The Travelling Detective: Boxed Set

by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

  Elizabeth spent most of the morning working on her article. She and Sally still had to do the Peak 2 Peak Gondola and the Wildplay Elements Park so she could take her pictures and write about the experience of being on each of them.

  Finally, when her back got tired and stretching her muscles didn’t help, she saved her work on the computer and shut it off. She went out on the balcony to do some stretches and look down at the yard next door. Work was progressing slowly and it didn’t seem that they were finding much. Nothing had been mentioned in the papers or on the news.

  She went back in and picked up Chevy’s leash. Time to go for a walk. On their way out Elizabeth saw a police car parked in front of the bed and breakfast. How long had the police been here? Had they come about the young woman found next door or had Beverly called them about the missing Bonnie? Oh, how she wanted to go find Beverly and ask, but for once her good sense won out over her curiosity. She would find out after the police left.

  However, her normal hour long walk was shortened to twenty minutes and when she returned the car was gone.

  "Elizabeth," a voice called. "Elizabeth Oliver."

  Elizabeth looked to see Cynthia waving at her. "Come here, I have to talk with you."

  Elizabeth put a smile on her face and crossed the street with Chevy.

  "I saw Alison and Rick go out shopping," Cynthia said, as she guided Elizabeth around to the back of her house. "They won’t see us together."

  There was a pitcher of ice water and two glasses on the table. "We may not have much time so tell me all that you’ve learned," Cynthia said, pouring them each a glass.

  "There isn’t much to tell," Elizabeth said. "Alison admitted that she and Rick have lived here before."

  "She did?" Cynthia asked surprised. "Why would she do that?"

  "Probably because it’s true and easily checked if a person wanted to."

  "So she figured that she would throw you off their tracks if they admitted that openly," Cynthia said, nodding. "Very clever."

  Elizabeth wondered how many mystery books Cynthia read and how many crime shows and movies she watched a week. There were certainly a lot of them out there.

  "Did you go to the police?" Cynthia asked.

  "No, not yet. I’m waiting for them to finish the excavation of the yard. I’ve been doing regular surveillance on them from my balcony. It’s going pretty slow." She thought throwing out some police terminology would keep Cynthia happy.

  "Excellent," Cynthia beamed. "I knew I could count on you to help me. When this is over you can use my name as a reference for your future clients."

  "Thank you," Elizabeth said, straight faced. She looked at her watch and stood. "I’ve got to go and do my afternoon check on their progress."

  As she crossed back to the bed and breakfast Elizabeth wondered about the police car. She hadn’t mentioned it to Cynthia and it was obvious that Cynthia hadn’t seen it. Which was good. Less questions to answer.

  She climbed the stairs to their suite and found Sally pacing back and forth in their living room.

  "Where have you been?" Sally demanded.

  "I took Chevy out, then talked with Cynthia." Elizabeth stared at her friend. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking. "Why? What’s wrong?"

  "Bonnie was killed last night," Sally said, her voice suddenly subdued.

  Elizabeth stared at her. "Bonnie’s dead?" A shiver ran down her back. "What happened?"

  "The police came to the retreat today and said that she had been found lying in the middle of a street. They think she may have been run over."

  "Let’s go out on the balcony and you can tell me everything." Elizabeth went and got them each a cooler. She handed a bottle to Sally and sat in the chair opposite her.

  "There isn’t much to tell," Sally began, taking a sip then setting her bottle down on the small table. "Bonnie didn’t show again this morning and I had decided I was going to ask Kat Mac if Bonnie had quit the class when someone knocked at the door. Kat Mac answered it and I could see a police officer. She stepped out and when she returned she said that Bonnie had been found lying on a street last night and that the police thought she may have been run over."

  "So that’s why they were here this morning," Elizabeth mused.

  "Who were here?"

  "When I went to take Chevy for our walk there was a police car in the parking lot. They must have come to talk with Beverly and to look through Bonnie’s room."

  "Should we go to the police with what we know?" Sally asked.

