Murder on the Island

by Daisy White

  ‘It’s fine. Did you get one, then?’

  ‘They have to approve the paperwork, and do a home visit but yes, I reserved one.’ Chloe found herself beaming at him as she rinsed the bowls under the tap. ‘She’s called Hilda, and she’s a Staffie cross, five years old and just adorable. Helen – that’s the owner – said she had been kicked out because the family she belonged to had a new baby.’

  ‘A Staffie cross? Will she be okay with the horses?’ A slight shade of doubt crept into Antoine’s voice.

  ‘Oh yes. That’s one of the reasons Helen chose her for me. She came from a smallholding with ducks and chickens and cows. I can’t wait to get her home now.’

  ‘Do you think she’ll be a good guard dog?’

  ‘Is that a subtle way of asking if I’m still nervous?’ she teased him. ‘No, it’s fine, I’m joking. Yes, she’s not big and imposing but I think she’s certainly got a loud enough bark,’ Chloe said, remembering the excited dog putting her paws up against the wire fence, looking imploringly at Chloe. It had been love at first sight when Hilda was allowed to meet her properly, and she had hated leaving her behind.

  With the animals attended to and the chickens shut up for the night, Chloe made herself cheese on toast and a mug of coffee, before she curled up in bed with her pile of books.

  This time she did browse through one of Serena Gibbons’ titles, but only managed to get through a few chapters, before she drifted off, book in hand.

  Chloe slept badly, despite her exhaustion, and she woke early. The first rays of sunlight were pushing through the blinds, and the beach was calling her.

  At five in the morning, at low tide, the beach was perfection. Hers were the first footprints in the creamy pink sand, and she was quite alone for as far as she could see. Inhaling long breaths of the sweet, salty air, she tried to calm her racing thoughts. Was Melissa in trouble, or had she killed Georgias?

  The earlier thought returning to her troubled mind made her stop dead. Despite her assurances to the girl that she didn’t think she was the murderer, the discovery of the money made her edgy. It was such a lot of cash. This was not something she should get involved in, and yet she was already out of her depth. Her mother hen instinct to rush around rescuing everyone and everything, dimmed by her marriage, was now back in full force. She smiled ruefully to herself, thinking of the lovely Staffie cross who would soon be taking up residence in her home.

  But she was a newcomer to the island, despite her connections, and if she was serious about the stables, it really wouldn’t do to get tangled up with something illegal when she had barely settled in.

  The sensible thing to do would be to hand the package over to Finn when he picked her up today. But again she saw in her mind’s eye, Melissa’s tearful face, her assertion that the package was hers and her ill-concealed terror when Chloe mentioned talking to the police. Chloe had felt sure at the time the emotion was genuine, and if the poor girl couldn’t turn to her family or friends.

  She turned slowly, wandering back along the beach, pausing to examine the tiny blueish blobs that were man o’ war jellyfish washed up by the tide. Before the heat of the day arrived, the breeze was blissfully cool, tugging gently at her long skirt as she walked.

  Antoine was busy in the yard when she returned. ‘You’re out early, Mrs C. You all right?’ Goldie was tied up outside her stable as he forked soiled bedding into a wheelbarrow.

  ‘Yes, thanks. I just couldn’t sleep.’ She paused, unsure how to frame her next question. ‘I… I keep thinking of that poor artist. They haven’t caught the murderer yet, have they?’ She grabbed the second wheelbarrow and started on Jupiter’s stable. The comforting smell of horse and hay calmed her jitters a little, and she turned straw with vigour.

  ‘Not that I’ve heard. It’s shaken everyone up. We get trouble like anywhere else, but this is… bad,’ he said, leaning against the stable door.

  ‘I heard a rumour Melissa and Matthew were into drugs and the murder could be something to do with a deal gone wrong,’ she said, in what she hoped was a casual manner.

  She had underestimated his intelligence, and he raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘Where did you hear that?’

  ‘It was on a chat forum,’ she confessed. ‘I was just looking… I can’t get it out of my mind most days.’

