0519331001428587579 murder at the inn

by Marraii. com

  "No," Larry said. "No and no. I was in her room, but I left her - alive - around nine-thirty and went straight to my own room. There was nobody else around." Larry thought again. "Well, except Mr. Bennett. We passed each other in the hallway and said good night."

  Wilson sat in silence, arguing with his gut feelings. What he wanted and what he felt might as well have been on two different planets.

  "Montgomery, please take Mr. Craig back to the kitchen. Enjoy your meal, Larry." The men rounded the doorway and disappeared.

  "Tricky, this one." He fingered the pages of his notepad, and a shiver of unsettled tension crawled down his spine.

  * * *

  "Ah, there you are, Jack," Maureen said and carried a pitcher to the table. "Thought you might like a refill."

  "Thanks Maureen. You're a good woman and a good hostess." He sipped his drink. "Can I tempt you to sit and talk a minute?"

  "You don't have to ask me twice. Any excuse to get off my feet." She settled into a creaky chair. "One of these days I'll get the joints on these chairs tightened up. A little wood glue should do it, don't you think?"

  "Are you okay, Maureen? I mean, with everything that's happened today, it must be stressful."

  "Every day is stressful; this is just a different kind of stress. We'll make it through okay, though. We always do." She smiled at her old friend.

  Jack shifted and put his elbows on the table and folded his hands. "How is the Last Chance Inn? I noticed a few things that look, well, in a state of disrepair."

  "It's only temporary. We've had a slow season, and we're trying to get the golf course shaped up for tournaments. Sometimes we just run out of hours in the day or money in the month."

  Maureen fidgeted with her fingers and looked at a spot on the table. She wet her thumb and scrubbed at it.

  "I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, Maureen.”

  "It's not that. I just see what it's doing to Daniel; he's been so discouraged lately. I know if we can make it through this season, we'll be okay, though. He works so hard."

  "Hey. You look like you could use a dose of your own medicine. Let's take this pitcher into the kitchen and get you a nice, tall glass of ice cold lemonade." He carried the pitcher and took Maureen's arm. "And then you can have some breakfast for dinner."

  They laughed and went to the kitchen.

  * * *

  "Gwyneth, our friend and hostess could use some attention herself. I promised her some lemonade and breakfast." Wilson sat Maureen at the kitchen table. "Hang in there," he said, and patted her shoulder. He gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Stay close, okay?"

  Gwyneth nodded, her eyes confused and concerned, but she put on a smile and tended to her friend. "Montgomery," Wilson said and nodded his head to the door. "Need you outside."

  Once on the doorstep, Jack felt the chill in the night air. Flying insects orbited the porch light, and in the sky, clouds blanketed the moon. He looked at his watch.

  "I'm expecting a call very soon, Montgomery. I've been focusing on one suspect, but I have to keep an open mind and pursue all leads. I'm still waiting to get final confirmation from some forensic evidence, and CSI lifted a partial print from the murder weapon."

  Montgomery nodded. "I understand, Sir. We are at the point where even one bit of evidence can tip the scales one way or another."

  Wilson looked at the sky and said, "Montgomery, how long have you been a sergeant?"

  "Three years, Sir."

  "Ever think about going for inspector?" "All the time, Sir," Montgomery smiled. "Good,"

  Wilson smiled.

  The phone went off in Wilson's hand and both faces grew serious. "Wilson."

  He listened to the voice on the other end. Like the old television show where the

  investigators asked for 'just the facts, ma'am', he listened to the voice of absolute science on the other end of the call. People can forget what they've seen, or exaggerate things they've done, but no one can alter the truth when it comes from irrefutable physical evidence.

  "I understand. I'll handle it, but would you send a squad car, too? Thanks." He hung up and looked at the sky. "It's beautiful up there, isn't it? I've looked at that sky all my life, and I never get tired of it."

  Montgomery looked up and nodded.

  "Well, we've got two things to do, and the second thing is to stamp this case as closed. Here's what's up."

  Wilson showed Montgomery his notes and underlined parts and put them together like a puzzle. They fit perfectly, and a picture of a murder appeared in the words. Only one piece was missing.

