by Zara Keane
The woman began to move away, but I held her in place. “Please, Judy. Listen to me for a sec. This is important. He was murdered. I discovered his body.”
Her pale face grew even whiter. “Please, stop. I don’t want to think about it.”
“I know you don’t. I don’t either, but the man’s dead, and I believe you may have witnessed the crime or its aftermath.”
She shook her head violently. “No, no. Please stop talking about it.”
I took a deep breath and crossed my fingers behind my back. “I know you were at the farm that day, Judy,” I said gently. “I only want to help you.”
The woman stared at her feet. The seconds ticked by. I bit my tongue and gave her space to think. Finally, she spoke. “Okay, I was there that day, but I didn’t see who killed him.”
“But you found his body before I did,” I guessed. “At around four-thirty?”
Judy shot a worried look around the room. “Yes,” she whispered, “but please don’t tell anyone. I have a long-term partner. He’d go crazy if he knew I’d been seeing Bullie on the sly.”
“Can you run me through the events of that day?”
She regarded me with suspicion. “Are you a Guard?”
“I’m not with the police. I’m a private investigator.”
The woman sneered. “Not much better, in my opinion.”
“Please, Judy. I’m not here to out you to your partner or anyone else. All I want to know is what you saw.”
She exhaled a sigh. “Okay, but let’s go into another room. I don’t want anyone overhearing.”
I followed her out of the living room and down the hallway to a home office. After another quick look to make sure no one had followed us, Judy closed the office door.
She leaned on the desk and looked me straight in the eye. “Bullie was one of my regular hookups. We’d meet in hotels, or go away for the weekend. That sort of thing. Meeting him at his home that day was a first.” She smiled sadly. “He got a kick out of the idea of sneaking me onto the farm without his neighbors knowing what we were up to.”
Or what you were wearing while doing it… I stifled a laugh.
Judy paled underneath her heavy makeup. “I’d gone into the house to change when I heard shouting. An American guy was roaring at Bullie and accusing him of all sorts of shenanigans. In turn, Bullie was yelling back and saying the guy had cheated him out of his life savings.” Judy bit her lip. “I was just about to call the police when they fell silent. A moment later, a car roared off. I waited for a few minutes to see if Bullie would come looking for me. When he didn’t, I decided to go in search of him. Maybe he needed time to cool down, you know?”
“And then you found the body?” I asked gently.
“Yes. It was horrible.” Tears formed twin rivulets down her rouged cheeks. “He had a rake sticking out of his chest. The instant I saw him, I knew he was dead.” The woman choked on a sob.
I hated having to pressure her, but I didn’t have the time or patience to be waylaid by a crying jag. “What did you do next?” I prompted. “Did you go back into the house?”
She shook her head, and her Marilyn Monroe-style wig bounced. “I panicked. I just ran. I have no idea where I was going, but I took off.” She heaved a shuddery breath. “And then I remembered my clothes and my handbag. Without money or my ticket for the ferry, I wasn’t likely to get home.”
“Did you go back to the farm?”
“Yeah. I went straight upstairs to the bathroom where I’d gotten undressed and grabbed my clothes and bag.” Her sobs grew louder. “I wasn’t thinking straight. I just grabbed them and ran without getting dressed.”
“Understandable.” I handed her a fresh tissue.
Judy blew her nose and continued her tale. “I’d barely had time to get out of the house when I heard the sound of a car driving down the track and toward the house.” She swallowed hard and began to wail again. “I thought the killer had returned.”
“How awful for you,” I said in a soothing tone. “What did you do next?”
“I ran back into the house. I looked out the kitchen window to see if the coast was clear, and I saw a man go into the barn.”
My chest swelled with excitement. “How long did he stay in the barn?”
“I don’t know. I lost track of time.”
“Probably the shock. Did the man come straight out of the barn, or did you have the impression he stayed there for a while?”
Judy considered my question for several seconds. “He didn’t come out straight away, but he can’t have been in the barn for more than a few minutes.”
