Valerie Wolzien - Death in a Beach Chair

“You know, we can just ask Jerry if he’s seen Allison recently and if he mentioned our trip to her,” Susan said.

“No, we can’t! Susan, we can’t!”

“Kathleen, you just said that Jerry is putting himself in jeopardy by ignoring the police, but now you’re also trying to pretend that there isn’t a serious problem here.”

“No, no, I’m not. You weren’t sitting nearby when the police were interviewing us. You didn’t see the expressions on their faces. You didn’t hear Jerry blabbing on and on about how long he had known Allison, how she used to spend every Thanksgiving with him and his dead wife. How she used to bring such interesting gifts to his dead children.”

“It sounds a little weird.”

“That’s what I’m telling you! It was more than a little weird! It was bizarre and strange and odd and peculiar and-and damn near self-incriminating. Jerry made Allison sound like a long-lost…”

“A long-lost what?”

“A lover.”

Susan was shocked. “Kathleen, you know that’s not true. It doesn’t even make any sense! Jerry was married to Allison’s sister. There was never, ever a hint of anything between them. Believe me, I would have known if there was. June would have told me!”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

“Of course it is! Kath, you don’t understand. I knew June as well as I know you. She would have told me-” Susan suddenly realized exactly what she was saying. “You’re not telling me something.”

“I told you how Jerry was distracted about work. I didn’t tell you that there was something else.”

“Another woman?” Part of Susan couldn’t believe she was even asking this question.

“It’s possible.”

“Anything is possible,” Susan said, completely miserable at the direction their conversation was taking. “What do you know?”

Kathleen dropped the robe back onto the bed before answering. “That’s the trouble, of course. I don’t know anything. Not really.”

“But?” Susan asked.

“Jerry being involved with another woman would explain a lot of things.”

“He said it was problems at work,” Susan interrupted to remind her friend.

“Well, he would, wouldn’t he? And remember that Jed told you nothing unusual was going on at the office.”

Susan couldn’t argue with that.

“Although I don’t think he was stupid enough to give the police the impression that his relationship with Allison was anything other than the loving relationship between in-laws…”

“Which is in itself a bit strange.”

“Why?”

“I always got the impression that he and Allison didn’t get along all that well. In fact, I thought that was why they always ended up with us at Thanksgiving.”

“What do you mean? We always eat Thanksgiving dinner with you.”

“Oh, but that’s because… well, it’s because you hated cooking so much when you and Jerry first got married.”

Kathleen smiled for the first time since hearing about Allison’s murder. “I still hate cooking and last year we celebrated at my house. What you mean is that I didn’t know how to cook when Jerry and I got married and no one in their right mind would have trusted me to prepare a meal as elaborate as Thanksgiving dinner.”

Susan smiled back. “True.”

“I’m thinking that you’re thinking that June was a wonderful cook, so that’s not the reason why she and Jerry and their kids celebrated Thanksgiving at your house when Allison came to visit.”

“That’s one thing I’m thinking.”

“What’s the other?”

“I’m thinking that we’re going to have to get over being uncomfortable talking about June and the girls if we’re going to help Jerry.”

Kathleen took a deep breath, stood up a little straighter, and became the woman Susan had been friends with for the past decade. “Damn right. So let’s go on that walk.”

The police came between the Henshaws and Gordons and their walk.

“I’m so sorry, but we’ve been told to insist that everyone remain within Compass Bay for the time being.” A tall woman with an impeccable auburn French twist and skin so pale that Susan could only wonder at how much sunscreen it took to accomplish this in the Caribbean stopped them as they began to walk around the jetty.

“By whom?” Jed asked.

“By the island’s police chief,” the woman said, while Susan tried to adjust to her husband’s impeccable grammar.

“Is everyone being asked to remain on the premises or just some of the guests?” Kathleen asked.

“The staff has been interviewed and allowed to get on with their work. Those who work different shifts have been allowed to go home and rest before returning to work to pick up their regular schedule later in the day. This is a very small island and everyone knows everyone else. Anyone doing anything unusual will be quickly reported.”

“The police seem very sure of your staff,” Kathleen said.

“They have reason to be. They know that we are very careful whom we hire and who remains in our employ.”

“Yes, but there do seem to be fewer people around,” Susan said. “Perhaps many of the guests have decided to remain in their cottages.”

“Well, there were two parties of guests who were scheduled to fly back to the mainland later this morning and who have been allowed to do so.” For the first time since she had barred their way, the woman faltered slightly. “The police apparently determined that those who were allowed to leave had nothing to do with Ms. McAllister’s death.”

“And how did they know that?” Susan asked.

“I can’t tell you how their minds work, but I can suggest that you not underestimate them. Now, if you will excuse me, I have many extra things to deal with immediately due to this unfortunate event.”

“I gather that was Lila. The woman who manages this place?” Jed asked.

Jerry and Kathleen nodded.

“This is weird,” Susan said when the two couples were alone together. She didn’t expect anyone to disagree.

“Maybe it’s not. Maybe there’s something more sinister going on here,” Kathleen suggested.

“What do you mean?” Jed asked, wandering over to an upturned kayak and sitting down.

“Kath thinks the police are going to arrest me for Ally’s murder.”

“Do you know who killed her, Jerry?” Kathleen asked angrily. “Do you even know anyone else here who knew her? Are you willing to put your future in the hands of a police department you know nothing about in a foreign country? Are you?”

“Do you know if Allison was here with someone else?” Susan asked.

“Did you speak with her?” Kathleen asked.

“I think we should find out who else knew Allison,” Susan said, pressing her point when Jerry didn’t answer.

“I believe our guidebook to the island mentioned something about a local U.S. embassy office. Perhaps we should call there before any more time passes,” Jed said quietly.

“Did you speak with her?” Kathleen asked Jerry again.

“I think Jed has made an excellent suggestion. We should find that guidebook-or a phone book-and insist on speaking to a representative of our government,” Jerry said, ignoring his wife.

“Fine. You and Jed go call the embassy. Susan and I will just sit here and twiddle our thumbs.” Kathleen, despite her words, folded her arms across her chest and turned to look out at the sea.

“We’ll be here when you’re done,” Susan said, speaking more calmly than her friend.

“We won’t be long,” Jed said, getting up and following Jerry back toward the cottages.

“Don’t you think it’s a little odd that the police are allowing some guests to fly home and others aren’t even permitted to leave the resort?” Susan asked after a moment of silence.