  "I don’t know," Elizabeth said thoughtfully. "Do you think that they will buy into the fact that Bonnie’s suspicions are based on the notion that Sylvia wouldn’t have gone to the Upper Village twice."

  "That really is a silly reason, when you think about it,” Sally admitted. “But she sure was adamant about it."

  "And it seems too much of a coincidence that Sylvia died here and when Bonnie came here because she thinks Sylvia was murdered, she dies also."

  "I wonder if she ever asked Kat Mac about Sylvia," Sally said. "Do you think we should speak with Kat Mac? She seemed quite shocked by the news this morning. She couldn’t continue with her lecture."

  "Why don’t we wait and see what’s on the news tonight. But we could see if the police told Beverly anything."

  They headed down to the kitchen where they found Beverly sitting at the table, a cup of coffee gripped in her hands. Her eyes were red as she looked up when they knocked on the open door.

  "May we come in?" Elizabeth asked.

  Beverly nodded her head. She looked down at her cup again.

  "We heard about Bonnie," Elizabeth said gently, as she and Sally sat down.

  "Yes, the police were here today to tell me and to search her room."

  "Were they looking for anything specific?" Elizabeth asked.

  "I don’t know. I was in such shock that I just gave them the key and told them the room number."

  That’s too bad, Elizabeth thought. "What’s going to happen with her things?"

  "I phoned her aunt and she will be here tomorrow to pack them up."

  "Oh, the poor woman," Sally exclaimed.

  "Yes, she seemed quite broke up. She kept saying, ‘not Bonnie, too.’"

  Elizabeth glanced at Sally and shook her head. Best not to say anything about Sylvia. Let Bonnie’s aunt tell Beverly if she wished to.

  "Is there anything we can do?"

  Beverly shook her head. "I’ve told the other guests so they won’t be surprised if they hear it on the news. Especially since some of them are here because of the body found next door."

  "Oh, yes, that would be tough to take when you are waiting to hear if it was your relative who was murdered," Sally agreed.

  Beverly looked at Sally. "You were right to be worried about her."

  "I sure didn’t expect this, though," Sally said.

  "Who would?" Elizabeth said, quietly. "Do you know what time Bonnie’s aunt is coming tomorrow?"

  "She said she would be here around noon. Why?"

  "I just thought we could help her if she wants. I don’t imagine it will be very pleasant for her."

  "You could ask her. I’ll be there, also."

  "It might be good for her to meet some people who had gotten to know Bonnie a bit while she was here," Elizabeth said.

  Beverly nodded.

  “Did the police say where Bonnie was found?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Yes, just off Nancy Greene Way on Fitzsimmons Road South.”

  “That close?” Sally asked, shocked. “Was she on her way here from the retreat?”

  “They don’t know what she was doing,” Beverly said.

  Sally’s stomach rumbled. "I guess I didn’t eat enough crepes for breakfast," Sally smiled. "We’d better go."

  "Let’s go into the village and have supper," Elizabeth said, on their way to their room. "Then we’ll come back and listen to the news."

  They grabbed their money wallets and went to the Tracker, Chevy foll
owing.

  “If she was coming here from the retreat last night, where was she all day yesterday? Elizabeth asked as she drove.

  “Well, we know she wasn’t in class, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t in the building. There are a number of students staying at the retreat. She could have visited with any of them.”

  “Did she know someone that well to stay with them the all day? That would have meant they would have missed class, too.”

  “She was the only one missing from our class, but I don’t know about other ones.”

  “If Michael is staying there she could have spent the time with him.”

  “Except I talked with Michael yesterday.”

  “Right,” Elizabeth nodded. She pulled into the free parking lot and they walked across to the village. Elizabeth took Sally along the brick inlaid Village Stroll showing her all the hotels, shops, and restaurants.

  "This is so romantic," Sally said. "I can imagine myself here in the winter, skiing down the snow covered mountains during the day, walking along this lighted walkway at night, and sitting in front of a fire in one of the hotel fireplaces."

