Deadly Deceit: Jess Turner in the Caribbean (Diplomatic Crime Book 2)

by Jean Harrod

  When she looked back, Carrie was watching her intently, as if reading her thoughts.

  Jess nodded at Carrie, as if acknowledging she had fooled them all with her different guises. She’d been the quiet and respectful dinner guest, the hard-working and conscientious teacher, the thoughtful and kind friend, and the beautiful, alluring woman. How easily she manipulated people, particularly men. First her colleague David, and then Brad. Or had it been the other way around?

  Carrie’s eyes gleamed as if she’d heard Jess’s thoughts. Then she turned to Sally. “You don’t think Brad could love someone like you, do you? You’re too self-obsessed.” She laughed. “You were useful though, working in the Governor’s Office.”

  Sally glared at Brad, and he took a step back.

  Meanwhile, Jess was thinking hard. Dexter knew she’d come down here after Brad and Sally. Surely he’d come looking for her with his officers once Charles was safely in the ambulance? She had to play for time.

  “So,” she said in a calm voice, “you’ve both been working for Roger Pearson.”

  They looked at each other.

  “We know everything,” Jess said. “You switched off the lighthouse light, to make those two sloops run aground on the reef. And Roger paid you to do it.”

  Sally gasped and stared at Brad, as if seeing him for the first time. “Tell me you didn’t.”

  “Don’t look so shocked.” Carrie smiled. “We’re just doing what wreckers have always done. Where do you think we got the idea from?”

  Jess nodded. “I understand why you did it, Brad. To fund your sunken galleon project, and to become a famous diver.” She shook her head. “Pity you’ll now be known for all the wrong reasons, as a murderer.”

  He flinched.

  “You do realise Roger has just shot your brother, don’t you?”

  “Don’t listen to her, Brad,” Carrie said. “She’s lying.”

  “I’m not.” Jess shook her head. “Charles was so worried about you, Brad. He went all over the island searching for you. We came up to the lighthouse together, to find you and Sally.”

  Brad stared at her, then snapped: “Trust him to go and fuck things up. He just won’t stop interfering.”

  Despite his words, Jess could see Brad was rattled. He wasn’t the cool, calculating person that Carrie was. “So you and Carrie decided to drown all those poor people on the reef. Murder them.”

  “Murder them?” Carrie shook her head. “We saved them from their own wretched lives.”

  “By drowning them out to sea?”

  Carrie stared at her in surprise. “The sea is magnificent. Drowning is nothing to be afraid of.” She had a far-away look in her eye. “I love the sea. I feel at home in it. Always have.”

  “You’re crazy,” Sally said, quietly.

  Jess flashed her a warning look. They had to keep talking until help came. Besides, she wanted to know the truth. “Charles told me you had a book about voodoo in your house, Brad. I suppose the two of you killed those missing pets, and started the rumours that they’d been sacrificed?”

  Carrie smiled. “It was Roger’s idea. He wanted to terrify everyone, to keep them quiet. Brad and I were only too happy to oblige... for a fee of course. And don’t sneer at voodoo. It’s powerful.”

  “You’d know all about that from your time in West Africa.”

  “Of course.” Carrie looked at Jess. “You know, I wasn’t sure whether you were going to die by drowning, or pleading for your life on the sacrificial altar, or like Mrs Pearson and your meddling housekeeper. We’d have got Maggie’s miserable daughter too, if she’d been at the Residence at the time.”

  Jess stared at her in surprise. “Daughter?”

  “Alvita!” Carrie laughed. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know they were mother and daughter, and Haitian!” Carrie laughed again. “And I thought you were smart, Jess.”

  Jess hadn’t guessed, but it somehow made sense. “So you murdered Maggie and Mrs Pearson?”

  Carrie nodded. “Brad and me.”

  Sally gasped.

  Brad looked away.

  All the while they were talking, Jess was still looking round for some means of escape. They wouldn’t stand a chance once they’d set sail. Suddenly her eyes lighted on a small rag doll lying on the floor in the corner of the cabin. Carrie must have had children on this boat.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, as the realisation sunk in. “You’ve been saving the Haitian children from those sloops, haven’t you?” Her voice shook as she asked: “Why? To sacrifice them?”

