by Kathi Daley
When Colt revealed the cause of death, everyone looked surprised, but the four of us agreed that no one looked more shocked than the others did. When Colt revealed that a syringe had been found in the trashcan, everyone looked around at everyone else, but again, no one looked more suspicious than any of the others. When Colt informed the group that a print had been recovered from the murder weapon, the general consensus was that the group was happy the killer would be brought to justice.
Once Colt had finished his little talk, the group headed toward the bar while Colt, Jeremy, Georgia, Nikki, and I headed toward the cottage to deconstruct the impressions we’d gotten from everyone who’d been present.
“So, what do you think?” Colt asked.
“Everyone I was watching seemed to have an appropriate expression to everything you said,” I provided.
“Agreed,” the other three said.
“Based on what I observed, I would have no reason to think anyone I was watching was guilty,” Georgia added.
“Yeah, no one really stood out,” Nikki provided. “It would be good to know if anyone left the group today, however.”
Colt nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. I’m going to head back to the inn and speak to Fiona and Carson. I really don’t see that either of them would have a motive for wanting Alvin dead, so they are low on my suspect list. If no one left the group, then I guess we’ll need to figure out who else could have planted the syringe.”
“You should talk to Naomi as well. Find out if she called Alvin, and if she didn’t, find out where her phone was at the time of the call.”
“I’ve already done that,” Colt said. “According to Naomi, she left her phone downstairs on Thursday night but hadn’t realized it until she woke up on Friday morning. She found it shoved down in the cushion of one of the chairs near the fire. She said it must have slipped out of her pocket.”
“I guess that does happen,” Georgia said. “My phone is always slipping out of my pocket. Of course, if the phone really did slip out of her pocket, how would the person who made the call know where to find it?”
Colt answered. “I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that someone intentionally lifted the phone from Naomi and then shoved it down in the cushion of the chair Naomi had been sitting in after everyone else went up. Keep in mind the call was made after everyone had gone to bed.”
“So we’re back to one of the partygoers as the killer,” I said. “Who else would have been around to lift the phone? No one else was here.”
“Good point,” Colt admitted.
Georgia, Jeremy, Nikki, and I waited in the cottage for Colt to have his conversation with Fiona and Carson. When he came back to the cabin, he filled us in.
Carson, Mike, and Jordan had spent the afternoon playing golf. Roderick, the man Patience had brought to Holiday Bay, had joined them. Carson confirmed that the men had been together the entire afternoon. He also confirmed that while Frederick and Bronwyn, and Savannah and her date, had left that morning, Patience, Roderick, and Caspar planned to stay in Holiday Bay until Monday.
Fiona told Colt that she, along with Patience, Ambrosia, Jennifer, Lisa, Naomi, Willa, and Stephanie, had all gone to the spa. After they arrived, the women broke up since each had signed up for different services, and while she’d run into Jennifer in the sauna, she hadn’t seen the others until they’d gathered for drinks at the end of the day.
That meant that if someone had snuck back and planted the syringe, it was one of the women. We all doubted Naomi would be trying to frame herself, and Colt seemed to trust Fiona, which left Ambrosia, Jennifer, Lisa, and Stephanie since Patience didn’t have a key to the inn. Of the four, my money was on Lisa. She’d been romantically entangled with Alvin, and romantic entanglements often served as a motive in murder cases.
“So, what now?” I asked Colt.
“I guess we keep working on it. We have until Monday morning to figure out who the killer is. Once everyone leaves, it’s going to be much harder. I’m going to talk to the coroner again. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Okay,” I said. “Is there anything you want us to do in the meantime?”
“Just act as normal as possible. If Lisa is the killer, I don’t want her to catch on that we’re onto her before I can make my case. If she isn’t the killer, I don’t want anyone to do or say anything that might cause them to decide they need to leave a day early.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “We’ll provide breakfast and then go about our day as planned. If anything changes, let us know.”
Chapter 12
Georgia set out the continental breakfast that Fiona had arranged for, but not a single person came down to eat it. Even Fiona and Carson seemed to be sleeping in this morning. Not that I blamed them. The number of empty alcohol bottles left for disposal was astounding. I wondered if this particular group of people always partied like this or if their time here was some sort of an exception. Most of the members of the group had jobs, so it seemed unlikely that they partied hard every night.
According to Fiona’s agenda, the group planned to go sailing today. At least the sea was calm. Not the best for sailing I supposed but most likely preferable to a rough sea if the majority of those aboard had hangovers. Georgia, Jeremy, and I decided to scramble some eggs to go with our bagels and coffee. We also decided to eat in the kitchen so we could chat freely. I suspected that Colt would call before too much time passed. I had to admit I was curious to find out whose prints had been left on the windowsill. The person who’d snuck in had to be the killer. Right?
“What time is Annabelle coming home today?” Georgia asked Jeremy.
“Actually, given the situation and the potential for a showdown at some point, I asked Hannah’s parents if she could stay one more night. They’re going to take her to school tomorrow, and then I’ll pick her up after school.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I guess we need to screen potential guests better. This particular group has been acting in a manner that wouldn’t be the best influence on a child, even without the murder,” Georgia said.
