“Anna! I didn’t think I’d hear from you,” said Hans. “I was just going to the beach.”
“My thought too. But this hotel’s miles from the sea.” Anna took a deep breath. “I have a proposition for you.”
“If it involves seeing you again, the answer’s yes.”
“But you haven’t heard what it is yet, and it would mean giving up the rest of your holiday. You would have to come with me to St. Barbe’s. I have to investigate something, and to do so I must pose as a tourist. If I go on my own, I’ll attract more attention than if I had a partner.”
“So you want to marry me?”
Anna laughed. “No, of course not. Just pretend.”
“Oh well, that’s better than nothing.”
Anna laughed again, and Hans went on, “But seriously, I’ll join you wherever you want to go, no strings attached, and you don’t have to tell me anything about your devious activities. What’s the plan?”
“We’ll go to St. Barbe’s on Friday. Meet me here tomorrow, then we can talk and I’ll buy you dinner.”
“Fantastic!” replied Hans. “See you tomorrow.”
Next, Anna made reservations for them at the Leeward Estate Hotel under the name of Wetzlar. Hopefully, she would learn something about the strange happenings there, and perhaps get a lead on the Seakers’ disappearance. Just as she finished booking the seats on a flight to St. Barbe’s, a taxi arrived to take her to the Seakers’ restaurant.
Anna found the supervisor in a small cluttered office, and after introducing herself, asked if she knew what had happened to her employers. The woman repeated what she had told Hanley’s agent, but with a couple of additions.
“They were obviously devoted to each other from the way they behaved. You know what I mean. They’re such nice people too. The pay is good here and they take a personal interest in all the staff, and everyone is pretty upset. They phoned me from St. Barbe’s and told me they’d be on a particular flight, but they weren’t. We don’t know what to do. We’ve heard nothing in a fortnight.”
“You don’t need to worry about your jobs,” said Anna. “The Seakers are only part-owners of this establishment. My company holds a majority interest, and is responsible for you if anything happens to them. We would like to employ you as manager until they return, and if they don’t, the position will be permanent. Judging by the small number of empty tables, you must be doing pretty well. In fact, I’d like to bring my husband to dinner tomorrow.”
Thursday, September 13, Kingston, Jamaica
Anna and Hans met for lunch at the Casa Monte. A steel band was playing by the pool, and the meal was being served outside in the shade of lush tropical trees. Over drinks, Anna broached the subject of the sleeping arrangements for their trip, informing Hans that she had booked a room with separate beds.
“I promise to behave and observe proper decorum,” Hans replied. “To change the subject, what can you tell me about the purpose of your journey?”
“Let’s eat first. I’ve figured out how little I can tell you, but not how much. When the band has a break, I’ll fill you in. By the way, we’re going to an excellent restaurant tonight, so don’t eat too much.”
They were drinking coffee by the time the music stopped.
“The reason I came to the Caribbean is to look for two people who have disappeared,” Anna began carefully. “They are best described as part-time agents of Thibald and Sörnsen. On their own time they run the restaurant we’re going to tonight. They went to St. Barbe’s because they joined a consortium, which is renovating an old hotel there. While on the island, they stayed at the Leeward Estate Hotel. That’s why we’re booked in at the same place. A couple of weeks ago they left St. Barbe’s to return here, and no one has heard from them since.”
“But that’s not all, is it?”
“No, it’s not. While they were on the island, they found or maybe sensed, that things weren’t normal. As part of their job they sent me a report. Beyond that I can’t go.”
“How do you mean, things weren’t normal?”
Anna told Hans about Bobbie Calluna’s adventure, and the bear-like animal, and the dead body that Jon and Josie had found. She didn’t divulge any of the more sinister information in the Seakers’ reports.
Saturday, September 15, Leeward Estate Hotel, St. Barbe’s
Anna made up her mind that she and Hans should be convincing tourists on their first day at Leeward, so immediately after breakfast they went to see Peter at the reception desk to ask about a car.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he replied. “The store owner in the village sometimes hires one out if he’s not using it. Incidentally, if you go to Jamestown, don’t be surprised if you’re stopped by the police. They keep a close eye on strangers.”