  "It would be fun to do it at least once," Elizabeth said.

  They had their supper at Earls sitting at one of the outdoor tables overlooking part of the Village Stroll. After they ate Elizabeth took Sally to the Upper Village. They walked across the wooden bridge over the creek and then under the roadway bridge. They stopped at the concrete steps where Sylvia had died.

  “These certainly don’t look dangerous,” Sally said.

  “No,” Elizabeth agreed. “The individual steps are deep and they aren’t steep.” She walked up the first four steps to the landing, then the next seven steps to another landing. “I don’t see how Sylvia could have lost her balance on these stairs.”

  Sally ran past Elizabeth. “They are easy,” she said, as she reached the top. “Plus, they have the railings in the centre to hold onto if necessary.”

  "They sure don’t look like the scene of a murder, do they?" Elizabeth said.

  “But I can’t see someone accidentally falling on these either,” Sally said.

  They went back to their suite and turned on the television. The news station was from Vancouver and they had to listen to all the accidents and robberies in that city before the anchor person turned to what had happened in the rest of the province. Whistler’s Murder was the first up and pictures of the vacant lot next door were shown.

  "Police are still trying to identify the body of the young woman found in the demolished house in Whistler. Many people have come forward with dental records and descriptions of birth marks but so far none of them has been a match."

  Bonnie’s picture was shown next on the screen.

  "In an unrelated matter the body of a woman in her thirties was found on a street in Whistler sometime early this morning. Police have identified her as Bonnie Stone from Vancouver. She was attending a writer’s retreat in Whistler when the tragedy occurred. The police believe she may have been the victim of a hit and run driver. And in a tragic coincidence, Bonnie’s cousin, Sylvia, had attended the same retreat two years ago and had died from an accidental fall."

  Elizabeth shivered as she looked at Sally. Suddenly, solving murders wasn’t the fun it used to be. For the first time she realized it wasn’t a game. People she knew were being killed, people who had asked for her help.

  "Do you think we may be in danger?" Sally asked.

  "I don’t know," Elizabeth replied. "It depends on if Bonnie mentioned us to whomever killed her."

  “She did tell everyone at the retreat that we were helping her find her cousin’s murderer,” Sally said.

  “She did? Why would she do that?”

  “I don’t know but maybe we should be careful.” Sally was quiet a moment. "But if it was a hit and run, then it had nothing to do with her search."

  "Or maybe that was how the person decided to kill her. That way it wouldn’t look like actual premeditated murder. The police would be looking for a hit and run driver not a murderer."

  "So where does that leave us? Should we go to the police?"

  Before Elizabeth could answer that there was a knock at the door. Chevy jumped up from where he was sleeping on the floor and rushed to the door barking. Sally turned off the television while Elizabeth scooped Chevy up and shushed him as she opened the door. Two RCMP officers, a man and a woman stood in the door way. Chevy squirmed in her arms wanting to get down. She held him fast.

  "I am Constable Black and this is Constable Pierce," the man introduced them. "We are looking for Sally Matthews."

  Sally came up beside Elizabeth. "I’m Sally Matthews."

  "We would like to ask you some questions about Bonnie Stone. May we come in?"

  Elizabeth held the door wider to let them enter. When the door was closed she set Chevy down. He immediately headed to give the officers’ legs a sniff. Sally pointed to the living room and the officers sat in the chairs while Elizabeth and Sally settled on the couch. Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she should stay but they didn’t ask her to leave. Plus, she wanted to be there to support Sally if she needed it.

  "Ms. Matthews, I’m assuming you have heard the news about Ms. Stone," Constable Black began.

  Sally nodded.

  Chevy had finished his inspection and jumped up between Sally and Elizabeth. He turned around twice then laid down.

  "We understand that you were in the same science fiction/fantasy class as Ms. Stone," Black said.

  Again Sally nodded. Elizabeth reached over and squeezed her hand.

  "We are interviewing all the students in the class," Constable Pierce said, smiling at Sally. "We’re not singling you out for any reason."

