Eulalie went to her desk to do some research of her own into the three employees her secretary had flagged.
Financially and personally, they all appeared stable. Mrs. Belfast was right. There was nothing on their records that would suggest they were vulnerable to bribery. If not for the strange connections her secretary had found, there would be nothing to raise one’s suspicions.
“Wait a minute.”
Eulalie scrolled back to check on something. Then she followed a link to another site, and then another.
“Guess what, Mrs. B.?” she called across the office. “Dominic Chambry is the brother of Natalie Waylon, who is married to Howard Waylon of Waylon’s Construction.”
“The one who threw a bunch of keys at you, dear?”
“Not at me – at her brother-in-law. Herbert Waylon is the brother who has been left in the lurch ever since Howard disappeared into thin air just before he was due to meet with Sawyer Blakely.”
“Goodness me. Do you think it’s a conspiracy?”
“I think there are connections here that need to be explored. I’m also wondering how a man calling himself Lord Peter Pringle fits into the picture, and how two dead bodies could have turned up in the forest in the space of a week.”
“Two dead bodies? I only knew about one.”
“There’s an autopsy happening right now. When its finished, Chief Macgregor will send a press release to the media. They are going to need help finding out who he was.”
“I can look into your Lord Pringle, if you like,” said Mrs. Belfast. “I can see if he has used that alias before.”
“Thanks, Mrs. B., but Chief Macgregor is already on it. And I don’t want you working after five o’clock. I know you have yoga this evening.”
“Don’t worry, dear. I won’t. If I find out anything before five, I’ll text you.”
Eulalie found herself dragging her feet as she walked up Lafayette Drive towards Sweet as Flowers.
Never had she been so reluctant to see her friend. Ever since the day they had met as freshmen at the University of Cape Town, their rapport had been effortless. Fleur had felt like the sister Eulalie had never had. As a child, Eulalie had gravitated towards boys, enjoying the physicality of their games and interaction. It was only when she was eighteen and living away from home that she realized how much she missed having a woman friend.
The first time she and Fleur had got tipsy together, Eulalie had found herself blurting out secrets she had never told anyone – things about herself that only the other villagers knew. Fleur had never betrayed that confidence.
When they graduated after four years, Fleur had uprooted her life in Cape Town and moved to Prince William Island to prove to herself that she could make it on her own, without her family’s name or money to help her along. She and Eulalie had seen each other through all the penny-pinching, heartbreaking days of starting up a new business. Seven years later, Sweet as Flowers and Eulalie Park Investigations were well-respected businesses in Queen’s Town. They had come a long way together.
Now, it felt as though everything had changed. Fleur hadn’t been in touch in days, whereas usually they texted each other continually.
There had been no fight – no harsh words or accusations on either side. But something had changed.
Despite Eulalie’s best efforts to keep her feelings hidden, Fleur had sensed that she disapproved of Peter Pringle. And instead of trying to talk the issue through as they normally would, Fleur had gone cold and silent.
Eulalie wondered what warnings Pringle had been whispering into Fleur’s ear that had made her cut her best friend off like this. She would find a way to break through – she had to. She already had an idea of what might work.
Gathering her courage, Eulalie quickened her steps and got to Sweet as Flowers just as it was winding down for the day.
“Hey, Eulalie.” Jethro looked up from wiping down tables as she walked in. He raised his eyebrows and then lowered them again, as though to tell her that he wasn’t going to mention the fact that this was her second visit to the coffee shop that day. She gave him a nod of acknowledgement and walked through to the kitchen where she could hear Fleur giving her final instructions for the day.
“I’ll order a new gas bottle this evening, so expect it to be delivered some time tomorrow morning. Remember to change the pre-settings on the new coffee machine, and don’t forget to start prepping choux pastry tomorrow morning. I want to offer profiteroles as a tea time special.”
There were murmurs of assent, and Fleur turned to go back into the restaurant area.
She looked up and saw Eulalie. For a second, her face lit up with pleasure, but this passed quickly.