Hans picked up a tourist map from a pile on the desk, and they returned to their room to study it.
“I want to visit Syke’s Hotel like we discussed on the plane yesterday,” said Anna. “How about driving down for lunch?”
“An excellent idea.”
“And after that we can go snorkeling in Coral Bay,” Anna added. “It’s very close to the hotel.”
About an hour later, while Anna and Hans were strolling round the pond by the sea grape trees, a man drove up in an old Volkswagen beetle. They watched him stop at the front door.
Anna took off her sunglasses. “I have a sinking feeling that may be ours. I didn’t know there were any left.”
“They’re still making them in Mexico,” replied Hans. “Can you use a stick shift?”
“Sorry, you’ll have to drive. Come on, let’s find our swimsuits.”
They started back across the lawn toward the house.
“By the way,” said Hans, “we haven’t seen the little girl you told me about. I wonder where she is.”
“Probably playing with her friends. I’d like to meet her.”
They drove to Syke’s Hotel along the south coast road. When they arrived, they found that it was closing for renovations the next day. After a light lunch, they rented snorkeling equipment, and put on their swimsuits in the changing rooms, which were in the garden. Anna’s beach robe brushed against hibiscus bushes as they walked down a path to the shore.
“Let’s go for a swim before we gear up,” said Anna taking off the robe and starting toward the sea.
Hans gasped. She was wearing a skimpy blue bikini that showed off her slender body perfectly. He couldn’t stop staring as they ran across the hot sand. They splashed around for a few minutes, and then returned for the snorkels.
“If I spend the rest of the afternoon gawping at you, it’s because I can’t help it,” he said. “You look stunning.”
Anna felt herself blushing a little; it was years since that had happened. “You look pretty good yourself,” she replied, and meant it.
The situation heated up when they started to anoint each other with sun screen prior to snorkeling. Hans turned his back and felt her gentle hands spreading the lotion across his broad shoulders. Every movement of her fingers on his flesh sent waves of desire through him.
“That’s about enough.” Anna twirled him around and handed over the tube. Then she glanced down.
“Maybe too much,” she whispered.
Hans thought she was going to turn away, but instead, to his amazement, she grabbed him round the waist and pressed her hips against him. Fortunately there was no one nearby.
“Jesus,” whispered Anna when she felt the smooth skin of his well-muscled body against hers.
Hans groaned when her soft breasts pressed against his chest.
“Let’s go back to our room,” he said.
“No, I want to watch you swim. And since we’re here, I suppose we should see the coral and the fish.”
“Pity there are people around.” Hans pushed her back gently by the shoulders and gazed longingly at the outline of her figure under the thin bikini. His imagination ran riot.
“As soon as we get back . . .” Anna held
his face in her hands and kissed him. “Come on. I’ll race you to the water.”
They grabbed their flippers and ran for the sea.
An hour and a half later, Hans parked the beetle at Leeward. Peter was at the reception desk, and they asked him to call Mr. Grinder about having the car on the following day.
Peter handed them their key. “How was the snorkeling? It’s not what it used to be as the coral is getting badly bleached. You wouldn’t notice if you hadn’t lived here and seen it change. It’s probably going to die because of warm sea temperatures. The greenhouse effect is the problem. The sad part is that nothing can be done about it except hope that some species will survive.”
“That’s definitely not good,” replied Hans.
When they got upstairs, Hans put the “Do not Disturb” sign on the door handle, and they discarded their damp swimsuits and towels on the bathroom floor. He started to undo the buttons of his shirt, but Anna put out a hand to stop him.
“No,” she whispered. “Let me.” She slipped it off his shoulders.