  "Let's go get it," Wilson said, and walked into the house.

  * * *

  "You all look tired, why don't you come into the lounge and get comfortable?" Wilson waved everyone out of the kitchen.

  "Are we there yet? I'm either going to bed soon or I will confess just to get a cot downtown,"

  Larry said, yawning.

  In the lounge, Sergeant Montgomery stood by the door while everyone else took a seat.

  "Good. Armchairs for everyone. And Larry, I don't need a confession when I've got evidence, but thank you for offering." Wilson sat in the rocker by the fireplace and faced everyone.

  "It's been a long day, but I promise that it's almost over. CSI and I both went through Mrs.

  Thompson's room as well as Mr. Craig's room, but we've not been able to locate a key piece of evidence. Maureen?"

  She looked up and blinked. "Yes, Jack?"

  "May I have your consent to search the premises for evidence relating to the murder of Agatha Thompson?"

  "Oh, Jack, you don't even have to ask." "Well, yes, in this case, I do."

  "Well, my answer is yes, of course," Maureen giggled. "So formal!"

  "Alan?" Wilson nodded to Sergeant Montgomery. "Would you please begin with the Bennett's living quarters?"

  Montgomery nodded and left the room.

  Larry leaned forward with his arms on his knees. "What's this, now? Didn't you find enough of nothing already?"

  Wilson ignored him and locked eyes with Gwyneth. She sat down near Maureen and held her hand. "What are you looking for?" Daniel asked with a fingertip in his mouth again.

  "We'll know it when we see it," Wilson said.

  "Maureen said you ran a little late at the market yesterday. I hope it wasn't bad traffic. That always makes me frustrated." Wilson looked at Daniel.

  "No, no traffic. I just had a… needed to get extras and I guess I was just slow." Daniel coughed up a weak laugh. "Guess I'm getting old after all."

  Sergeant Montgomery walked briskly across the room and bent over, whispering with

  Inspector Wilson. He handed Jack a piece of paper. Wilson looked at it and nodded.

  Montgomery resumed his post near the door as Inspector Wilson stood up.

  * * *

  Jack walked over to Daniel and held up the paper. "We found this in your room, Daniel."

  "What is it?" Daniel's eyes followed the paper like steel filings follow a magnet.

  "You know."

  "Daniel?" Maureen rose. "Daniel, what is it?"

  Gwyneth took a cue from her husband's face and stood up with her friend and held her by the arm. "Come sit with me, Maureen. Let the men talk, okay?"

  "I'm sorry, Maureen. It was an accident. I guess." Daniel's eyes filled with tears, and he finally looked his old friend in the eye.

  "Tell me about it, Daniel." Wilson pulled out his handcuffs and turned Daniel around. As he pulled Daniel's arms behind him one by one and placed the handcuffs around his wrists, Daniel unloaded the burden he'd carried all day.

  "I wasn't at the market yet. Funds are low, and I wanted to make everything last just one more day. I was doing a walk-through of the inn, and I heard Agatha scream. I went to her door and listened. That's when I heard Agatha and Larry talk about the lottery ticket."

  Larry jumped up "You son of a—"

  "Sit down," Wilson commanded, and Larry fell back into his armchair with e
yes of fire. "Go on, Daniel."

  "I heard Maureen running up the stairs, so I ran the other way and left by the back door and went to the market. All I could think about was how even a little bit of that money would save the inn. I only wanted to keep my Maureen happy. This place is her life."

  Maureen's sobs filled the room, and Gwyneth held her.

  "I'm sorry, dear. Last night I went to her room to ask her to share the money with us. I only had the golf club to maybe scare her a little. She didn't even know I had it at first. I heard Daniel in her room, so I waited, and when he came out, I went down the hall. That's when we said good night to each other."

  Larry's rage ignited his sorrow, and his own tears spilled onto his cheeks. He jumped up and lunged for Daniel. Alan grabbed him and spun him around.

  "We've had enough violence already, eh?"

  Larry sank into the couch against the wall and put his head in his hands.

