by Mary Ellis
‘Well, they’re not. Is that pot fresh?’ The man pointed at the coffeemaker.
‘No, it’s leftover from early this morning.’
He pulled a silver tray from the shelf. ‘For now I’ll take everyone bottles of water. You deliver fresh coffee as soon as it’s done, then get busy fixing more than soup for lunch. Mr Frazier’s nephew arrived on the Slippery Eel. If we serve weak broth and last summer’s produce, we’ll embarrass the boss.’
‘Alexander is here, now?’ Norville shifted her weight from foot to foot.
‘That’s what I said,’ he snapped. ‘So dig through the freezer for something decent for the one o’clock meal.’ He let the door slam behind him.
‘Who was that guy and what’s his problem?’ Kate asked, slipping from her hiding spot.
‘That’s Alfred Compton, Mr Frazier’s butler.’ Norville wiped her palms down her long apron. ‘He’s usually nice, but Mr Alexander’s showing up unannounced made him flustered. Alfred doesn’t like surprises.’
Kate put her ear to the kitchen door. ‘I’m not fond of them either. That’s why I’m going with you to deliver that coffee. Get that pot started.’ Kate sat down at the table, tucked her weapon in the holster, but didn’t take her eyes off Norville. However, just as the pot finished brewing, the butler stomped back into the room, his face ashen.
‘Eliza, come quick,’ Compton wailed. ‘It’s Julian!’
Norville turned to face him. ‘What’s happened? Did Mr Frazier fall?’
‘No, but he might be dead. When I took water to the library, Mr Creery said Mr Frazier was sleeping. But when I checked, Julian didn’t seem to be breathing.’ The butler finally spotted Kate at the table and froze, his jaw falling slack. ‘Who are you?’ he demanded.
‘Kate Weller. I was invited to the island, remember? But someone has done everything in their power to keep me away from my friends.’
Compton stared at Kate and then shook his head. ‘You’ll have to be patient, Miss Weller. We’re in the middle of an emergency. Please, Eliza, come to Mr Frazier’s room. You’ve had some medical training. Hopefully, Julian has lapsed into a coma and isn’t dead.’ The butler, who had behaved so imperially, began to cry.
Norville dried her hands on her apron. ‘I’ve only had a few first-aid classes. If Mr Frazier has had a heart attack, we’ll need a defibrillator.’
‘Please just come, Eliza.’ Compton pulled the cook toward the door.
‘Wait a minute!’ Kate drew her weapon. ‘Nobody’s going anywhere.’
‘What’s wrong with you, young lady? Every minute counts when someone has stopped breathing!’
‘I understand, but I’m coming too. And Alfred, if you know what’s good for you, you’d better make sure we don’t run into Creery or his armed guards.’ Kate wasn’t taking any chances with the household staff, even though they were her best chance of finding her friends.
Carrying the carafe of fresh coffee, Compton preceded Kate and Norville down the hallway and waved them on when the coast was clear. In this clandestine fashion, the threesome navigated several passageways, two sets of stairs, and then stopped in front of an ornately carved entrance. Compton listened for a few moments, then unlocked the door and waved them in.
As soon as Compton closed the door behind them, he flew to Mr Frazier’s bedside. ‘Hurry, Eliza. See what you can do.’
Norville pulled back the covers which had been pulled up to the elderly man’s chin. And while the cook hunted for a pulse at the man’s wrist and throat, Kate ripped open his pajama top to listen for a heartbeat. After several disappointing attempts at CPR, they both shook their heads.
‘I’m very sorry, Alfred, but your first assumption was correct. Mr Frazier has passed on.’ Kate pulled the sheet over the man’s face.
‘He died alone,’ Compton sobbed, slumping into a bedside chair. ‘Nobody should have to die alone.’
Norville pulled a second chair next to his. ‘At least we’re here now.’ She patted the butler’s hand, tears glistening in her eyes.
‘I should have learned CPR like the rest of the staff,’ Compton said. ‘Then maybe I could have saved Mr Frazier when I first found him.’
Kate picked up a bottle from the bedside table. ‘This bottle of narcotic sleeping pills is empty. How many was Mr Frazier supposed to take?’
The question galvanized the butler into action. He grabbed the bottle from Kate’s fingers. ‘Only one pill at bedtime. And I just filled that prescription ten days ago.’
