Faraway Eyes_A fast-paced romantic murder mystery

by Evelyn Harrison

“Stan … I mean Mr. Drummond has finished his call, you can go in Mrs. Adams.”

  Getting to her feet, Sam walked towards the only other door in the room. Stanley Drummond was a bald man of slight build – certainly not much taller than five and a half feet, if that. Rising from his chair, he reached out his dirty-nailed hand towards Sam, who shook it reluctantly.

  “Mrs. Adams, it’s nice to meet you. Please, let me get you a chair … I’m afraid you find me on a very busy day, I’ve a train to catch in an hour, but I can give you a few minutes.”

  Sam doubted very much if the creature before her was really that in demand.

  “I appreciate you squeezing me into your busy schedule, Mr. Drummond. I’ll come straight to the point then. I want you to find my brother who’s been missing since he walked out after a row with our mother.”

  “Well, that’s our speciality, finding missing persons. If you could give me a few details,” he began, reaching into his desk and pulling out a form, “then I’ll let you know our fees and you can decide whether you still want to go ahead or not.”

  “Excellent. Do you go abroad to find people? Only my mother thinks he could be somewhere in Australia.”

  Stanley Drummond’s head rose. “Wow, that must have been some argument … Please understand I don’t usually go abroad, the focuses of my investigations are mostly around the UK. I’ll be honest, going so far would be very expensive for you. My fare, accommodation and I’d have to hire a car.”

  “I see, oh dear. So, Australia would be too far for you to go? Look, I don’t want to waste any more of your time Mr. Drummond, if Australia is out of the question; we’d better stop this conversation right now. I would hate it if you missed your train on my account …”

  “No, no I didn’t say it would be too far. The fact is I’ve never been, let’s face it, to the other side of the world before, but I’d be quite willing to go if it brought you and your family peace of mind.”

  Sam forced a smile, “What a kind man you are.” What she was actually thinking was ‘you lying little shit!’. “Can you give me an idea of the costs involved?”

  Stanley Drummond mopped his brow with his off-white, cotton handkerchief. He couldn’t believe his luck, another gullible client.

  “Off the top of my head, I can’t see how I could do it for anything less than say, £12,000.”

  Sam sprang to her feet, “I have to be honest, that’s a little more than I was expecting, but I’ll go home and talk it over with my mother. I’m sure together we can sort something out.”

  “Excellent,” he said, returning his handkerchief to his jacket pocket, “so I’ll hear from you again soon?”

  “Yes, Mr. Drummond, definitely, very soon.”

  Stepping back onto the now rain-drenched street, Sam sheltered in a shop doorway. Looking down at the phone in her hand she tapped in a number.

  “Superintend Latimer, its Sam Adams.”

  “Sam, nice to hear from you after all this time. What can I do for you?”

  “A friend of mine has asked me to go to New Zealand, to find her missing husband.”

  “Doing a bit of detective work to keep your hand in?”

  “Not really, it’s just a favour. The reason I’m calling, this friend originally commissioned a guy called Stanley Drummond, a private investigator to find him. You know me, I had my suspicions when I read his report …”

  “Don’t tell me, he charged her for going, but didn’t.”

  “You’ve hit the nail on the head. I’ve just been to see him and I recorded our conversation. I’ve also got the fraudulent report he wrote and fake receipts, which resulted in a man being declared dead by the courts, both of these evidences I’ll send on to you. I know how busy you and the team are, but I think you could get a quick result here.”

  “Right, I hear you. Good work, I’ll get on to it. Look don’t be a stranger, come in and see us sometime and bring that little lad of yours.”

  Sam ended her call and tapped in a second number.

  “Polly, its Sam, I’ve just spoken to Stanley Drummond and I’ve got to tell you something …

  ***

  Kate was busy feeding tea to her twin daughters, Alita and Gabrielle, when Sam and Harry arrived at Lime House.

  “Sorry Kate, I can see you’ve got your hands full, shall I come back tomorrow?”