  He studied her face for a moment, before nodding. ‘We don’t do drugs round here, but Matthew was definitely a party boy. He liked his pills, but he wasn’t dealing as far as I know. Melissa, well, I don’t know about her. I’ve never really talked to her, but she’s always been a bit of an ice queen. Doesn’t drink, doesn’t hang out at the all-night parties… Yeah, the ice queen.’

  Chloe considered this. ‘And her brother, Jonas?’

  ‘He’s always friendly enough. Bit like Melissa in that he’s very guarded, and icy when he wants to be. They’re a funny pair, but I do know they lost both their parents. Their dad in the last year, I think.’ He shrugged. ‘Who can judge how grief affects a person?’

  ‘I didn’t know they lost their father too,’ Chloe said, thinking grief may well have impaired Melissa’s recent decisions.

  Antoine fidgeted with the broom handle, and then met her gaze and burst out with, ‘Mrs C, if you don’t mind me asking, have you made any firm decisions about the horses?’

  She blinked, confused at the rapid change in subject. ‘What do you mean?’

  He put the broom down, slid a hand along Goldie’s neck and gave her an affectionate pat. ‘I’m just thinking about the future, you know like long term, if I’m going to have a job or need to find something else…’ He trailed off, obviously embarrassed.

  She set down her hay fork with a clang and studied his worried face. ‘I wanted to get things a bit more organised before we had a chat, but yes I have had a look at the books and I know we’re in trouble.’

  He glanced down at his feet, scuffing a toe on the concrete.

  ‘But I have plans and we’re going to relaunch Beachside Stables with a website, flyers and a whole lot of networking. The horses are beautiful and well-trained, we have the perfect location, and we have you and me!’ She grinned at him.

  His own grin of relief was just beginning to break through. ‘I thought you were going to say you’d decided to shut everything down and sell up. I’ve been wanting to ask for ages, but the timing never seemed right, and then there was the murder.’

  ‘I never back down on a challenge,’ Chloe promised him. ‘And I’ll go through everything with you tomorrow, if that’s okay? I mean, you’ve been the manager for a couple of years now, so you must have a brilliant insight into what we need and how to take this forward.’

  ‘I do!’ His eyes were sparkling now, and his enthusiasm matched her own. ‘I was saying to Dre about a website and social media, and about Louisa’s contacts on the tourist board, but she wasn’t having any of it.’

  Chloe laughed. ‘I can’t imagine Dre bothering with all that nonsense. But don’t worry, we’re going to make it work, I’m sure of it.’

  ‘I must text Louisa. She’s been waiting to hear if I’ve been made redundant these last few weeks,’ Antoine told her, reaching for his phone. ‘What are you doing today?’

  ‘When I’ve finished Star and Candy’s stables, I’ll do the water buckets, and then I’m going up to St George’s.’ She didn’t say who with and he didn’t ask. ‘I promise I’ll sort out all the paperwork and things this week. I suppose I’ve just been a bit thrown by all this. You know, with everything that’s been happening.’

  ‘Not surprising’ – he turned back to his chores, still beaming and tapping out texts – ‘Enjoy your day.’

  She paused on her way through the gate. ‘Just one thing I was curious about, Antoine, the investors who want to buy the property… Did Dre say why she wouldn’t sell?’

  His head jerked up. ‘Not really. She didn’t have anything against them, just said that this place was hers and she wasn’t selling. Got pretty annoyed when they kept
on pestering, but you can see how this would be a great area for redevelopment. Cliffside, access to the beach and all that. Plus they already did those new apartments further down the road. Your place would link it all up nicely.’

  Chloe could see why he had been so worried. ‘Okay, thanks.’

  He gave her the thumbs up, and she felt pleased to have set his mind at rest. Chloe went back inside for a shower, shooing the inevitable chickens from her doorstep. She thought again of the investors that wanted to buy her land. And Jonas had been going to ask her to sell the day she found Matthew Georgias’ body. Was it too much of a jump to consider that somebody might be trying to drive her out? Money, these things always came down to money. Was the gallery making a profit?

  Chloe gathered up her hair, her brain still ticking over. Surely not though. They couldn’t have guessed she would find the body, but it had been dumped on the trail below her house. For a second her mind flickered over the movement in Tranquility House as she’d ridden past…

  But it was one of two trails that Antoine used regularly for rides. Perhaps somebody had hoped her clients would stumble across Georgias. Whatever had happened, Georgias could have been murdered for money. But whose money?