Careful not to touch the handle, Kate examined the empty cup next to the lamp. A residue of white powder remained on the bottom. ‘Compton, did you take Mr Frazier this cup of … chamomile tea?’
‘I certainly didn’t. It’s barely noon.’ Indignation dried the butler’s tears in a hurry.
‘I bet I know who did.’ Kate carefully set the teacup on the table. ‘I’m guessing your boss didn’t suffer a heart attack.’
Compton struggled to stand as though his legs had turned to rubber. ‘Murdered, just like the others. What should we do? Creery and those guards did this.’
‘Where are Mr Price and the others?’ Kate asked, grabbing the butler by his lapels.
‘Please, Miss Weller, I’m on your side.’ Compton tugged his coat back in place. ‘The guards are taking Mr Price and Mr Preston to the yacht to be transported to St Simons. Then the guards will come back for Nicki and Isabelle.’
‘You’re certain about this?’ Kate glared at him, eye-to-eye.
‘I heard Creery give the order when I delivered water to the library.’
‘Good, the police should be waiting when the boat arrives at the marina.’
‘Not good, Miss Weller.’ Compton sniffed. ‘I think Creery will make sure that the yacht never reaches the shore. Too many witnesses to refute whatever lies he’s telling Mr Alexander right now. He still has explosives from when they imploded the old factory.’
Kate’s chin snapped up. ‘Alex is in the library with Creery?’
‘Alex? How could you possibly know Mr Frazier’s nephew?’
‘I came across with him and his bodyguards on the Slippery Eel. Where are the others – Isabelle, Beth, Nicki and Hunter?’
Compton’s shoulders drooped. ‘Isabelle and Nicki are in Isabelle’s suite until the guards come back to get them and there’s a guard watching their door. Creery doesn’t trust anyone.’
‘What about Beth and Hunter?’
‘Beth was taken to wherever they have been keeping Hunter. That’s what I overheard, but I have no idea where, only that they are not inside the house.’
Kate placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Think, Compton! You must have some idea where prisoners could be locked up.’
Suddenly, the door opened and one of Alexander’s bodyguards walked in with his weapon drawn.
‘Baker?’ Kate asked.
‘Weller?’ he asked almost simultaneously. ‘What’s going on in here?’
Kate glanced up and down the hallway before closing the door. ‘Mr Frazier was murdered and it wasn’t any of us. My guess is he was poisoned with an overdose of sleeping pills.’
Baker pushed the butler and the cook aside on his way to the bed. Then he checked for signs of life. ‘Creery,’ he muttered. And, by the expression on his face, Baker wasn’t asking a question.
‘That was my guess too. Where’s Alexander?’ she asked.
‘In the library, but Nguyen is with him.’
‘Good, because we have more pressing problems. We need to free two PIs from one of the suites before Creery’s guards return for them. Do you have more than one weapon?’
Baker revealed a pair of shoulder holsters under his jacket, along with a third gun tucked into the waistband on his pants. ‘Why?’ he asked.
‘Both Isabelle and Nicki can handle firearms. We need to take out the guard at the door, liberate my friends, and get to the dock to rescue Nate and Michael. According to the butler, Creery might have wired the Slippery Eel with explosives.�
�� Kate hooked a thumb at Compton who nodded affirmatively.
Baker re-buttoned his coat with great dignity. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Weller, but I’m paid to protect Mr Frazier. I will help free your friends and provide them with weapons, but then I’m returning to the library. You’re on your own to save the two already on the yacht.’
Kate knew pleading would be useless. ‘Fine, but let’s hurry. Creery’s henchmen may already be on their way back.’
‘What do you want us to do?’ asked the cook. ‘We’ll help if we can.’
Kate had almost forgotten about them. Then an idea popped into her head. ‘If your son is like most teenagers, he has roamed over every inch of this island. See if Paul knows where Creery might be holding the prisoners.’
Norville nodded and hurried from the room.
‘Why don’t I deliver this coffee to Mrs Price’s suite?’ the butler suggested. ‘She’s in number seven down the hall off the foyer. I might be more useful to you there than in here.’ Compton cast another glance at his sheet-covered employer.
‘Good idea,’ Kate agreed, hatching a spur-of-the-moment plan. ‘When you get to Izzy’s door, insist that you’re let in immediately. Don’t let the guard take the carafe. We’ll try to get a drop on him.’