  Daniel continued. "I backtracked to Agatha's room and knocked. I guess she thought I was Larry coming back, and she opened the door right away." Daniel closed his eyes and related everything that happened.

  "Oh, it's you," she said and pulled her robe closed. "I really need to talk with you, Mrs.

  Thompson." "At this time? Can't it wait until morning?"

  "It's very important, and I promise it won't take long."

  Agatha opened her door, and Daniel slipped into her room and shut the door behind him.

  "Okay, what's it about?" Agatha asked.

  Daniel looked at the ticket laying on the dresser. "I want," he swallowed and his mouth ran dry. "I want a part of the lottery winnings."

  Agatha laughed. "Are you nuts or something? Get out."

  Daniel pulled his hand around to the front and wielded the golf club. "If you don't, then I'll…" he choked on his words.

  "You'll what? Huh? Have to play mini golf instead of the real thing? Get out of my room!"

  Agatha headed to the door, but Daniel cut her off at the end of the bed. He raised the club in the air.

  "I just need a little to keep the inn going. Please."

  Agatha ran toward the bathroom and began to yell for help. Daniel closed in on her quickly and swung hard. The driver nearly embedded itself in the lower back of her head, and she fell to the floor.

  "She was twitching and making this awful sound. I got scared and ran. I didn't mean to kill her. I wasn't even sure she was dead. I buried the club on the golf course and went back to bed.

  I'm sorry, Maureen!"

  Maureen sobbed in Gwyneth's arms and Wilson led Daniel out to a waiting police cruiser. "I really didn't mean to kill her."

  Murder in Bermuda - Chapter 1

  “It was such a lovely wedding.” Anna Winters sighed. “The bride’s dress is one of the most breathtaking dresses I’ve ever seen.”

  “It better be, for what she paid for it.” Pauline Baker snarled in her Manchester accent.

  “Some people have no business with money. Tossing around $250,000 for a wedding, we don't even see anything quite as extravagant back in London.”

  “You should be thankful.” Anna replied as she turned her head away from the other woman to avoid showing her smile. “If people were sensible, the wedding venue would never be rented out, which means we’d be homeless and living on the streets.”

  “Love doesn’t care how much you spend, Anna.” The other woman scowled. “I’m going to see where the mushroom stuffed shrimp are. Sometimes I think the staff doesn’t care.”

  “Get 'em, girl.” Anna laughed.

  As Pauline walked away, Anna couldn’t help but smile at her assistant. At 46, Pauline was exactly 10 years older than herself. The older woman was harmless, but could be rough around the edges. It came from being raised by a stern military father who encouraged her to enlist in the British Army. It all went well until a shattered femur from an explosion sidelined her. Now she walked with a limp. In the black and whites the hotel required the staff to wear, she looked like a wobbling penguin.

  For a moment, she wondered if it was one of the reasons Pauline grew up to have a strong dislike for love and romance of any kind. She had the potential to be very pretty, despite her short-cropped blonde hair and the permanent scowl on her face. Her cheekbones were lovely and her smoky green eyes could draw you in and capture your attention for hours.

  “When are we doing cake, Anna?” a booming voice asked.

  Turning around, she grasped at her chest lightly, then shook her red hair and regained her composure. “Oh, Pierre.” she managed to muster with a sheepish smile.

  “Why do you always cower when I sneak up on you?” Pierre Bellerose asked with a slight laugh in his voice and a toothy grin. “I’d never hurt you. Worst thing I could do is take you out for dinner and a movie.” Pierre continued in his lovely French accent.

  His brown eyes melted into her blue eyes and she could feel her heart racing for a moment.

  Anna opened her mouth, closed it in thought, then tried to speak again.

  “Are you asking me out?” she managed to muster as she scanned his face. He had a square jaw, and a light five o’clock shadow with red undertones that didn’t appear in his thick head of brown hair. She thought he was certainly the best looking food supervisor that had ever worked for her.

  “I was asking you about cake.” He laughed for a moment. “Unless, you’d like to go on a date. Then we can just blow this reception and let the bride and groom fend for themselves.”