“How did he appear when he came out?”
“Stressed. He ran his hands through his hair. I remember that. And then he started looking around the yard, so I ducked back under the windowsill.” Judy’s voice broke on a sob. “I was terrified he’d come into the house.”
“But he didn’t?” I prompted, keen to avoid more weeping and gnashing.
“No. I waited in the house until I heard him leave in his car, and then I ran.” She hiccupped and dabbed at her eyes. “I had no idea where I was going, but I ran until my lungs were burning.”
“Did you stop to get dressed?”
“Eventually. I kept going until I felt I was a safe distance away from Bullie’s farm. Then I pulled on my clothes.” She hiccupped. “I’d lost one of my shoes. I guess I must have dropped it somewhere in one of the fields I ran through.”
“How did you get back to the mainland?”
“Once I was dressed, I searched for a bus stop but couldn’t find one. I was getting desperate, so I decided to hitchhike to the harbor and catch the next ferry.” She smiled ruefully. “I guess I got lucky. A woman with two small kids in the back of her car stopped and offered me a lift.”
“Was she surprised that you were shoeless?” I asked. “I can’t imagine many people wander around Whisper Island barefoot.”
“Given the weather forecast that day, yes, but I told her one of my heels broke off, and she seemed to buy it.”
I had to admire Judy’s pluck. “Why didn’t you go to the police when you got home?”
She hiccupped. “Because I’m a coward. If I’d been required to give evidence in court, my partner would’ve found out.”
“Not necessarily,” I said. “You could have given evidence on the condition that your name didn’t appear in the media.” I wasn’t entirely sure how the Irish legal system worked, so this last part might have been baloney, but I sensed Judy’s urge to get away from me, and I wanted to pump her for as much information as I could before she took off.
“Even if I got them to agree to give me anonymity, it would have been a risk. My partner is a barrister. Gossip spreads like wildfire on the legal circuit.”
“Look, I can’t say too much, but Jimmy Wright—Bullie—wasn’t the only murder victim.”
Judy’s lips trembled. “Is there a killer on the loose? Do you think I’m in danger?”
I was tempted to say yes just to get her to a police station, but my conscience won out. “Not now. The person suspected of murdering Jimmy was the second murder victim.”
“Oh my goodness,” she gasped. “You’re talking about that rich American guy who got bumped off on Gull Island last weekend.”
I nodded. “Ambrose J. Huffington III was the prime suspect in Jimmy Wright’s murder.”
Judy blinked. “If Huffington killed Jimmy, who killed him?”
“That’s the multi-million-dollar question,” I replied in a dry tone. I slipped a business card out of my cleavage and handed it to her. “Regardless of Huffington’s potential involvement in Jimmy’s murder, both men deserve justice, and their families and friends want answers. Please come forward and speak to the police. I’ll come with you if you like.”
She bit her lip. “I’ll sleep on it. Will you keep silent until then?”
“Okay. I won’t tell them about you if I don’t have to.”
Judy eyed me curiously. “You
said you’re a private investigator. Which of the murders are you investigating, and why?”
“Huffington’s mother wants me to clear his name.”
“Ouch.” Judy pulled a face. “From what you’ve told me, you consider him to be the guilty party.”
“Yeah. The police are confident he did it, and I haven’t found any evidence so far that contradicts that theory. You’re sure the man you heard arguing with Jimmy had an American accent?”
“Definitely. He was loud. There was no mistaking the accent. What I can’t tell you is if the man I heard arguing with Bullie is the same man who came to the farm a few minutes later.”
“About that guy…” I chose my next words with care. “If I ask Naomi to give me my phone back, would you please look at a couple of photographs?”
Judy’s brow creased. “I guess, but the man was far away and I was in a panic.”
“I understand, but you might recognize the guy if you saw his picture.”
Her eyes darted to the side. “I can try, but I don’t want the police involved..”
“I promised I wouldn’t tell the police about you unless I had no choice.”
