Caffrey Aloha

Chapter 5

Monday afternoon. December 27, 2004.

Elizabeth Burke was relaxing in a spa with the Burke, Caffrey and Winslow women. She sat beside Noelle and Paige, and they were carefully sipping mai tais while their recently manicured fingernails dried and their feet soaked in preparation for a pedicure. They wore lightweight, sky blue robes, and bride-to-be Noelle had a lei of white orchids around her neck. The room felt like a tropical paradise, filled with plants and exotic flowers, accompanied by the calming sounds of a waterfall splashing behind them.

"This is much better than a wedding shower," Noelle said. "Joe and I already have so much stuff we're trying to consolidate into a single household, the last thing we wanted was more gifts."

"I noticed on the wedding invitations you requested people give to charities in your honor," said Paige.

"That's right. Registering for gifts the first time I got married was painful enough to last a lifetime. I was glad to skip that."

"Joe mentioned he's moving to Baltimore," said Elizabeth.

"Yes, his architecture business takes him up and down the East Coast, so he could be based anywhere. My work as a professor isn't as flexible."

"Will you...?" Elizabeth was in the middle of asking whether the couple would live in Noelle's townhouse, but trailed off when someone ran into the spa. "Mozzie?"

"Mrs. Suit! You have to tell me where to find Neal. It's an emergency!"

"My phone's in my bag." She glanced toward the shelf where they had left their purses, but she couldn't stand up with her feet in a bowl of warm, soapy water.

"No, his phone is off. The Suit's is, too."

"Of course. Peter said they'd turn off their phones at the bachelor party."

"What's going on?" Angela padded out of the massage room on her way to the steam room, her robe open to reveal a bright purple bikini. Mozzie shielded his eyes, and she grinned and tied her robe.

"Mozzie's looking for Neal," Elizabeth explained, worried by Mozzie's agitation. "What do you need him for? You said it's an emergency?"

"Yes! There's a crime against humanity underway, and the FBI needs to intervene!"

"Please, Mozzie, can't you go to the local authorities with this? We're on vacation."

He shook his head. "I need Neal's expertise."

"And that means Peter will decide he needs to be involved, too." Elizabeth put down her drink. "What is it you need from them?"

"I don't have time to explain," Mozzie insisted.

"At least tell me it isn't dangerous," she pleaded.

"The sooner they help me, the less risk there is," Mozzie said, which wasn't as soothing as she would have liked.

Noelle, however, used her most calming psychologist's voice. "You can tell us about the risk," she told him. "It won't take long. We want to understand, so we can help you."

Mozzie seemed only a little less agitated. "We need to stop someone from stealing a treasure and destroying it."

"You want them to take steps to prevent a crime?" Noelle asked.

"Yes!" Mozzie looked over his shoulder toward the exit. "Before it's too late."

Elizabeth was a bit surprised at first to hear that Mozzie objected to the theft, but destruction of something valuable was another matter. That must be the part that bothered him. "The bachelor party is at –"