  “No, its fine, come in and sit down, I could do with some adult conversation, I’ve been helping out at the girls’ school all day and anyway they’ve just finished eating.” Kate turned back to her daughters. “For a treat, you can go and watch cartoons while I talk to Auntie Sam … So, Sam, how are things?”

  “Fine. Actually, I’ve got a proposition to put to you. How do you fancy coming to New Zealand with me for a couple of weeks, leaving around the seventeenth?”

  “Blimey, you don’t do things by halves, tell me more?”

  “We’d be looking for a missing person whose already been declared dead …”

  Kate sat intrigued as she related Polly’s story, when she finally finished Kate fell back in her chair.

  “Call me a sceptic, but would this have anything to do with you wanting to be out of the way, because of a certain detective’s wedding?”

  “You’re right, of course. I just can’t bear the thought of them being together, but please, I don’t want either of them to know they’ve actually driven me out of the country.”

  “I must say I’m disappointed, I thought you were a fighter.”

  “Sadly, there are some fights you can’t win. The thing is Kate, at the end of your garden party, Ana cornered me and told me she’s pregnant, I can’t fight that.”

  “No! Shit! I’m so sorry Sam. I don’t think Alex could have said anything at work, I’m sure James would have mentioned it. Have you told Beth?”

  “No, and I’m not going to either and it’s probably best you don’t mention it to anyone else, even James, we’ll just wait for the big announcement. So, are you interested in coming with me? I’ll totally understand if you’re not.”

  “I’ll have to talk it over with James first of course, but I’m sure Dad and my stepmother Ronnie would be only too pleased to help out. The girls could stay with them at Hill Farm when James is on duty, they would love it and then there’s Grandmamma and Flo of course, they could come and stay here in the house …”

  “Are you saying you’ll come?”

  “I’m saying, as long as it’s alright with the rest of my family, then yes, I’m up for it. I can’t let you go all that way on your own, goodness knows what trouble you’ll get into."

  Chapter 10 – Up and Away

  “A meeting was a very good idea, saves all the ‘she said’ ‘he said’ conversations and let’s face it, we don’t have much time to get organised,” pointed out Kate from the passenger seat of Sam’s car.

  Driving along the narrow, winding lanes towards The Old Rectory, Sam glanced into her rear-view mirror.

  “Are you sure you’re OK with your wife coming with me, James? I don’t want to be the cause of a marital rift.”

  She saw James’s face break out into a grin.

  “Of course, the girls and I are going to miss her, but it’s for a good cause. I just hope you manage to find him.”

  “Yes, so do I. You do understand though, why I don’t want Alex to know I’m going?”

  “You can trust me; my lips are sealed.”

  Turning into the driveway, Sam drove slowly up to the main door of the house and immediately noticed the others were already sitting outside on the patio.

  “It’s such a warm evening for once and so stuffy inside, I thought we’d all sit out here,” said Sally. “There are drinks and a few nibbles, please help yourselves.”

  “You beat us to it Dad, I thought you were going to be late?” queried Kate.

  Jonathon Oliver stood up and kissed his daughter. “Laura came early to babysit Chris, so we took the opportunity and left. Come and sit here next to me.”

  �
��I’ve brought cakes,” pointed out Beth, “You need feeding up you two before you go. I understand food is quite expensive in New Zealand.”

  Kate laughed. “Thanks Beth, you’re always thinking of my stomach. So, Polly what’s the news?”

  “I’ve got the tickets and booked you into a hotel in Christchurch for a couple of nights. I think you’ll need a day to help you cope with the jet lag before you get going. You’re leaving from Heathrow at nine o’clock in the evening, on the twenty-second, that’s a week next Monday. With the time difference you are scheduled to arrive in Christchurch, after changing planes in Singapore on Wednesday the twenty-fourth at midday. The tickets are open ended, so you can come back whenever you want to, as long as you can get a flight. I thought that was a better idea than giving you a definite time to return. I mean, if you find Dan within a few days, task over with.”