  Carrie laughed out loud. “I haven’t sacrificed them.” She was enjoying Jess’s confusion. “I told you, I’ve saved them. I’ve given them new families in America.”

  Jess frowned, bewildered.

  “Do I have to spell it out for you?” Carrie sighed while clearly relishing the opportunity to explain. “I set up a kindergarten in Miami to work closely with mine here. Both registered charities,” she said, proudly. “There’s a lot of fund-raising going on in the US for our kindergartens. We have visits in both directions by parents and their children too. Lots of exchanges that everyone is well used to.” She laughed and patted one of the cabin’s wood veneer panels. “Only now, I also take some children to America, who never come back.”

  “In this boat?” Jess asked.

  Brad interrupted. “It’s an offshore cruiser.”

  Jess didn’t care what it was called. “What about passports for the children?” she asked.

  Carrie smiled. “Easy to obtain with money to pay the right people.”

  Jess knew that was true. “But America is tough on immigration. They’d never let those Haitian children in.”

  “No, not through airports they wouldn’t,” Carrie said. “But the Florida coastline is full of marinas. And it’s not so far away. We smuggle them in by sea. Our contacts in America take them, and find them new families.”

  “You mean they sell them!”

  Carrie smiled, benignly. “I don’t know why you’re so shocked, Jess. You must know adoption laws vary from state to state in the US. Some are more relaxed than others. People even advertise children on the internet. Put them up for adoption. Very lucrative.”

  “You still sell them.”

  Carrie shrugged. “Put it like that, if you want to. But I haven’t hurt those children. Quite the opposite, I’ve given them new lives. Better lives than they would have had here, or in Haiti.”

  “But what about their real mothers and fathers?” Jess was incredulous now.

  Carrie swept her arms wide. “Drowned out on the reef, most of them. If they made it to shore, we took them back out there.”

  “You’re a monster!” Sally couldn’t help herself now.

  Carrie’s smile faded. “It’s time to take you out to the graveyard of souls.”

  Jess frowned.

  “That’s what the islanders call the area around the north-west reef where so many ships have been wrecked... the graveyard of souls,” Carrie explained. “Very apt, don’t you think? Now it’s your turn to join all those sunken-eyed skeletons in the deep.”

  Jess wasn’t sure if she were staring at pure madness, or pure evil. Either way, Carrie was beyond reach.

  “Cast off, Brad,” Carrie ordered.

  He hesitated, and looked from Carrie to Sally.

  “Don’t do it, Brad,” Sally pleaded. “Carrie will get the blame for this, not you. You’re not the monster she is.”

  “Brad!” Carrie’s eyes narrowed. “I said cast off.”

  Brad’s shoulders slumped, and he went outside.

  From where Jess sat on the floor, she couldn’t see out the window. But she felt the boat tip as Brad jumped onto the jetty to cast off. She had to stop him, if they stood any chance of surviving. She went to get up. But Carrie leant forward and put the gun to her head. “You can die here and now, if you want to.”

  Jess could see Carrie meant it. The boat rocked as Brad jumped back on board. Her heart sank when s
he heard him start up the engine, and the boat pulled away from the jetty. She was powerless to do anything.

  “That’s better.” Carrie sat down on a bench seat, and relaxed back. “Can’t bear hurricanes and being cooped up too long on shore.”

  They were heading for the reef. Jess felt sure of that. “What are you going to do, now? Throw us over the side and let us drown too?”

  Carrie nodded.

  Jess suppressed a ripple of fear. “Then what? You won’t survive the hurricane out here.”

  “We don’t intend to,” Carrie said. “After we’ve buried you two at sea, we’ll shelter in North Creek for the rest of the storm.”

  Jess knew North Creek was an inlet, with only a small opening to allow vessels in and out. It was a natural shelter for boats during hurricanes, and the entrance was just along from the lighthouse.

  “Then we’ll carry on our lives as normal,” Carrie went on. “These islands are our home now. We belong here. I feel I’ve always belonged here.”