  "Was there anything unusual about Ms. Stone’s attendance at the retreat?" Constable Black asked.

  Sally glanced at Elizabeth who nodded. Might was well tell them everything. After what they had learned today, neither felt very safe.

  Sally began with the first class and the introduction, telling them that Bonnie had felt uncomfortable with thirteen students in the class. She progressed to the Angel cards, Bonnie’s assertion at the retreat that her cousin Sylvia had been murdered, and then her disappearance.

  "Who all were there when Bonnie mentioned her cousin’s death?" Black asked.

  Sally thought back. "Lisa, Daryl, Kirk, Reggie, our instructress, and a few more hanging around."

  "Did she tell you why she thought her cousin had been murdered?"

  Sally looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled. She knew this was going to sound weird.

  "She said that Sylvia didn’t like to repeat anything, like going to a movie twice and that she had already been to the Upper Village, so she wouldn’t have gone there again."

  "Did any of them react oddly to what she’d said?"

  "Not that I noticed. I think most of them thought she was a bit flaky because of her Angel cards and her being superstitious about the number thirteen."

  "Tell us about those Angel cards," Constable Pierce said.

  Sally explained how Bonnie had done readings for the other students and how every time she did her own, one special card came up.

  "What card was that?"

  "Bridgette. I think her message was that Bonnie should be cautious."

  "Cautious about what?"

  "I’m not really sure. Bonnie thought it had something to do with the class or the retreat."

  "She selected you to tell all this to," Black said. "Why is that?

  "I think it’s because she heard that Elizabeth had solved some murders and she was wondering if she would help her."

  Black gave a loud sigh. "Oh, so you’re an amateur sleuth. Trying to put the police out of work, are you?"

  "I’ve never actively sought out a murder to solve it," Elizabeth said, quietly. "They just seem to happen when I’m around."

  "Well, we’d appreciate it if you stayed away from this."

  "Are you saying Bonnie was murdered?" Elizabeth asked,
fear gripping her stomach. Where did that leave them? Did the killer know that Bonnie had been talking to them? Would the killer try to get to them?

  "I’m not saying anything," Black said, standing. "I’m just warning you not to get in the way of our investigation. We do know how to do our jobs."

  "Do you think we should be careful?" Sally asked, as they walked to the door. "Is there someone out there who might try to kill us, too?"

  "You have nothing to worry about. No one wants to harm either of you."

  Elizabeth closed the door behind the constables and locked it. She turned to Sally. "What do you think?"

  "In spite of what he said, I think Bonnie was murdered. It’s just too much of a coincidence that the two cousins die in the same town attending the same retreat."

  "The question is, what are we going to do?"

  "Well, he did warn you to stay away from the investigation,” Sally grinned. "Your prowess as a detective must have scared him."

  "That’s not what I meant," Elizabeth smiled. "Maybe we should go home. After all, if she was killed by someone, that person might think she told us something."

  "But I can’t remember anything she said that sounded like a clue," Sally said. "And if she was killed because she thought her cousin was murdered then everyone in our class will be a target."

  Elizabeth went and got them each a cooler and they sat down again. "Let’s go over what we know," she said, twisting off the cap of her bottle.

  "We know that Bonnie thought Sylvia had been murdered," Sally said, taking a sip.

  "We know that Bonnie believed that her Angel card, Bridgette, was warning her about something," Elizabeth said.

  "We know that there were some irritated students, like Daryl, who thought she shouldn’t be in the class."

  "But would he have killed her because of that?" Elizabeth asked.

  Sally shrugged. "I’m just looking at everyone who had something against her."

  "Okay, who else thought like Daryl?"

  "At least two other men in the class, Luke Johnson and Henry Freisen. Two men, Kirk West and Russ Peters were in with us women. The rest went their own way."

  "Who were they?"

  "Bill Young, Luis Vivieris, and Bruce Wong. Another man, Reggie Shaw has begun hanging around with us lately."