“Hello.” Fleur’s voice was cool.
Eulalie gave her a hug as she usually would, ignoring all the warning signs telling her not to.
“I’ve had the most horrendous day. I really need to unload. Do you want to come to Angel’s Place for a drink?”
“What about Chief Macgregor? Why don’t you speak to him?”
“Because he’s part of the problem, of course. Come on – just a quick one.”
Fleur hesitated. “I don’t know. I’m meeting Peter later.”
“It won’t take long. You can tell him to pick you up at Angel’s. She’d love to meet him.”
The look on Fleur’s face told her that she highly doubted this. Eulalie could see her curiosity warring with hurt feelings. Curiosity won.
“Okay. Just a quick one.”
While Fleur finished up her work, Eulalie sent her grandmother a series of texts explaining the situation. She told her about Lord Pringle and his connection to the Megamoxy bid. She told her about Fleur’s recent coolness and apparent suspicion that Eulalie did not approve of her new boyfriend. Then she tried to explain the tactic she was using to get Fleur to let her guard down and open up about Pringle.
Fortunately, Angel was quick on the uptake.
Fleur switched off the lights and locked up the restaurant. They walked down Lafayette Boulevard together towards downtown. Fleur’s mood was subdued. Whatever Pringle was bringing into her life, happiness didn’t seem to be part of it.
It was hard to keep a bad mood going as Queen’s Town made the transition from day to night. There were strings of fairy lights looped between the trees all the way along the boulevard. As they twinkled into life, it was impossible not to feel cheered. The sidewalk cafés turned on lights and music that spilled out onto the boulevard.
The people were a mixture of the post-work happy hour crowd, tourists enjoying a drink before dinner, and local families socializing in the traditional island way. Children darted around the boulevard as though it were their backyard. They formed little gangs as they met up with their friends. They didn’t need to be told not to go into the road because they had all known that since toddlerhood.
Eulalie and Fleur were hailed on all sides as they walked. Queen’s Town was a sociable place and failure to respond cheerfully to a greeting would cause instant concern. As Eulalie watched, Fleur’s smile became less forced and her greetings more spontaneous the closer they got to downtown. Lafayette Boulevard was having a mellowing effect on her.
They turned into Angel’s Place, and Gigi Bartineau greeted them with two cocktails on a tray.
“Compliments of Angel,” she explained. “One of the barmen is trying out new recipes tonight.”
“Great!” Eulalie reached for the cocktail closest to her. “Thanks.”
“Uh…” Gigi turned the tray so that the other cocktail was facing Eulalie. “This one is for you, Eulalie. And this is yours, Fleur. Angel would really appreciate your opinion of them.”
Eulalie took a sip of hers, noting that it was mostly soda and fruit juice.
“It’s… delicious.” She took another sip and tried not to screw up her face at the toe-curling sweetness of the drink.
Gigi ushered them to Eulalie’s usual spot by the bar. As they sat down, Fleur took the first sip of her cockta
il. She choked and coughed. “Wow. That’s strong. Was yours strong, Eulalie?”
“Deadly.” Eulalie made herself cough a bit.
So that was Angel’s tactic. In vino veritas. They would get Fleur drunk and extract Peter Pringle’s secrets from her. Eulalie could find no flaw with this program. Fleur needed to loosen up and let her guard down. If that cocktail was half as strong as she said, that goal was well on its way to being achieved.
Thirsty after a day’s work and their walk to downtown, Fleur drank her cocktail quickly. When she looked up at Eulalie again, some of the tension had gone out of her face. With perfect timing, Angel glided into the bar area and gave each of them a quick embrace and a double cheek kiss.
“Fleur, chérie, it is good to see you. It has been weeks. Eulalie! Ma pauvre. Poor darling. Men are pigs. But never mind. We’ll find a way for you to get him back.”
Eulalie drooped in her seat.
“Who says I want him back?”