  “I can’t see that happening to be honest,” said Ben, Beth’s husband and Kate’s brother, “I mean sis, I know you’re driving. I’ve looked at the map and Jacob’s Rest is a long way from Christchurch, although not quite into the mountainous area, it could take you half a day or more to reach it.”

  “We know, but at least they drive on the same side of the road as we do, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

  “Have you applied for visas yet?” asked Brian.

  “Yes, that’s all sorted,” replied Sam. “Visa’s and insurance. Anyone think of anything else?”

  “You’ll need warm clothes,” piped up Ronny, “did you know its autumn over there? It’s hard to imagine isn’t it? Autumn in May.”

  “In fact, the South Island is colder than the North Island, several degrees apparently,” pointed out Brian, who had been reading up about New Zealand, ever since Polly had told him about her husband.

  “Can I say something?” asked Polly, getting to her feet. “Brian and I want to thank Sam and Kate for putting their lives on hold by going in search of a man they don’t even know. And thank you to the rest of you for making it possible, by looking after their children. I just hope there is an outcome and a good one and that they find Daniel alive, I really don’t wish him ill. Now please raise your glasses to two very wonderful women. To Sam and Kate.”

  “To Sam and Kate,” they chorused.

  ***

  The enormity of what she and Kate were about to do, hit home a week later, while she was feeding Harry his lunch. Of course, her young son had no idea his mother was about to leave him and that tonight and for the foreseeable future, he would be sleeping at Grammies without her. Sam knew he adored her mother and that she and Polly would take great care of him, otherwise she would not have even contemplated going. She picked up a flannel and washed his hands and face. Not long now. Brian would be picking them up to drive them to The Old Rectory in less than two hours. She lifted him out of his highchair and carried him into the sitting room, where together they played with his Duplo and other toys, until the familiar sound of Brian’s footsteps could be heard coming up the path. Everything was in the hall ready to be picked up, ready to be loaded into the car.

  Closing her front door behind her she took hold of Harry’s hand and together they made their way to the little wooden gate at the end of the path, where Josie was waiting to say her goodbyes.

  “Have a safe trip. I’ve told your mother if she needs any help she can call on me.”

  “Thanks Josie, and don’t forget you can’t tell anyone I’ve gone away.”

  “You can rely on me.”

  The two women hugged each other before Sam climbed into the back of the black Honda, she needed to be in touching distance of her son, for the few hours they had left together. Josie waved as the car pulled away from Honeysuckle Cottage, drove slowly along Horse Lane before turning right onto Willow Green High Street, when both car and occupants, disappeared from sight.

  ***

  Two hours later, with Brian in the driving seat, they joined the stream of cars making their way onto the M25 towards London, whereupon Kate glanced over at her friend.

  “Are you OK Sam?”

  “Yes I’m alright, just imagining Harry waking up tomorrow morning and finding I’m not there. Feeling guilty that’s all.”

  “He’ll be absolutely fine. He’ll miss you, naturally, but I’m sure your mother and Polly will keep him busy.”

  Sam rested her head against the car window. The sun still hung brightly in the sky, obscured occasionally by the odd fluffy cloud. This would be their last look at England and the traffic for a while – she definitely wouldn’t miss the traffic.

  Half an hour later, Brian pulled up in front of Terminal 2. Leaping out of the car he helped them unload their luggage.

  “Safe journey, you two, don’t forget to try and contact us every day,” said Brian, kissing both women, “You know how your mother will worry Sam if she doesn’t hear from you.”

  “We’ll do our best. I’m still trying to get my head around the time difference. We’ll either ring or FaceTime at seven in the morning from New Zealand, when its seven in the evening here, the day before. Have I got that right?”

  “Yes, yes come on, let’s go,” urged Kate. “Bye, Brian, thanks for the lift.”