Hans lifted Anna’s thin blouse over her head. She was just the right height to lay her head on his chest so he could undo her bra. Then he eased her back so it fell away. He felt almost dizzy with excitement as he gently held her breasts, which were full for one so slender. Then he stroked her nipples with his finger tips. A few moments later they were naked, and Hans lowered Anna to the bed. They explored each other for a long time, caressing and kissing. Finally Anna rolled onto her back.
“I can’t believe it,” said Hans after a few minutes.
“Nor can I,” Anna replied.
That night they slept very well.
Sunday, September 16, Leeward Estate Hotel
Peter was having his midmorning coffee and working on the hotel accounts in his office, when Meg walked in.
“How’s it going?”
“Not bad. We’re far from the poor house, but the government’s tax increases will take quite a chunk out of this year’s profits.”
“And what do we get in return? A lot of pseudo-policemen with machine guns. By the way, what do you think of the Wetzlars? They seem a bit odd somehow.”
“Exactly what I thought,” Peter replied. “Have you noticed they speak English all the time, even when they’re alone? I’ve overheard them.”
“But that could be explained by their different nationalities. Anna’s Swedish and Hans Wetzlar’s German. To me, they don’t look very married. Call it woman’s intuition if you like.”
The subjects of this conversation were just leaving for Jamestown in the beetle. Anna wanted to visit the capital city, and then get an idea of the island’s geography. They planned to cruise around for a while, and end up at Coral Bay for another swim.
A little over an hour later, they left the Volkswagen in a municipal car park near the center of Jamestown. After visiting a few stores, they took some photographs. While they stood outside a souvenir shop consulting their map, Hans noticed the Police Headquarters building at the end of a side street opposite. Two armed guards were watching them carefully, and as soon as the visitors moved on, one of them went inside.
“It’s a bit hot here, isn’t it?” Hans commented. “Let’s go to the Holiday Inn for lunch, then on round the eastern tip of the island.”
“Good idea,” replied Anna. “I could do with a cold drink.”
They retraced their steps toward the car park, but stopped abruptly when they turned a corner and saw the car, which was about fifty yards away. There were three policemen with automatic weapons standing beside it; one was an officer. He glanced up and spotted them.
“Come on.” Hans took Anna’s hand. “We have to let them check our papers.”
They walked to the car park as naturally as possible. The police kept them a long time, longer than necessary to check their passports. They were held virtually at gunpoint for twenty minutes, with the sun beating down from a cloudless sky. During that time, they were questioned closely as to what they were doing, where they were going, where they were staying, and why they were on St. Barbe’s. The car was examined from one end to the other, their international drivers’ license numbers were recorded, and one officer returned to Police Headquarters to check the name on the vehicle registration. By the time they were on their way out of town, both were perspiring heavily and Anna was furious.
“That was totally uncalled for! Blatant intimidation! Under normal circumstances I would go straight to the German Consul. As I told you, he represents Sweden here.”
“But obviously circumstances aren’t normal, are they?” said Hans. “This is a small island that appears to be stable, and yet there are all these goons wandering around armed to the teeth. Mr. Grinder, who rented us the car, told me the place is little short of a fortress.”
“The Caribbean is supposed to be politically quiet at the moment,” replied Anna. “Most of the islands are running their internal affairs smoothly, but as for this place . . .”
They reached the Holiday Inn and ordered lunch at an outside table overlooking the beach and Witch’s Bay. Several times during their short meal, heavily armed coastguard launches passed within a few hundred yards of the shore.
As planned, they investigated the eastern tip of the island, then drove to Coral Bay. Syke’s Hotel was deserted except for the gardener, who was doubling as daytime security guard until the builders arrived. He recognized them from their previous visit and allowed them to leave the beetle in the car park. They changed on the beach, which was also empty save for a few children half a mile away. Then, as they walked across the sand, a throbbing sound drifted across the water.
“What’s that?” asked Anna.
“Sounds like a chopper.”
