Valerie Wolzien - Death in a Beach Chair

“Jerry did not fall for Allison. They’ve…” She paused and decided not to say anything more than necessary. “They’ve known each other for years and years. And he certainly didn’t kill her. They-they’ve always gotten along well.” She paused for a minute, knowing that wasn’t true. Hadn’t June once told her that it was so much easier to celebrate the holidays at the Henshaws’ because everyone was much more polite when there were no family members present? At the time, Susan had assumed she was talking about the children. Certainly she was more confident that Chad and Chrissy would mind their manners at someone else’s home. But was it possible that June had meant the adults? Had Allison and Jerry gotten along? She noticed that the other woman was staring at her curiously.

“I’m sure this is all going to turn out to be a huge mistake and everything will be fine,” Susan insisted. “In fact, I’m so sure everything is going to be fine that I am going to go kayaking until everyone returns.” She hoped the smile on her face didn’t look as forced as it felt.

“Why, you brave thing! Why don’t my husband and I go along with you? We can keep you from becoming depressed. Let me just go find Martin. That man can vanish more quickly than anyone I know. My name’s Joann. I’ll just see if I can find my husband… but you call on me if you need anything. Anything at all.” Joann turned and moved away remarkably quickly for someone her size.

Susan took a deep breath and hurried down the steps to the beach where the kayaks waited. James was nowhere to be seen. She paced back and forth, watching out for anything with spines or gelatinous substances. Who would have suspected these gorgeous beaches could be dangerous-or even lethal? On the other hand, who would have imagined going on vacation and becoming a suspect in a murder investigation? She sat down on an upturned kayak and looked around. The stone wall behind her blocked her view of the resort’s buildings, so she turned and looked out to sea-and realized she had a sensational view of the spot where Allison had been found.

A Compass Bay beach towel was still draped across the lounge. Instead of the yellow police-line do-not-cross tape that would have been wound around the area in the States, here a bright red rope strung across the middle of the pier prevented the curious from getting too close to the crime scene. On the other hand…

As she watched, a head popped up out of the surf, looked around, and apparently spying her, ducked back down.

Susan jumped up and ran across the few feet to the water and waded in, trying to keep an eye on the underwater swimmer, but he-she was pretty sure it was a he-was impossible to spy beneath the lambent sunlight on the water.

“See something interesting, Mrs. Henshaw?”

Susan looked up and over her shoulder and discovered James striding down the stairs to the beach.

“Someone-there’s someone swimming out there-underwater.”

“Snorkeling?”

“Excuse me?”

“One of the guests snorkeling?” He paused in his descent and, shading his eyes with one hand, peered out to sea.

“Yes. I guess that’s who it was. I was surprised by how long whoever it was remained underwater.”

“Probably someone snorkeling and you didn’t see the tip of the snorkel above the water,” James said, putting down his hand and turning to Susan. “Good news. The Robbinses are going to kayak with us. The more people we have, the more fun we have,” he added without much enthusiasm.

“Can she-I mean-” Susan was too much of a lady to ask the question.

“Many of our larger guests do just fine on the sea kayaks,” James said, answering the question she hadn’t asked.

“I know the kayaks aren’t as unsteady as they appear. But I still have trouble getting on and off,” Susan said, chatting as though nothing untoward had happened. She was still staring out at the sea. “How long can someone stay underwater when they’re snorkeling?”

“All day if they’re good. You don’t want to get water in the snorkel. Or in your eye mask, of course. You never tried to do it?”

“No.”

“You try. You might like it. Many of our guests like it. Oh, here are our companions all ready to go out to sea.”

“Yes. We’re ready!” Joann agreed, making her way slowly down the steep steps.

“Some of us are readier than others of us,” her husband said, trailing behind.

Joann threw him an angry look over her shoulder. “We’re here to have fun. We’re here to experience new things. There’s no reason we shouldn’t go kayaking.”

Martin Robbins flushed. “I don’t think I said anything to imply that I wasn’t going along.” His pale blue eyes glanced up at Susan for a moment before looking down at the boats.

Susan suddenly realized that Martin must have been exceptionally good-looking when he was young. He still seemed to be in excellent shape-tall and athletic. The contrast with his wife made her look even dumpier. Susan wondered what had brought them together when they were younger. Had she been thinner, less demanding, less annoying? Had he been the dominant partner in their relationship in the early years? She sighed. There was no time to speculate about such things now.

“Mrs. Henshaw, do you want to use the same kayak you used yesterday?” James asked, pushing the red plastic crescent toward her.

“I guess.”

“And I’d like that yellow one over there,” Joann spoke up. “Martin, you take the blue one.”

Susan couldn’t help hoping Joann would get soaked while trying to board her kayak, but, in yet another example of the lack of justice in the world, Joann slid onto her kayak without even mussing her hair. Martin, benefiting no doubt from the long list of instructions his wife offered, followed suit. The dunking that Susan got almost made her forget why she had suggested this activity in the first place.

James waited patiently for her to right herself, regain her balance, and begin paddling. Then he jumped into the last kayak and began to paddle. “Where do we go?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Susan answered honestly.

Susan’s experience in touring kayaks was once again not helping her to get the hang of the little sea kayak on which she was perched. She was having so much trouble, in fact, that she was forced to accept James’s offer to travel by her side.

Joann smirked and Martin looked concerned, but Susan had gotten what she wanted-the opportunity to talk with James in relative privacy.

“I heard you were walking on the beach last night.” She jumped right in, not knowing how long Joann would be content to bounce around on the waves, displaying a surprising skill in this sport.

“Ah, you know about that, do you? I am courting a lovely young lady who works in the kitchen. Her parents are very old-fashioned. They think I’m unsuitable for some reason.” James offered his most charming smile, and Susan could understand why a young woman’s parents would worry if their daughter was interested in him. “So we spend time together here when we can,” he continued. “The staff isn’t really supposed to be using the beach,” he added, lowering his voice. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention seeing me to Lila.”

“I’d never do that,” she assured him. “I mean, you have a right to your privacy. I’d imagine the beach was pretty deserted yesterday evening, wasn’t it?”

“No, ma’am! Cottages are all full this week. At least, they were until three emptied out this morning. But, still, there are few places where a man and his girl can be alone.”

“Did someone interrupt you yesterday?” Susan asked.

“We are always interrupted. You all okay?” he called out as the Robbinses steered their kayaks to the east.