“There was no way you could know that a pre-wedding party attended by wealthy sophisticates would turn into a frat party,” I said. “Still, I agree we might want to really look closely at those groups who want to book all the rooms.”
Jeremy got up to refill his coffee. “There is something about this whole thing that is really bugging me. We’ve talked before about how odd it is that a member of the group is murdered, and the rest of the group simply goes about their day as if nothing happened. I realize that Alvin wasn’t close to anyone in the group other than Lisa, but everyone in attendance did know the guy. Even if he wasn’t their best friend, he’d been dating Lisa for a while, so I have to assume that most everyone in the group has spent time with him on occasions other than this trip.”
“So why aren’t the others more freaked out?” Georgia jumped in. “I’ve been wondering that as well. We called the group together yesterday morning, and their response was to head out to a resort for golf and spa sessions. That isn’t normal.”
“Exactly,” Jeremy said. “And that’s not all. It seems that if I was with a group for a long weekend away and one of the members of the group was murdered, that might worry me even if it didn’t sadden me.”
“Jeremy has a point,” I said. “I haven’t picked up fear from anyone. How can these people be so certain that the killer won’t strike again? It has to have occurred to them that a member of the party most likely killed Alvin. At the very least, they should be somewhat concerned that the killer might be looking for victim number two.”
“Unless they know who killed Alvin and why,” Georgia said.
I raised a brow. “So you think they all know who did it?”
She shrugged. “It would explain their reaction to the news. If the group as a whole knew who did it and why they did it, and if that reason was justified, the surviving members of the group might not feel threatened or saddened.
”
Jeremy sat back down at the table. “It really is the only thing that makes sense when you take into account that not one single person has demonstrated any amount of concern for their own safety.”
I stood up. “I should call Colt. This idea might have occurred to him, but if not, it’s an angle he should explore.”
“I’m going to call Nikki and tell her she doesn’t need to come over to clean as early as she planned,” Georgia said. “It seems apparent the group is sleeping in today, and we can’t really start until they head out for their sailing trip.”
Jeremy stood as well. “I’m going to head outside and continue with the cleanup. The garden is going to be extraordinary this year, but unless I get the weeds pulled and debris from the winter raked up, it won’t come in the way I hope.”
I decided to head back to the cottage before calling Colt. I didn’t think anyone was up, but in the event someone was awake, I’d hate for anyone to overhear my conversation.
“Good morning,” he said. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so early. Is everything okay?”
“It is,” I assured him. “The guests are all still in their suites, I assume sleeping it off based on the number of empty alcohol bottles. The reason I’m calling is because Georgia, Jeremy, and I were chatting over coffee about the reaction of the guests to the murder of one of their party.”
I then shared the discussion the three of us had shared with each other.
“I’ve thought it odd from the beginning that the group seems to have accepted what happened as easily as they have. And I agree that the only reason I can come up with as to why not a single person has voiced concern for their own safety is because they already know who did it and don’t feel threatened by this individual. In the beginning, it seemed as if Fiona and Carson were telling the truth, but now I’m not so sure that anyone is telling the truth. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say they are all lying.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
I could hear him exhale loudly.
“I’m not sure. I got the prints back from those extracted from the window and windowsill. Most of the prints are smudged, and the prints that could be identified belonged to you, Jeremy, Georgia, and Nikki.”
“There is one detail that doesn’t fit with the everyone knows who did it and why theory, and that is the fact that it appears someone is trying to frame Naomi. If they are all in on it, why leave the syringe for you to find? Why not simply dispose of it elsewhere? The fact that it was left in the trashcan in Naomi’s room and that her phone was used to call Alvin shortly before he died, indicates to me that Naomi being a suspect is intentional.”
“While I agree with all of that, to tell you the truth, Naomi’s reaction seems to be the oddest of all. If someone was trying to frame me for a murder, I’d be livid. I’d demand answers and wouldn’t be able to relax until I had them.”
“And yet it appears she partied all night with the others as if nothing happened.”
“I think we need to figure out what the endgame is if everyone is in on it,” Colt said. “Maybe framing Naomi is part of whatever drama seems to be playing out.”
“Are you coming over?”
“I’d like to ask a few more questions before everyone disperses for the day.”
“The group is going sailing. I’m not sure what time they plan on leaving, but you might want to be here when they decide to finally make an appearance. Once they are out at sea, you’ll have lost your chance to speak to them until they get back.”
“Okay. I’ll head over as soon as I can. Don’t let anyone leave until I get there.”
By the time Colt arrived an hour later, the only two to make an appearance were Fiona and Carson. They didn’t look horribly hungover, but they didn’t look chipper by any means. They sipped on coffee and chatted with Georgia while they waited for the others to make their way down. The more I really stopped to consider things, the more suspicious I was about everyone involved. Naomi was Fiona’s sister. Shouldn’t Fiona be as enraged as Naomi should have been about the fact that someone was clearly trying to frame her for Alvin’s murder?