  ***

  Heathrow Airport was, as always, bustling with people from almost every country in the world. Sam loved the vibe she got from airports. The last time she got on a plane was to Tenerife, before Harry was born, sadly though that trip hadn’t exactly been a relaxing experience. On a positive note it was in Tenerife she met Alex and even after everything that had happened since, she didn’t regret their meeting for one minute … No, she couldn’t afford to think of him anymore, it was too painful. He was getting married in five days, granted to a manipulative bitch, but that was his choice. Now she and Kate had a job to do.

  With their bags checked into Singapore Airlines, they made their way through security and finally to the waiting area – keeping an eye on the departure board. Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long. When their boarding gate came up on the screen, Kate took Sam’s hand.

  “This is it then, no going back.”

  “No going back. Come on, it’s quite a walk to our gate.”

  An hour later, they settled into their seats and buckled up. Adjusting her seat belt, Kate shuffled about trying to get comfortable.

  “Do you think Daniel is still alive?”

  “I don’t know, but for Polly’s sake we need to find out for sure, I’m not returning home until we do. I have to admit though I’ve got an uneasy feeling this trip won’t be hassle-free.”

  With the roar of the plane’s engine ringing in their ears, they reclined into their seats, closed their eyes, and as the mighty aircraft made its way down the runway and took to the sky, both women said a quiet prayer.

  Chapter 11 – A Change of Season

  New Zealand, Wednesday 24th May

  How exhausting it is to sit still for almost twenty-four hours, despite the all too brief, opportunity to stretch your legs when changing planes mid-journey. The only thing to look forward to on this monumental flight of confinement, is the uncertain pleasure of eating unaccustomed food from small individual containers on a plastic tray and watching the latest films on a tiny screen set firmly in the seat in front. Then, as the lights within the confined cabin dim for several hours you and your fellow passengers are prompted to take an unscheduled sleep. With the unrelenting drone of the aircraft engine pulsating in your brain, you just know, unlike everyone else it seems, sleep of any consequence is not going to happen. Still, with your head against the smallest pillow imaginable and a blanket pulled up to your chin – you do at least try.

  ***

  Stepping out of the plane at Christchurch International Airport, Sam felt quite giddy with emotion. If she was being honest, there was part of her that wanted to turn around and take the next plane home. What made her think coming all this way, not seeing her little boy for goodness knows how long, was a good idea? Why had she felt the need
to run away in the first place? After all, that is what she was doing, running away, simply because she couldn’t face the reality that the man she loved was marrying another woman. What did that make her? When did she become so weak?

  Tired and longing for a shower, the two friends followed the rest of the passengers towards customs before going on to collect their luggage. Making their way towards the exit, they were relieved to see a placard with their names clearly written. Approaching the taxi driver, they came to a halt in front of her.

  “We’re Ms Adams and Robinson,” pointed out Sam.

  “Welcome to my country, would you like to follow me,” requested their driver, who appeared to be of Maori descent. “Is this your first visit to New Zealand?”

  “Yes, neither of us has been before,” replied Kate, “it’s all quite exciting.”

  Sam wished she felt the same way. Once outside, the women braced themselves against the cool air. After loading up the people carrier with their luggage, they scrambled in. It was only about ten miles to their hotel, which lay in the centre of Christchurch. Gazing out of the taxi’s window at their first sight of New Zealand, both women were taken aback by the visible remnant of destruction, caused by several earthquakes the city had endured over the last few years.

  Arriving in front of their hotel, the taxi driver helped them carry their suitcases up the multiple steps.

  “Here’s my card,” she said, “if you need a taxi again, please think of me. Have a lovely holiday. We’re not expecting snow in this area for weeks yet, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting around.”

  Sam glanced down at the little pink card with the taxi’s telephone number. In gold lettering it said, ‘your driver today is Hemi’.

  “Thank you Hemi, we’re hiring a car for the time we’re here, but no doubt we will need you when it comes to going home.”

  They both thanked her again and made their way through the double doors to the check-in desk, where a receptionist was already dealing with another guest. Glancing around, they could see the hotel was quite opulent with lush furnishings, a sweeping carpeted staircase, dominated the arrival area.