Within minutes, a small helicopter materialized out to sea. It was flying low in a straight line directly toward them. By the time the machine was a quarter of a mile away, it had slowed considerably, but was maintaining its course about fifty feet up. Hans noted how the down draught flattened the waves, but Anna squinted against the brightness of the sky to see into the cockpit. On it came, now only a hundred yards off, just outside the breaking waves.
“Do you think they’re watching us?” Anna had to shout above the racket. But Hans didn’t have to answer. Instead of moving off, the helicopter positioned itself right overhead, then gradually descended as if it would land right on top of them. The sound was deafening, and the wind from the rotors blew straight onto their heads with tremendous force. Fortunately the sand was blown outwards from where they stood.
Hans grabbed Anna and yelled into her ear. “We’ll have to run for it! Hold your breath and shield your eyes when we hit the blowing sand. I’ll hang on to you!”
Hand in hand, they sprinted through the storm of blinding particles, which seemed to sear their exposed flesh. They reached the hibiscus hedge, and the chopper followed. Once away from the beach, they could see and breathe again, and were able to make better speed toward Syke’s Hotel. The gardener had watched the whole incident from his position outside the main door, and was waving frantically to get their attention. All the while the helicopter continued to hover directly above them as they ran, but when they reached the building it was forced to rise. The gardener held the door open, and in a moment they were inside. The man slammed it shut, and the roar from outside was muted.
“Christ all bloody mighty!” cried Anna in a raging fury. “Who the hell was the halfwit in that machine?”
Hans put an arm round her. “I’ll bet it was the cops, but there was no registration number.” He turned to the gardener. “We can’t thank you enough.”
“What crazy man would to that? Was he trying to kill you? And look at my garden.” He pointed through the glass doors. “That mean bastard’s flattened some of my best plants.”
“Has he gone?” asked Anna.
They listened for a moment. There wasn’t a sound. The marauder had departed.
Back outside, the three of them surveyed the damage to
the flower beds. Anna commiserated with the gardener, and thanked him again for his help. Before departing for Leeward, they retrieved their clothes, which had been blown into nearby shrubs and small trees.
Needless to say, Meg and Peter were all ears when they were told about the incident.
“We had no idea there was a helicopter on the island.” Peter was clearly concerned. “The government must have just bought it, but I can’t imagine why they’d want to scare tourists. No one will visit St. Barbe’s if word gets out about this kind of thing.”
Monday, September 17, Leeward Estate Hotel
It was seven in the morning, and Peter was shaving. He glanced at his watch, which was lying on the bathroom vanity, and noted the date. He realized it was almost two weeks since the various goings on in Boston. Surely by this time the police must have some idea who planted the bugs in Judge Winchester’s house. And the suspected connection with St. Barbe’s, was it real or imaginary? Perhaps he would call Jon tonight. As he wiped the shaving cream from his face, the bedside phone rang. Meg had one foot out of bed and answered it.
“It’s Jon,” she said.
“I’ll talk to him,” said Peter crossing the room. “Hi, Jon, I was going to call you tonight. What’s new?”
“Nothing,” came the reply. “That’s the problem, nothing at all. Superintendent Thompson’s come up against a brick wall. There was no sign of anyone breaking in at Josie’s Dad’s, but they obviously did.”
“What about the man the Judge saw in court? “
“He never appeared again. But the reason I am calling, Uncle Peter, is to say I want to come down for a few days. I can’t seem to think straight, and my work’s suffering. I thought we might be able to find out something if we started from your end.”
“That’s okay with me,” said Peter. “When can we expect you?”
“How about today? I’ve booked the usual flights. Josie’s staying home. She’s terrified of going through immigration again.”
“I’ll get Rodney to meet you.”
Anna and Hans had slept fitfully after the incident with the helicopter, so Hans prescribed a restful morning by the pool. After lunch, they relaxed on the seat under the sea grape tree by the pond, and Anna had dozed off with her head on Hans’ shoulder. About ten minutes later there was a rustling in the shrubbery. It was Tonto, wanting to be fussed. When Anna opened her eyes she saw a small blonde girl running along the path beside the water. She stopped and smiled.
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