  Chloe chided herself once again for having an overactive imagination, but her mind kept going over and over the same pieces of information. Where did Melissa, a painting and thousands of dollars fit into this picture? Jonas surely couldn’t be part of this. As a gallery owner and art dealer, Matthew would be worth more to him alive, especially since his work appeared to be gaining in popularity.

  A quick check on her emails revealed one from Helen at the SPCA saying her paperwork all checked out, and could she send someone over to tick off the home visit tomorrow?

  Chloe tapped out a reply in the affirmative, and hastily pegged the washing out to dry, before going inside again to pull off her baggy sweatpants and T-shirt, and agonise over what to wear for her day trip.

  Finn arrived promptly at ten, and Chloe, after brief panicky indecision over the pink dress or the blue one, was waiting at the top of her driveway. Off duty, he was dressed in a blue shirt and cargo shorts, sunglasses pushed up on top of his head.

  ‘All ready for me to be tour guide for the day?’

  She laughed, nerves vanishing. ‘I think I might be able to cope with you for the morning, but I’ll let you know if it gets too much!’

  The car moved smoothly through the morning traffic. Scooters hurtled past, overtaking on narrow bends, making Finn mutter about tourists. The roads in Bermuda were all narrow, and twisting by necessity, covering as they did the rocky areas inland and the shoreline that linked the parishes. They were certainly not designed for a large volume of traffic.

  ‘So how have you been? Are you managing to find everything you need?’ Finn asked, as they reached St George’s and parked in a convenient empty space at the side of the road.

  Chloe got out, relishing the warmth on her bare shoulders. She was glad she was wearing the thin pink cotton dress, instead of the long-sleeved blue one, as the sun was now high in the sky, and she could feel beads of sweat starting on her neck and back. ‘Yes, thanks. I’m going to relaunch Beachside Stables and as I get properly settled run it as a profitable business.’ She explained about the website and her idea of welcoming artists for drawing classes, and he was enthusiastic.

  ‘That’s a great idea. And Dockyard is a proper hub for small businesses, so I’m sure there will be lots of other ways to boost your profits.’ He glanced sideways at her. ‘Not to mention Jonas Aliente’s gallery. That has been a big success.’

  Something in the way he said it made her look at him. ‘You sound like that’s not such a good thing?’

  He sighed. ‘It is and it isn’t a good thing. There are a lot of people who feel Jonas should be helping to launch careers of Bermudian artists, but he focuses solely on foreigners. I know a few very talented up-and-coming artists who were turned away when the gallery first opened.’

  ‘Aaah, I see. I met the lady who runs the community shop at Dockyard… Emma? She hinted at much of the same. I suppose it might have got people’s backs up when Georgias became so successful?’ It would explain why Emma had seemed so cool towards the siblings. Or partly, anyway.

  He grinned. ‘Is that a leading question?’

  She could feel her cheeks burning, and bit her lip before answering. ‘Well you started it. Obviously I’ve been thinking about who killed him. I think the entire island has.’ Chloe glanced at him again, squashing the random thought that he looked very handsome striding along in the sunshine.

  They started to walk along narrow streets, edged with colourful houses; peppermint-green, candy-pink, and a vivid blue that rivalled the sky for depth and richness of colour.

  ‘I can’t comment in an official capacity, especially as it’s an ongoing investigation. Are you all right by yourself at the house? You’re not worried, are you?’

  ‘For myself?’ Chloe was touched by his concern. ‘Oh no, I’m fine. Ailsa practically lives at my house anyway, and Antoine’s around all day.’

  ‘She lives next door, doesn’t she?’ He grinned. ‘I’ve had to sort her grandsons out a few times in the past. Little hellraisers when they were younger, but they’ve calmed down a bit now. It’s amazing what a bit of sport can do.’

  ‘She mentioned one of them is in the UK on a cricket scholarship. Alfie, wasn’t it? Her daughter has twin boys, and she did say they were a bit of a handful,’ Chloe commented, pausing at a shop doorway. ‘This is so pretty. Do you mind if we stop for a bit?’

