some friends. Besides, the members are on their own for dinner that night.”
“Great. Count us in. I better get going. Looks like you’re being summoned.”
Nikki spotted Alan motioning for her to come over. What now? She said good-bye to Alyssa and Petie and made her way over to the great guru, rubbing her hands together. She knew it might wind up being a lot on her plate, but it would be worth it because not only could she be good at playing detective, she might also make a decent matchmaker.
“HI, Nikki. We were concerned about you. We started on the dream boards about an hour ago,” Alan said.
“I’m sorry. My friend Alyssa’s little boy broke his arm and I met her at the hospital. He has some health problems and she needed the support.”
“You’re a good friend,” Alan said.
“I did what anyone else would do.”
“No. Not everyone else is kind, and I can see that you are kind and always concerned about others.”
For some reason, Alan was making her nervous. What was it? She couldn’t pinpoint it, but it was there. “Thanks. Well, is there anything you’d like me to do?”
“No. I don’t think so. You’re more than welcome to do your own board or see what others have done and help them put their intentions out into the universe.”
“Right.” Had these people forgotten that a man had been murdered less than twenty-four hours ago? Nikki moved away from him quickly. What was bothering her about him? Was it the attitude?
She decided to pass on the board, and headed on over to where Simon sat flapping his lips with Rose Pearlman, Eli Sansi, and Kurt Kensington. Now there sat an interesting group of folks. Wonder if Simon still had his radar on?
She pulled a chair up to the table.
“Oh, Snow White, good. You’re joining us. Poor Petie and his mommy.” He frowned. “I hope Alyssa really does do her own board. It’ll be good therapy for her. She needs some mommy time. So, we were just sharing our dream boards with one another.”
“Great.” Nikki mustered a smile.
“I’m going first.” Simon stood and held his board up to the group. “This here is my dream home with Marco.”