  The boat started pitching around as they hit choppier waters. Jess knew it wouldn’t take long to get to the reef. She kept her eyes on Carrie’s face when she said: “It was supposed to be just one sloop, to send a message to the Haitians not to come. But you couldn’t resist a second time. And you’re not going to stop now, are you?”

  “No.” Carrie shook her head. “Not if they keep coming. Roger can’t have them all here, you see. It’s impossible. Just too many of them.” She paused. “Anyway, I have families in America waiting for children now. And my job is to make sure they get there safely.” She looked at Jess. “You understand that, don’t you?”

  All Jess understood was that Carrie’s logic was warped and dangerous. Carrie’s fanatical belief in herself and in what she was doing was unshakeable. But could Jess persuade her to doubt Brad? She had to try.

  “You know you can’t trust Brad, don’t you?” Jess said. “I saw him, the other night, on the beach having sex with Sally.”

  Carrie’s face clouded.

  “They were really going for it,” Jess went on, “I saw it all. Heard it all. Pure, hot sex, and he loved every minute of it.”

  “Brad!” Carrie shouted. “Will you come in here.”

  Brad put his head through the door.

  “Jess says she saw you having sex with Sally on the beach the other night.”

  His eyes were hooded. “She’s lying, Carrie.”

  “No she’s not,” Sally piped up. “You said you loved me. Really loved me. Couldn’t live without me.”

  Brad shook his head. “Don’t listen to her, Carrie.”

  Jess could see in Carrie’s eyes that she knew Brad was lying. “Charles told me Brad was unreliable, and impressionable,” Jess went on. “You know you can’t trust him, Carrie.”

  “Ignore her!” Brad glowered at Jess as the boat lurched, and he stumbled sideways. “I’ve got to get back to the wheel. The wind’s getting stronger.” He went back out, and came rushing straight back in.

  “The police patrol boat’s coming.”

  Carrie jumped up, and looked out the window.

  Jess still couldn’t see anything from the floor of the boat, but she kept on talking. It was time to tell them they’d get nothing more from their paymaster.

  “Roger Pearson is dead too. Dexter shot him, after Roger shot your brother.”

  Brad looked startled.

  “It’s over.” Jess kept talking. “You’ll never get that bullion from your sunken wreck, Brad. You’ll never have the fame and fortune you crave. And you’ll never take any more children to America, Carrie. It’s over,” she repeated.

  “Brad?” Sally pleaded. “Give it up... please.”

  Brad’s eyes lingered on Sally’s face.

  “Please Brad,” Sally begged. “I-I don’t want you to die.”

  Brad looked out the window to the police patrol boat, and then at Sally again. Jess could see he knew it was all over for him. He touched Sally’s hand briefly.

  Carrie’s movement was swift. She raised the gun and shot Brad in the chest, right in the heart.

  He slumped to the floor dead.

  “Brad!” Sally moaned, as she rolled over to where he’d fallen.

  Carrie kicked her hard. “Get up. Both of you.” She forced Jess and Sally to their feet and pushed them through the door.

  Jess could see the patrol boat pulling up alongside now. Tom and Chuck stood on the deck, guns pointing at Carrie. “Drop the gun!” Chuck shouted.

  Carrie smiled at him. “I won’t harm the two women, if you let me go,” she shouted back over the wind.

  But Chuck was in no mood to bargain. “Drop the gun, Carrie! And kick it away from you!”

  Carrie hesitated.

  The two men tensed, ready to fire.

  Then Carrie turned, and threw the gun overboard.

  Tom and Chuck visibly relaxed and lowered their weapons.

  In the moments it took for them to clamber from one boat to the other, Carrie edged to the side.

  Jess could see she was going to jump.

  Carrie smiled at Jess, and suddenly grabbed her wrist. “You’re coming with me,” she said, and they lurched over the side together.

  The cold water was a shock. Water rushed into Jess’s mouth and lungs as she went under the waves. She resurfaced seconds later, coughing and spluttering, with Carrie’s hand still tightly clamped around her wrist. “Don’t be frightened,” Carrie spoke, softly, as if coaxing a child. “The sea’s wonderful.”