“Define ‘no choice.’ If I identify the man from the photos you want to show me, you’ll insist I talk to the police.”
Judy was no fool. I needed to tread carefully, or she’d clam up and run.
“We can discuss our options after I show you the photos. I have a friend who’s involved in the investigation. I can guarantee he’ll be discreet.”
What I couldn’t guarantee was Reynolds being put back on the case anytime soon, but I left that tidbit out.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll look at your photos and then we’ll see about the police.”
“Thank you, Judy. I appreciate your help.”
We left the office and made our way back down the hallway. A thought occurred to me before we reentered the living room. “When you heard a vehicle returning to the farm, did the engine sound the same as the one you’d heard leaving?”
She considered this for a moment. “Now that you mention it, it sounded a bit different, but that might have been because the car left with screeching tires and roaring engine. The one returning sounded, well, normal. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific. I’m not into cars.”
“Thanks. You’ve been very helpful.”
Back in the living room, Lenny and his newfound friend had moved onto conspiracy theories and the darknet.
Our host was holding court at the drinks table, entertaining two guys in their fifties with a risqué tale of her recent vacation in Spain.
Keeping a grip on Judy’s arm, I made a beeline for Naomi. But before we reached her, a dark-haired woman seated by the window let out a wail. “A squad car just pulled up outside.”
Naomi swore fluently. “My neighbors must have complained again.”
Judy and I exchanged panicked looks. “Is an event like this illegal?” I asked. “I haven’t seen drugs on the premises.”
At that moment, the doorbell rang, quickly followed by shouts in the hallway. The living room door burst open, and uniformed police officers poured in. Half-naked party guests ran in every direction, making it difficult to navigate a path toward the door.
In the chaos that followed, the dude in the crotchless purple mankini managed to elbow me in the ribs with enough force to send me flying across a glass coffee table. I landed with a grunt and moaned at the stabbing pain in my side.
Strong arms hauled me to my feet, and I picked up the scent of a very familiar aftershave. “Oh, no.”
“Hello, Maggie,” Reynolds said, his voice brimming with laughter. “I didn’t expect to see this much of you before our first official date.”
26
“LIAM? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” I stared up into his twinkling blue eyes, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment at my lack of clothing. “I thought you’d gone to stay with your brother and sister-in-law to recuperate.”
“I did, but Gavin was on duty tonight, and I decided to tag along.”
“You’re supposed to be resting,” I said lamely, aware of his subtle scrutiny of my half-naked body, and kicking myself for wondering if he liked what he saw.
“And you’re not supposed to be at a depraved, drug-filled sex party.” His shoulders heaved with laughter.
“I haven’t seen any sign of drugs or sex,” I said dryly. “Just a bunch of middle-aged people who get a kick out of wearing weird outfits.”
“The neighbors complained about the noise and alleged that illicit activities were taking place.”
I snorted. “If they are, I missed all the fun. Apart from locating Jimmy Wright’s last booty call, the party’s been about as interesting as watching two flies climbing a wall.”
“You found the woman in the lime-green leotard?” Reynolds looked impressed. “Where is she?”
I scanned the room. “Gone. I suspect Judy’s got a strong sense of self-preservation. She’ll have been the first one out of here.”
Reynolds dragged me over to a sofa. “Come on, Maggie. You can’t leave me hanging. What did she say? And how did you get all those scrapes and bruises? Timms texted me this evening with a wild story about you jumping out of a moving vehicle, but it was so disjointed that I wondered if it was the meds making me hallucinate.”
I grimaced. “No hallucination, unfortunately.”
Over the next few minutes, I provided him with a detailed run-down of my car crash and my conversation with Judy. “Apart from the shoe she dropped, there were no clothes to find. When Lenny saw her, she was hunkered down behind a wall to avoid being seen by people in passing cars. What Lenny didn’t realize is that she was holding her clothes and purse.”
“That solves the mystery of the missing clothes,” Reynolds said. “Unfortunately for you, Judy’s story only cements our conviction that Huff was the killer.”