“Ma petite! Don’t speak like that. Of course you do. You are perfect for each other. This means nothing – nothing at all. That woman is an irrelevance.” Angel made shooing motions with her hands. “We will swat her like a fly and she will be gone. You’ll see.”
Fleur looked from Eulalie to Angel, and back again. Her eyes were slightly unfocused, but alive with curiosity.
“What is it?” she asked. “What’s happened?”
Gigi whisked away their empty cocktail glasses. A moment later, she was back with fresh ones.
“Another recipe for you ladies to try. The barman would greatly value your opinion.”
“I don’t know.” Fleur gave the cocktails a doubtful look. “That first one was very strong. I probably shouldn’t. Peter and I are going out to dinner.”
“Nonsense,” said Angel. “That first one was strong, I’ll admit. But this one is just a nothing. It is a little puff of air. A child of three could drink it.”
This time, Gigi had been very careful about which cocktail she put in front of Eulalie, and which she put in front of Fleur.
“That first one was pretty strong.” Eulalie shook her head. “But if this one is really light…?”
“As light as a feather.” Gigi managed to keep a straight face.
“Okay, then.” With a show of reluctance, Eulalie took a sip. Hers was indeed as light as a feather, consisting mainly of tap water. She had a feeling that Fleur’s would have more of a kick to it. But that was the thing with cocktails – after the first one, you stopped noticing how strong they were.
“Cheers.” Fleur took a sip. She didn’t cough this time, but her eyes watered.
“Smooth,” she said hoarsely.
Eulalie caught her grandmother’s eye and smiled. This was going to be an interesting night.
Chapter 18
“So, what’s up with you and Chief Macgregor?” Fleur blinked owlishly at Eulalie. “I thought it was all going well.”
“It was… but that was before Dr. Stephanie Autry stepped in.”
“Dr. Stephanie… oh, right. The medical examiner. The gorgeous one with the beautiful clothes. What has she got to do with it?”
“She is on a date with him right at this very minute.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie. Dr. Autry certainly saw it as a date, even if Chief Macgregor didn’t.
“No way!” Fleur looked genuinely shocked. “But he really liked you. Why would he do that?”
Eulalie hung her head. “She’s very persistent. She’s a woman who knows how to get what she wants.”
“And what’s more…” Angel paused dramatically. “This is already their second date.”
“I don’t believe it. I’ve been so out of the loop. When was their first date?”
“Just a few days ago. They had dinner at La Colombe.”
“Oh, man. That’s really romantic. That’s the ultimate first-date restaurant. I’m so sorry, Eulalie.”
Eulalie nudged Fleur’s cocktail closer.
“It was while Angel and I were in the forest. It was unbearable to think of him with her. And now they’re out on a second date.”
“Do you think she’s serious about him, or is she just messing with you?”
“I think she’s serious. She probably thinks they’d be very well suited. She isn’t the kind of person to do anything frivolously. When she starts something, she means to finish it.”
“The Chief is an attractive man,” said Fleur. “I can see that a lot of women would be interested. He has an unusual manner, and she’s a bit of an odd duck herself.”
“Exactly,” said Eulalie. “That’s why she has decided to go for it. She probably thinks they’re soul mates. But she’s wrong. Drink up.”
Eulalie downed the last of her cocktail, so Fleur did the same. Gigi quietly removed both glasses and replaced them with full ones. Fleur was too wrapped up in the story to notice. Eulalie took a sip of hers and discovered that this one was watered-down Coca Cola. She had to force herself not to grimace. Fleur sipped hers and didn’t even blink.
“So, what are you going to do? You can’t let her get away with this.”
“I don’t know. I always said I’d never chase after a man who wasn’t interested in me.”
“But he is interested. He is! This is just an aberration. He was in love with you.”
“You tell her,” said Angel. “I’m tired of wasting my breath. Just because some beautiful doctor with a Harvard degree goes after your man, doesn’t mean you have to roll over and play dead. There’s plenty she could be doing.”
“Yes, plenty.”