  Anna laughed heartily. “Fine, but you’ll have to take the blame for it. As for the cake, I’ll ask the bride and the groom what they’d like to do. Hopefully, they will want to do it soon.”

  “Sounds good, Captain!”

  Pierre gave her another toothy smile along with a salute and a wink.

  In an attempt to gain her composure, Anna turned and hurried off, her cheeks a deep crimson red. Anna was still quite shy around men which she put down to going to an all girls school in her native London. At only 25, Pierre had a lot of confidence around woman, certainly a lot more confidence than she had around men when she was that age. When she realized that was 11 years ago now she started to feel old.

  Looking around, she walked up to millionaire, Tony Giovani, who was watching his wife laughing with her friends and talking.

  “Mr. Giovani?” Anna asked as she walked up to the man.

  “Anna, is there a reason you don’t want to call me Tony?” the man asked as he turned, a look of disappointment on his face. “I’m no better than you. I come from humble beginnings and was fortunate to open up a business that ended up becoming insanely popular. We’re on the same level, so please call me Tony. Besides, with your lovely British accent, I feel like I should be looking up to you.”

  “Tony, yes. Sorry, Mr. Gio—Tony.” Anna smiled. “Now, we were wondering about the

  cake. We need to get that taken care of soon. Do you know when you and your glamorous bride will want to take the first bite?”

  “That’s a good question.” he replied thoughtfully. “We can do it in the next few minutes.

  Now, I need you to do me a favor. Meadow has had her eyes on the section of cake with the three pink hearts on it. Can you make sure she gets that? I, for one, don’t care what slice you give me, but I want to be sure that she gets that piece.”

  “Of course, Tony!” Anna responded. “I’ll have Cassandra start to plate it up.

  “Thank you, Anna.” Tony replied. “You’ve made this experience incredible. I couldn’t be happier than I am right now. Meadow is the most important thing in my world. I would give anything for her. When we met, it was true love. I didn’t even make her get a prenuptial. It just seemed silly to worry about money when love is there. Not just puppy love, but true core value love.” “I get what you mean, Tony.” Anna nodded and smiled.

  Making her way through tables that were covered with white linen table cloths and peach napkins, she made it back to the cake. It was six tiers tall and glistened in impressiv
e pink and white. Her team went to painstaking lengths to make certain the cake looked incredible. This included the use of edible pink glitter and fondant hearts in a rainbow of colors. The cake underneath was a Bermuda rum cake batter. The baker was a little heavy in the rum and you could get intoxicated off the fumes coming from the cake.

  Looking at the cake, she found the three pink hearts the new bride wanted. Then cut it off and cut an additional piece for the groom. Then set them down.

  She heard a loud cheer coming from the function room next door. The police were having their annual ball and they were a rowdy lot.

  She turned her attention to the crowd and saw Cassandra Wilson, her other assistant, talking to Nancy Henderson, an odd woman who grabbed Cassandra’s hands before she took off.

  Cassandra saw Anna watching and began making her way toward her and Anna raised her hand to motion for Cassandra to hurry.

  “I am so sorry, I have been looking all over for you.” Cassandra said sheepishly. “Nancy was asking me if we would be interested in doing a wedding for her. I told her I’d have you talk to her about it later. She has a firm grip, too. Got me by the hands and wouldn’t let me go.”

  “She comes from money, she’s probably just eccentric.” Anna smiled.

  Anna looked at Cassandra. Her long black hair was pulled back in a frizzy ponytail. Looking into the other woman’s eyes, she always noticed how cold and empty they felt. But Cassandra had been a friend and assistant to her for years and watched as she propelled herself to the top.

  Cassandra was

  25, the same age as Pierre, and she had a promising career in front of her.

  A crystal champagne flute was tapped with a golden spoon at the head table as the bride and groom sat down.

  “It’s cake time.” Tony replied with a smile on his face. He then motioned to Anna to hurry.

  “Take the pieces of cake I cut to him.” Anna said to Cassandra.

  “Sounds good.” Cassandra replied, rushing to the cake.

  As Anna nodded to Tony and admired the bride, Cassandra got the pieces of cake and