While Compton argued masterfully, Kate and Baker knocked the guard out cold without anyone firing a shot. Baker entered the luxurious suite first … and narrowly missed getting whacked with a curtain rod.
‘A curtain rod, really?’ Kate easily disarmed Nicki. ‘That’s the best weapon you could come up with?’
‘Kate!’ Isabelle flew at her like a bullet. ‘It’s so good to see you!’
‘Glad you finally made the party, Weller,’ Nicki sneered. Then she joined Izzy in a three-way hug. ‘And I challenge you to find a better weapon in this lame suite.’
While the Price team members celebrated their reunion, Baker dragged the unconscious guard into the room, bound his wrists with his own cuffs, and hogtied him with sash cords. When the guy came to, he wouldn’t be going anywhere soon.
‘And who might you be?’ Nicki stood over Baker’s shoulder, with curtain rod back in hand.
‘This is Mr Baker, Alexander Frazier’s bodyguard. He’s a good guy. Full story later. Right now you and Izzy need to get down to the dock. They’re holding Nate and Michael on the Slippery Eel which might be wired with explosives. Baker will provide weapons. Just make sure none of you are on that yacht if it leaves the dock.’
Baker handed over his extra firepower to Izzy and Nicki. ‘You’re going with them, right, Weller?’
‘No, since no one knows where Creery is holding Beth and Hunter, I’m coming to the library with you.’
The mention of Hunter’s name got Nicki’s attention. ‘No way, Kate,’ she said. ‘You go with Izzy. I’ll get the location out of Creery, one way or the other.’ She checked the magazine of the Glock pistol and tucked it into her jeans.
‘No, Nicki. If you show up, the guards will know you two escaped. It has to be me.’
Baker, who had been following the discussion curiously, arched an eyebrow. ‘How do you plan to pull that off?’
‘I’m an invited guest, remember? I hitched a ride on the Slippery Eel when Captain Burke brought Alexander Frazier here.’
Baker shook his head. ‘You think Creery will believe it took a week to track down the yacht and captain? Who in their right mind shows up on the last day of a retreat?’
‘Maybe not, but at least I’ll be inside the library.’ Kate opened her jacket to reveal her weapon. ‘One way or the other, Creery will tell me where Beth and Hunter are.’
After a bit more convincing, Nicki agreed to the plan. She and Izzy left the mansion through the cellar entrance while the cook ran interference.
After allowing enough time for them to reach the woods, Kate turned to the butler. ‘Compton, I want you to deliver that pot of coffee to the library in exactly ten minutes.’ She glanced at her watch.
‘This pot, Miss Weller?’ The butler’s lip twitched. ‘The coffee is quite cold by now.’
‘It doesn’t matter. That coffee might just provide another necessary diversion.’
Baker also checked his watch. ‘Mind telling me your plan?’
‘My plan? I’m just a hardworking PI from Pensacola who’s looking for her co-workers.’ Kate accentuated her drawl. ‘Luckily I ran into you while wandering around the house, because you know the way to the library. Give me a moment to text Eric back on St Simons. He’s my partner.’
‘This might just work,’ Baker said. ‘I’ll text Alex to say his uncle is still sleeping.’
Baker gagged the guard in Izzy’s suite and led the way with Kate behind him. Kate had the time it took to get to the library to come up with ideas. After all, who in their right mind showed up on the last day of a retreat?
Outside the library stood one of Creery’s unsmiling goons. ‘How is the old man?’ the guard asked. ‘And who the heck is she?’
Baker glared with haughtiness to rival Compton’s. ‘Mr Frazier is still sleeping. And this is Miss Weller, an invited guest. She arrived with Alexander Frazier.’ His contempt could not be plainer.
‘Hi, I’m Katie,’ she gushed. ‘Pleased ta meet ya.’
The guard ignored Kate’s outstretched hand. ‘Where has she been since the boat docked?’
‘Eating in the kitchen with Mrs Norville,’ she bubbled. ‘I never should’ve got on that boat hungry. That cook’s plate of cheesy grits settled my stomach just fine.’ Kate made a circular motion over her midsection.
‘I can confirm that Miss Weller was on the boat with my boss. Now unlock this door immediately!’ Baker thundered.