“What would you do if it were you?” Eulalie asked Fleur.
“You mean if this happened to me and Peter?” said Fleur. The guarded look was back in her eyes.
“Who’s Peter?” asked Angel.
“This new guy Fleur has been seeing. His name is Peter Pringle and he’s from England.”
“Not Lord Pringle?” said Angel.
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“I’ve not met him, but someone mentioned him at the Rotary Club yesterday. I believe he has a lovely accent and dresses beautifully.”
“That’s him. Definitely.”
“I hear his family owns a very old estate in Surrey?”
“Yes, yes. That’s Peter.”
Fleur’s face glowed. Eulalie could see how much she had been longing to share her happiness. She had been desperate for someone to talk to and Eulalie should have been that person. But Fleur had picked up on Eulalie’s suspicions about Pringle and had shut down as a result. It was time to encourage her to open up again.
“Lucky girl,” said Angel.
“I know. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe he chose me out of all the women on Prince William Island. He could have had anyone he wanted. Most of the women he has dated in the past had titles. Lady this and the Honorable that. I keep telling him he can’t possibly be happy with me, but he insists that he is.”
“Of course, he is,” said Eulalie. “You’re a great catch. You’re smart and gorgeous, and a well-respected businesswoman. You have everything going for you.”
“According to my mother, I run a little tea and bun shop on an island in the middle of nowhere. She says I blew my chances of meeting someone decent when I left home.”
“Won’t she eat her words when she hears that you are dating Lord Peter Pringle of the Surrey Pringles?” said Angel. “The man who was previously linked to… who else did you say he had dated?”
“Oh, I don’t know. He mentioned a Lady Mary Coke. I don’t know who the others were.”
“I’ve heard of her! Previously linked to Lady Mary Coke of London. Your mother will go crazy.”
Eulalie could only watch as her grandmother extracted information from Fleur. If she had ever wondered where she got her interrogation skills from, now she knew.
“I hope he’s enjoying Prince William Island as a holiday destination,” said Angel. “Has he been to Cinq Beach, or tried out any of the water sports?
I can put him in touch with the right people if he likes.”
“Oh, he isn’t here on holiday.” Fleur made headway on her third cocktail. “It’s a business trip. There’s an investment opportunity he wants to get in on. He says it will triple his investment in less than a year.”
“Really? That sounds incroyable. You know, I have some money lying around too. It is a fixed deposit that has matured and that I don’t know what to do with. I wonder if I should ask him. If a man like Lord Pringle is interested, it must be good.”
Fleur nodded. “It’s funny you should say that because he is looking for co-investors. I should introduce you to him.”
“You really should,” said Angel. “Is it a farming investment?”
“No, it’s a company called Megamoxy that are looking to expand into Prince William Island. They build high-end resorts. They are wildly popular all over the world. Peter had a meeting with them this morning. He says it went very well. All of the major shareholders and investment partners are meeting in Harbor Road tomorrow at midday to finalize the agreement. It’s very hush-hush. They don’t want their competitors to hear about it. There will even be representatives from the governor’s office there.”
“That sounds as though it would be out of my league, chérie. They won’t be interested in my few thousand dollars.”
“Not at all.” Fleur rushed to reassure her. “Peter is actively looking for co-investors. He even asked me if I had a few thousand going spare.”
“And what did you say?” Eulalie tried to keep her tone casual but knew she hadn’t quite succeeded. Luckily, Fleur’s brain was too fuzzy for her to notice.
“I haven’t told him about my trust fund yet. I want to know that he really is interested in me for my own sake, and not because I’m a Du Toit of the Cedar Chest Winery. It’s stupid, I know, but it gives me such a thrill to think that he has picked me out of all the titled socialites he has met. I’ll tell him the truth soon, but I want to put it off for a bit.”
“That is totally understandable,” Angel assured her. “And perhaps if he has me as an investor, he won’t ask you again.”
The Eulalie Park Mysteries Box Set 2 Page 15