“Huff’s sons are men with American accents,” I pointed out. “And even if Huff killed Jimmy, we don’t know that he was the man Judy saw go into the barn later.”
“Yes, but Huff’s sons didn’t arrive on Whisper Island until the day after Jimmy’s murder.”
I treated him to a smug smile. “That’s where you’re wrong. According to old Tom at the ferry office, Doug Huffington came over to Whisper Island on Wednesday.”
Reynolds looked impressed. “Well, well. You have been busy.”
“When you guys burst in, I was on the verge of showing Judy photos of all three Huffington men in the hope she could identify the guy she saw.”
“Okay, but Huff’s prints were on the rake, and we know he and Jimmy had good reason to hate one another. Even if Doug visited Jimmy, it must have been after the murder took place.”
“I’m pretty sure Huff was guilty,” I said. “I only took the job because I wanted an excuse to do some digging into Huff’s murder.”
Reynolds frowned. “It’s too much of a coincidence for the murders not to be connected, but I haven’t figured out what the link might be. What’s your take on the situation?”
“I’m not sure. Yeah, there’s a link, but how strong a one, I don’t know.” I looked at the bandage on his head. “How are you feeling? That was a nasty bump you got.”
“Some headaches, but I’m otherwise fine.” He grinned. “I’m back to work on Monday.”
“O’Shea won’t like that.”
Reynolds’s smile faded. “He can lump it. From what Timms tells me, he’s making a mess of all our current investigations, including the one into my attack. And if I’m back on the island, I’ll make sure you’re kept safe.”
“Speaking of which, Timms said you kept mentioning the color pink.”
“Yeah.” Reynolds frowned. “I saw a figure lurking in bushes just after you left me. I got the impression they’d been eavesdropping on our conversation. I went back to the Japanese garden and checked behind the pagoda. I’d just come back when someone wearing a bright pink coat appeared and whacked me over the head. That’s t
he last thing I remember.”
“I’m pretty sure the pink coat was Julie’s.”
Reynolds’s eyebrows shot up. “Why would Julie attack me?”
“She didn’t. When I got back to the house after leaving you, I met her outside. She was on her way back through the gardens in search of her missing rain poncho. Do you remember she’d tied it around her waist on our way back from the lighthouse?”
“Vaguely.”
“She thought it must have fallen off near the Japanese garden, so I said I’d go look for it, seeing as it had started to rain. Instead of her poncho, I found you.” I shivered at the memory of seeing him face down and bleeding in the stream.
“And I’m grateful you did,” he said quietly. “You saved my life.”
My cheeks burned again. “You’ve helped me out a time or two. Just returning the favor.”
“I’m going to check to see if anyone found that poncho, and where.” A muscle in his jaw flexed. “And then I’m going to throw all my effort into tracking down who tampered with your car. If we find that person, we’ll have our killer.”
“I tracked down the Hennessys while you were out of it on painkillers at the hospital, but they hadn’t seen any sign of Julie’s coat.”
“All the same, it’s worth taking another look. There are plenty of hiding places in the Marley House gardens, and we can presume that my attacker didn’t waltz back to the house wearing bright pink.”
“I’m relieved you’ll be back on the case,” I said. “Or should I say, back on all the cases.”
Reynolds’s mouth twitched. “I hear you gave Sergeant O’Shea a piece of your mind the day you made your statement.”
“Just told him a few home truths. The only reason he wants to cling to these cases is that he wants to show you up.”
“As for me being back in charge, I’ll have to talk to my superintendent. Last I heard, he thought I could help O’Shea rather than take back the reins.”
My jaw descended. “That’s outrageous. It’s not your fault you got hit on the head.”
“No, but the boss has a point. Passing cases back and forth isn’t a great idea. Unfortunately, if O’Shea stays in charge, he’ll do his best to conceal information from me. I might need your help, but only if it doesn’t involve you putting yourself in harm’s way again.”