The guard complied. Then he followed them into a room where Creery and Alexander sat at a table with spreadsheets covering the surface. Both executives rose when Kate approached.
‘Who on earth are you?’ Creery demanded.
‘Hello again, Miss Weller,’ Alexander greeted. ‘I trust the cook gave you something to eat in the kitchen?’
‘Hi, Alex,’ she drawled. ‘Yes, Mrs Norville took good care of me and then directed me here. But this place is so confusin’, I got lost. Good thing I ran into your man, Baker.’ Kate elbowed the bodyguard in the ribs. ‘Say, you must be Julian Frazier.’ She approached an astonished Jonah Creery with her hand out. ‘How ya doing? I’m one of Nate Price’s investigators.’
‘I am not Julian Frazier. I’m Jonah Creery, his assistant. You’re Kate Weller?’ Like his henchman outside the door, Creery ignored Kate’s outstretched hand.
‘Yep, I finally made it, but it wasn’t easy. My boyfriend, Eric Manfredi, got so mad about the endless delays, he refused to come along.’ Slowly retracting her hand, Kate rambled on. ‘Oh, well. Boyfriends are a dime a dozen these days.’ She circled the table while assessing the room. Nguyen and Baker were near the door, flanking Creery’s guard. ‘Hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you married, Alex?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ The nephew seemed to be biting his cheek.
‘Why are the good ones always taken?’ Kate muttered, stopping on Creery’s left. ‘Could you take me to see Mr Julian now? I’d like to explain in person why I’m so late to his mystery party.’ Although Kate tried her best to look and sound earnest, Creery’s astonishment faded into barely concealed rage.
‘It was pointless to come now, young lady. The game is over, the mystery solved. You should have remained on St Simons with your dime-a-dozen boyfriend.’ Creery practically snorted flames from his nostrils.
‘Gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. But I brought a little hostess gift for him. Of course, Mr Frazier is a host not a hostess.’ Kate hiked her tote bag up her shoulder and giggled for good measure. ‘Alex, do you think I could see your uncle just for a minute or two?’
Asking the nephew instead of Creery sent the assistant over the top. ‘You may certainly not! Mr Julian isn’t feeling well. He asked that his rest not be disturbed. What’s more, Miss Weller, you have int
errupted an important business meeting. Considering the events of the last few days, the future of a major corporation may be at stake.’
‘What kind of events, Alex?’ Kate’s tone turned anxious.
‘Unfortunately, there were a few deaths on the island, but Jonah assured me that your co-workers are fine.’
‘Oh, my goodness, that’s awful. What happened? Was it a shark attack? Maybe food poisoning?’ Kate pressed both hands to her belly. ‘Please take me to Nate and Izzy Price,’ she pleaded, taking hold of Creery’s arm. ‘I won’t be able to relax until I know everyone is OK.’
Creery brushed away her hand like a bug. ‘I told you, Miss Weller. The mystery is over. Your friends are no longer inside the mansion. They have been escorted to the yacht in preparation to return to St Simons. In fact, I must notify Captain Burke not to leave without you.’
‘You want me to leave now?’ she squealed. ‘I don’t get to spend even one night in this cool house?’ Kate addressed her question to the nephew.
‘I’m sure one night can be arranged,’ Alexander said. ‘Why don’t you take your gift to my uncle while Creery and I discuss business? Baker can show you the way to his suite.’
Creery was obviously beginning to question the believability of Kate’s story. ‘I thought you were so worried about your friends. And why would you want to spend the night in a house where five people recently died?’
Kate didn’t have time to respond to the assistant, since Compton, who’d apparently been eavesdropping, chose that moment to stomp into the library with his pot of coffee. ‘Please don’t send Miss Weller to see your uncle, Mr Frazier, because Julian is dead. I’m sorry to say.’ Without missing a beat, Compton threw the contents of the carafe into Creery’s face. And then he threw the carafe. Unfortunately, the coffee was no longer hot.
For one split second, the butler’s brash action stupefied everyone in the room. Fortuitously, Kate and the bodyguards recovered first. Kate whipped out her weapon and aimed it at Creery’s dripping face, while Baker and Nguyen easily overpowered the mercenary.
‘Down on the ground, Jonah.’ Kate pressed the barrel of her gun to his neck. ‘Your game here is over.’