  Jess struggled to free her wrist, but Carrie’s grasp was like a band of iron. She kicked out desperately, but Carrie was too strong for her.

  “Don’t fight me.” Carrie smiled again.

  The choppy waves splashed over Jess’s face and head. She’d swallowed so much water; she was getting dizzy. She couldn’t free herself from Carrie, or hold her breath. In desperation, she trod water, frantic to stay afloat, as Carrie began to pull her under. She looked up at the boat. Tom!

  She could see his face above, his hand outstretched...

  As she reached her free hand up to him, he grabbed it tightly.

  “Hang on, Jess,” he shouted. “Hang on.”

  Gunshots rang out from above.

  Slowly, Carrie’s grip loosened. Jess watched as she drifted away from her, her hair fanned out in the waves, her blood turning the water red around them. Deeper and deeper she sank, until Jess could no longer see her.

  She felt herself being pulled upwards. Tom was dragging her to safety. She clung onto the side of the boat, clambered over and collapsed onto the deck, gasping for breath.

  “Jess!” Tom knelt down beside her.

  She lay looking up at him, but all she could see was Carrie’s smiling face drawing her down into the deep. She started shivering, uncontrollably.

  Tom pulled her into a sitting position and put his arms around her.

  “I’m all right,” she choked. “I’m all right.

  41

  Two days later

  Jess stood on the beach, outside the Governor’s Residence, looking at the sparkling turquoise sea. The sky was deep blue, the tide back to normal, and the sand as white and fine as ever. It was as if the hurricane had never happened. She glanced at Alvita, who stood silently beside her, then turned to look up at the attic. She felt she would for ever see Maggie’s face at that window. “Your mother was a wonderful woman,” she said.

  Alvita turned too. “Maggie loved this house. I-I’ll always feel close to her here, despite everything.”

  Jess nodded. If only she’d had some idea of what was going on, she might have been able to stop the violence. And save Maggie.

  “Don’t blame yourself, Jess,” Alvita said, as if reading her thoughts. “My mother really liked you.”

  “And I really liked her.”

  Alvita’s dark eyes still looked sad, but she seemed to have a calmness about her today, as if she’d come to terms with her mother’s death. She’s a strong woman, Jess thought,
just like Maggie. She’d already been in the office for hours, getting things running again after the hurricane. Work was her therapy. Jess could understand that.

  “They are good people here, Jess, so don’t think badly of them. Living in a small, isolated community is never easy. No-one likes to draw attention to themselves, or speak out against powerful leaders. Life would be made impossible.”

  Jess knew that from her travels around the world. “You know, Alvita, if you hadn’t left the DMC and found the Police Commissioner when you did, he would never have come up to the lighthouse, and I wouldn’t be standing here now.”

  “If only Dexter had found the courage to act sooner.” Alvita sighed. “He didn’t know what Roger was up to at the beginning. Nor did the Governor. They both believed that first sloop was an accident. So did I.”

  “I suppose the second sinking set off alarm bells.”

  Alvita nodded. “People started whispering, and that’s when Maggie...” Her voice broke. “And that’s when Maggie and I knew.” She waited, then continued firmly. “Roger was a very persuasive man. He charmed people into thinking it was the only way to deal with the migrant problem. And those few people he couldn’t charm, he paid off.”

  “Including the Governor.”

  “Yes, even my Uncle Clement went along with it. But he was a good man and couldn’t live with himself.” She swallowed. “My aunt would have known the truth. She and Uncle Clement were very close. That’s why she was murdered. Maggie too. Roger knew they were both brave enough to stand up to him and speak out. And he used their murders to send a message to others.”

  Jess remembered Carrie’s smiling face as she tried to pull her under, and shivered. “At least it’s finally over.”

  “Is it though?” Alvita hesitated. “It’s not the first time sloops from Haiti have been scuppered on these shores.”

  Jess stared at her.

  Alvita nodded. “I was a baby when my mother waded to shore, with me in her arms, 31 years ago. Maggie believed she’d arrived in America, to join my father.” Alvita pulled an old photograph from her bag. “This is my real father, Pierre. Maggie only gave me this last month. I guess she must have had a premonition about her own death.”