Valerie Wolzien - Death in a Beach Chair

“Yes. What did she tell you?”

“She said she was here alone and that she was using the time to examine her own life. Well, I don’t know about you, but I consider all this self-examination stuff a load of cow doo-doo. I never waste any time examining my own life. I do what I do and that is that. I’ve always been that way.”

Susan suspected that Joann was too busy talking about herself to examine anything, but that isn’t what she said. “Apparently Allison didn’t feel the same way.”

“No, and her conversation was a fine example of where all this life-examining garbage can lead. No sooner did she start talking about life, the value of life, what she had done with her life, all that crap, than she started talking about death. Her own death!”

“In what way? I mean, she didn’t just say, ‘I’ve been thinking about my own death.’ ”

“She did! Well, she almost did. At least that’s what she began rambling on and on about. Very boring. I almost didn’t bother to listen. But then she said something that will interest you.” Joann stopped dramatically, brushed a stray curl of hair off her forehead, and almost toppled her kayak.

Susan willed her lips not to curve upward. “Are you all right?” she asked, when Joann had stopped wobbling.

“Of course. But I will admit that what I’m about to tell you is very upsetting. It upsets me to think of it and it upsets me to talk about it. But I believe in doing what is right so… Allison said she didn’t think her own death would be peaceful.”

“What did you say?”

“I actually don’t remember. It’s possible…” Susan heard a hint of insecurity in the other woman’s voice for the first time. “It’s possible that she said she expected to die a violent death. Well, you can imagine how I felt.”

“Of course, I’d be horribly upset if someone said anything like that to me. I mean, you must have been shocked and horrified and-”

“I was appalled. What a thing to say to me on vacation. I’m here to relax. I have a very complex life to return to in a few weeks. I certainly don’t expect to be burdened with a stranger’s silly worries.”

“Oh. Did you ask her what she meant?” Susan asked. “I mean, what sort of violence?”

“Of course not! I just told you that I was quite upset by what she said. Why would you ever imagine I’d encourage her to continue talking about it?”

“But-you said she predicted her own murder?” Susan protested.

“I believe what I said was that it was possible she knew she was going to be murdered. She talked to me about a violent end to her life. What is more violent than murder?”

Susan wouldn’t have argued with that even if she had thought there was half a chance that Joann would listen to anything she said. She just paddled back toward land with the rest of her group, wondering if she had learned anything this morning.

Later, reviewing what little she had been told, she realized the high point of the morning had been Joann’s kayak flipping over and dumping its passenger in the water as she passed the gazebo. Even Martin had smiled at that one.

Kathleen was sitting on the deck of her cottage, apparently writing postcards, as relaxed and content as any tourist.

Susan, recognizing a facade when she saw one, rushed to her friend’s side. “How’s Jerry? Did you see him?”

The smile that appeared on Kathleen’s face was real. “He’s okay, at least for now. There’s an American embassy office here. Not a big one, but the woman who runs it has been wonderful. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to convince the higher-ups in the local police department that everyone concerned would be better off if Jerry was incarcerated on U.S.-held property. Fortunately, the embassy offices were built on the ruins of an old English fort. Jerry’s locked up in a guarded room on the ground floor. It’s a bit musty and damp, but he has a sensational view out over the sea. For the time being at least, he’s safe.”

“What did he say? Did he tell you anything about Allison, or-” Susan stopped, realizing that Kathleen probably didn’t know that Jerry and Allison had been together the day of her death. “-or anything,” she concluded.

“A police officer stayed in the room with us, so we were both careful about what we said,” Kathleen answered. “But we talked for a bit. In fact, I’ve been writing notes here. I’m trying to figure out whether or not he was trying to tell me something that no one else would understand.”

“What do you mean? Some sort of code? What did he actually say?” Susan repositioned the card closest to her so that she could read the words written in Kathleen’s perfect Palmer-method script.

“Not a code. I thought he might be saying things that only he and I would understand. If that’s what he was trying to do, he failed. At least, I didn’t get it.”

“What did he say?” Susan asked again.

“He started out by telling me that he was fine, being treated well, not to worry. All that type of thing. He’s worried about the kids. What will happen to them if this hits the news back home and they hear about it.”

“Is there any reason to worry about that? Has there been any sort of news coverage about this?” Susan asked, momentarily distracted.

“Not that I know of. And Ms. Adams-she’s the woman in charge of the embassy office-says that as far as she knows, nothing has been reported back to the States about it. But she also said that all it would take for the story to hit the news at home is for one bored American journalist here on vacation to hear about it.”

“Let’s just hope Jerry’s out of there before anything like that happens.”

“Yes. I can’t imagine trying to explain this to the kids.” Kathleen was silent for a moment, playing with the rest of the postcards she’d written.

Susan sat quietly, waiting for her friend to continue.

“We didn’t have much time to talk,” Kathleen began again. “Jerry asked about the kids and then he asked about you. He wanted to know what you were doing-where you were.”

Susan nodded. “He was probably wondering if I was investigating.”

“I thought that at first, but then he said something interesting. He said that you were the only person who could help him.”

“He’s saying that he wants me to investigate Allison’s murder.”

“No, he emphasized only. The word only. I’m pretty sure of that. I got the impression that he was making this point for a reason. He may have been trying to say that he doesn’t want me involved in any investigation.” Kathleen picked up a card showing a gaudy sunset behind palm trees and examined the words she had written on it. “I’m pretty sure he said you were the only person who could help him. But it may have been should help him. I wish I could remember.”

Susan was still thinking about Kathleen’s first thought. “What does he expect you to do? Lie around the pool working on your tan?”

Kathleen dropped the card she had been studying. “You don’t think he was trying to tell me to go home, do you?”

“I don’t know,” Susan answered slowly. “Maybe he thinks you should be with Alex and Emily. If that’s what he means… are you thinking of leaving?”

“Absolutely not! I’m going to call Jerry’s parents and tell them what has happened. If it does hit the news, they should be prepared to deal with the kids-or maybe just get them away from town for a while or something-but I’m not leaving Jerry here alone and I am going to investigate this with you!”

“Of course you are! And I can’t imagine Jerry thinking you would do anything else. So what could he have been talking about?”