“Do you have news?” Fiona asked Colt.
“Nothing concrete, but I am looking into a few different angles. I have a few additional questions if you don’t mind.”
“Shoot.”
Colt sat down at the table currently occupied by Georgia, Fiona, and Carson. I sat down across from him.
“I’m trying to put together a timeline of events, and after speaking to everyone individually, I find I have some gaps and inconsistencies. I’d like to revisit a few things, including the relationships leading into the weekend.”
“Okay,” Fiona said. “What do you want to know?”
He looked down at his pad. “According to most, Alvin was relatively new to the group.”
She nodded. “Lisa started dating Alvin about eight months ago. None of us, other than Naomi, who made the introductions, knew him before that. While Lisa and I don’t currently have a lot in common and haven’t spent all that much time together in recent years, we have known each other since birth, and I do feel a bond with her. Lisa is only ten days older than me, and our mothers were best friends, so as you can imagine, the two of us were raised like sisters.”
Colt nodded. “I understand that Naomi is your younger sister by four years, and you also have an older sister.”
“Yes. I have a half-sister, Trish. She was born to my father and his first wife, who died when Trish was just nine-months-old. My mother married my father when Trish was six, and I was born three years later, so there are nine years between us.”
“Would you say the two of you are close?” Colt asked.
“I suppose as close as siblings nine years apart in age can be. Trish is married to a Spaniard and lives in Barcelona. I only see her every now and again if she makes a trip to the States or I decide to go and visit her. She hasn’t even met Carson yet, but she assures me she’ll be here for the wedding.”
“So would you say that growing up, you were closer to Lisa than either of your sisters?” Colt asked.
“Oh, absolutely. Our mothers got together almost daily. In many ways, we were raised as sisters. I love Lisa, and we used to be really close, but at some point, I decided that I wanted to have substance and meaning in my life while she was happy to party and travel and basically stumble her way through. In terms of personality, Lisa and Naomi are much more alike.”
“And do they get along?”
“They do now. When we were all younger, Lisa and I were sort of mean to Naomi. She wanted to hang out with us, but in our eyes, she was a baby, so we basically spent quite a few years torturing the poor thing.”
“Torturing?” Colt asked.
“Nothing physical. It was emotional torture. We’d tell her to meet us somewhere and then never show up. That sort of thing.”
His lips tightened. “I see.”
“Of course, once I graduated from high school and went off to college, my relationship with Naomi improved quite a lot. I guess I matured, and when I came home for school breaks, I actually found myself seeking my little sister out. I’d say we’re close now. We still don’t have much in common, but there’s no denying she is my blood. That counts for something in my book.”
“And Lisa?” Colt asked.
“We are friends, but not best friends like we were at one point. When considering female friends, I’m actually closest to Jennifer, and since I started dating Carson and Mike and Ambrosia started dating each other, I find I very much enjoy spending time with Ambrosia as well.”
“But, you still feel bonded with both Lisa and Naomi?” Colt asked.
“I do. Naomi is blood, and Lisa and I share a history. I love them with all my heart. I would die for them if need be.”
“Would you lie for them?”
Fiona made a face that indicated her confusion. “I would. Is that what you think is going on? Do you think I’m lying to protect one of the
m?”
“Are you?” Colt looked her in the eyes. Carson started to say something, but Fiona placed a hand on his arm.
“No. I am not lying for them, but you are correct in your assumption that I would. I understand why you might need to explore that avenue and don’t begrudge you doing what you need to do, but please be assured I have never been anything but forthright with you and everyone else.”
Colt smiled. “I believe you, but I had to be sure. I do wonder, however, if everyone is being as totally honest as they claim to be, then why is no one a bit more upset by the loss of a friend?”
“Honestly,” Fiona answered, “other than Lisa, of course, none of us liked Alvin. He was stuck up, bigoted, and condescending. He seemed to care about money and little else, and we all suspected he was just using Lisa. The only reason we hung out with him is because Lisa seemed to really be into the guy, and an invitation to Lisa to attend an event required an invitation to Alvin.” Fiona glanced at Carson. “Carson didn’t want to have Alvin as a groomsman, but Lisa pretty much told Carson that if Alvin wasn’t in the wedding party, she wouldn’t be either, and Carson being the observant guy that he is, knew I really wanted Lisa to be part of the wedding, so he asked Alvin.”
“I did say from the beginning that the decision to include Alvin was political,” Carson said.
“Yes, you did,” Colt admitted.
Colt clicked his pen open and shut a few times as he appeared to be considering his next question. Eventually, he spoke. “It seems likely that the person who killed Alvin is someone who is staying with you here at the inn.”
Fiona shook her head. “I don’t believe that. Alvin could be a real tool, and I know that all of us wished Lisa would see the light and dump the guy, but none of us would have hurt him.”
“Do you know everyone well enough to stake your sister’s freedom on that?”
Fiona paused. She glanced at Carson. Finally, she spoke. “What are you getting at?”
“It appears Naomi is being set up to take the fall, and it seems likely that someone from your group is setting her up.”