  He shrugged good-naturedly. ‘Of course not. We can do whatever you like. Yes, Alfie went when he was fourteen. He was another tearaway, but once he got into cricket properly, he was totally committed. Super-talented kid. Jordan could do the same but he’s less focused.’

  His voice had a slight edge, and Chloe glanced at him, surprised, but he just smiled and indicated she should go ahead of him through the doorway. ‘Ladies first.’

  The shop was filled with wire racks. On each tier neat piles of soap were stacked geometrically, so they looked like spiked sculptures, with corners pointing outward. Coloured blocks that smelt heavenly, and tempted Chloe’s purse.

  The owner was young, energetic and delighted with her praise. ‘These are all made by hand, and I sell all over the island. I got a grant to start exporting to a couple of boutiques in the US, so I guess I’ll have to expand soon.’

  ‘That’s great news, Claire.’ Finn smiled at her.

  ‘Yeah, I was over the moon when I heard. I got the money from the Skylight Foundation.’

  Chloe looked up from her browsing. ‘Isn’t that the same one that funds the sports scholarships?’

  Finn nodded. ‘There are lots of charities and community-interest projects on Bermuda, and many of them are set up specifically for one area or another. The Skylight Foundation is a little different, in that it will help any young person to achieve growth. It could be in business, or sport, or academically.’

  ‘Sounds like an excellent idea.’ Chloe bought a small gift box of citrus soaps to send to Alexa. The thought of her friend opening the box on a grey, gloomy London day, and her pleasure at the vibrantly-coloured present, made her smile.

  Claire took the money and popped the box into a string bag. ‘Yeah, I’m doing good at the moment, thanks to Arron Stone.’

  Chloe gave Finn a querying look, and he supplied the answer. ‘He’s the head of the foundation. Although he isn’t from Bermuda he has spent a lot of time over here. And he has family on the island.’

  ‘Oh?’

  They were walking out the door now, into the burst of sunshine.

  ‘Yes. Arron Stone is Jonas’ and Melissa Aliente’s stepfather.’

  She wasn’t sure why she was shocked by this. Everyone seemed to know everyone in Bermuda, and it made sense that there would be family connections. Melissa’s stepfather. Stone Galleries. Of course. ‘What’s he like?’

&n
bsp; ‘Arron?’ Another shrug as they strolled uphill now, away from the dock, through more tiny streets, dotted with cafes and shops. ‘I don’t really know him. I’ve seen him at benefits and other events. He lives mainly in New York, I believe. The family are very wealthy, and I do like it when those who have money, are compelled to use it for good. Seems like a top bloke all in all.’

  ‘I agree with the wealth thing.’ Chloe pushed a sweaty strand of hair out of her eyes. ‘If I had lots of money I’d donate to a whole bunch of charities and maybe start my own animal rescue centre.’

  Taking her lead, Finn grinned. ‘I’d help out some charities too, and then maybe buy my own boatyard. That would be the dream! Oh, to change the subject, I saw Helen from the SPCA yesterday and we talked about you. She mentioned you were getting a dog.’

  ‘This island!’ Chloe exclaimed, but she was laughing. ‘Everyone knows everything, don’t they? Yes, I am. She’s called Hilda and she’s a Staffie cross. I liked Helen a lot.’

  ‘She’s great and I’m glad you’re getting yourself a guard dog.’

  She looked at him quizzically. ‘You’re the second person who’s said that. Do you think I need one?’

  ‘No,’ he hastened to reassure her, ‘I just meant it might make you feel more secure having one.’

  ‘Aah, okay.’ Chloe felt it was time to change the subject. She had already made up her mind to tell him about both the sports-bag man and Melissa, but felt the need to prolong their normal conversation for a while before she got down to business. She was enjoying herself, she realised, in surprise. It was nice not to feel awkward or silly around Finn, as she had often done around men friends at home, and certainly around Mark…

  ‘Which way do you want to go now?’ Finn asked, as they reached a crossroads.

  ‘Can we go up and look at the Unfinished Church?’ Chloe turned towards Government Hill Road.

  ‘Are you all right walking? I know you mentioned that you wanted to see St Catherine’s Fort and that’s a good four-mile hike.’