On Deadly Tides

by Elizabeth J Duncan

  “Are you sure?” Penny asked.

  “We can’t be one hundred per cent sure because his body was never found, but the police in Manchester, where he was living when he disappeared, investigated his case thoroughly, and they had no reason to believe he’s alive and living under a new identity somewhere.”

  She rested her forearms on her desk and clasped her hands together. “You see, in cases like that, the person has to have a compelling reason to want to escape his old life. He’s fleeing something. Maybe he committed a crime or is burdened by overwhelming debt. But police found nothing in Currie’s life to indicate he had a reason to disappear.”

  Bethan raised a hand. “And before you ask, yes, his wife was interviewed at the time of her husband’s disappearance, and although a couple of officers had their doubts about her, they couldn’t find any evidence or proof of foul play.”

  “And of course not having a body complicates matters if there is suspicion of wrongdoing,” Penny said.

  “It sure does, and believe me, killers count on that. It means that occasionally a missing persons case remains just that, when it should be classified as homicide.”

  “So in this case, a man goes missing, is presumed dead and possibly about to be declared legally dead, and a young woman has died. And the strongest connection between the two is a woman who works at the Beaumaris Arms Hotel,” Penny reasoned.

  “Well, Sarah Spencer certainly had a strong connection to the man who went missing, but a somewhat tenuous connection to the dead girl, I’d say.”

  “And there’s also Bill Ward,” Penny said. “He would have known that Mark Currie was Sarah Spencer’s husband, and he had a connection to Jessica Graham as well. Jubilee Terrace is hugely popular in New Zealand, so she had arranged to interview him for a feature story. She was even given a name badge for the painting weekend. She called it ‘press accreditation’ and seemed rather proud of it.

  “But there’s something about Currie that would be really useful to know,” Penny continued. “Can you find out if Mark Currie had a will and what the contents were? I’m sure that would be in the police report from the investigation into his disappearance.”

  “You’re thinking this is relevant because his family is applying now to have him declared legally dead after seven years?”

  “Yes.” Penny checked her watch and stood up. “Well, I’ll leave it with you. My lunch hour’s almost over, and I’ve got a couple of appointments this afternoon, and then I’ve got to get ready for Colin’s arrival.”

  “And he arrives when?”

  A broad smile spread across Penny’s face, and a light of excitement glowed in her green eyes. “Tomorrow.”

  * * *

  The train pulled into the station, slowed to a stop, and the doors slid open.

  As passengers began to make their way along the platform toward the exit, Penny scanned them anxiously. And then, there he was. He raised a hand to show he’d spotted her, and the next moment he’d set down his bags and she was in his arms.

  They clung to each other for a long, delicious moment and then walked out of the station together, into the waiting taxi. Victoria had offered to accompany Penny to the railway station, but she had declined, saying she wanted to meet Colin’s train on her own.

  By an unspoken agreement, Penny and Colin spoke little on the journey along the twisting country lanes to Llanelen, content to just hold hands in the back seat, glancing occasionally out the windows, on opposite sides of the vehicle, at the magnificent landscape of hills and valleys, and then turning back to each other and exchanging secret smiles.

  The taxi dropped them off at the local garage, where they unloaded Colin’s bags, and a few minutes later, the car hire paperwork and payment complete, they placed his bags in the hire car and set off.

  “I can’t believe you’re really here,” said Penny. “I want to hear all about what happened to you. We’ve got so much to talk about.”

  “Yes, we do,” said Colin as they pulled up in front of Penny’s cottage. Penny unlocked the door, they entered, and Colin set the bags down. They both eyed them. “Let’s get these out of the way so we don’t trip over them,” Colin said. “I’ll take them upstairs.”

  “Would you like something to eat or drink?” Penny asked. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. That overnight transatlantic flight is a killer.”

  “I am tired, but I always try to fit in with local time, so let’s just sit for a moment. Then maybe a shower, and after that we’ll work out what to do next.”

  When they were seated on the sofa in the sitting room, Colin’s eyes met Penny’s for a moment, and then he took her hand. “I’m not very good at this. In fact, I’ve never done it before, but I haven’t stopped thinking about you. I don’t know how you feel, but I hope …”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box with the name “Birks” embossed on the top in gold letters. Sensing what was coming, Penny’s heart began to race.

  “When we were stranded in the wilderness,” Colin said, “there was a time when we didn’t know if we were going to make it out, and all I could think about was you. I held on to the very idea of you, and I told myself if I did make it out, I would ask you to marry me. I know we haven’t known each other very long, and we still have lots to learn about each other, and it’s a huge risk for both of us, really, but I just know that we were meant to be together. We belong together.” Emotion threatened the evenness of his voice. As he placed his hand on the edge of the sofa cushion, turned his body toward her, and started to slide off the sofa, Penny grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Colin, please no. Don’t do that.”

  His eyes clouded and his mouth drooped.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. I know it’s probably too soon to ask you, but I just …” He covered his eyes with one hand and let out a little exclamation of embarrassed dismay.

  “No,” said Penny. “It’s not that. I meant you don’t have to do the get-down-on-one-knee thing. Just keep talking to me.” He slid back onto the sofa beside her.

  “I’m new at this. I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before, and I thought that’s what women expected.”

  “Most women might, but not this one. This is all so unreal. I wasn’t sure how I’d react in the moment if you did actually get down on one knee, but I’d rather we just talk about it.”

  “That’s fine. I was feeling a bit silly, to be honest.” They both burst out laughing. “Talk about ruining the moment.”

  “No,” said Penny. “Nothing’s ruined. It’s even more special. This is us, and we’ll do it our way.”

  Colin grinned. “Well, there is a tradition that I really hope you’ll like.” He opened the box to reveal a ring consisting of three clear centre stones flanked by pavé diamonds set in platinum. “I didn’t think you’d want anything over the top, but these are conflict-free diamonds from Canada. I thought you’d want that, and I hope you like it.” He removed the ring from the box and held it out to her.

  “It’s beautiful. I love it.”

  “So, you’ll marry me?”

  “Oh, Colin, yes. Yes.”

  Penny held out her left hand, and he slipped the ring on her finger. She gazed at the depths of its icy beauty, then massaged the ring and its precious stones gently between the thumb and two fingers of her right hand, as if to assure herself they were real.

  “The design is perfect. And so are the centre diamonds—not too ostentatious, and”—she gave him a mischievous grin—“not too small, either. Just right. And I love the setting. Modern, but classic.”

  “That’s what I thought. Like you, really.” He leaned forward and kissed her.

  “Of course we don’t have to be in any rush to get married,” he said. “We can take our time. In fact, we should take our time because we’ve got a lot of details to work out. Where we’re going to live, and so on.”

  “Yes, we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The clinking of
glass bottles under her window early the next morning woke Penny. She slipped out of bed and pulled back the curtain in time to see the milk float gliding away down the narrow road. After seeing the milk delivery in Beaumaris, she’d contacted the local dairy and asked for a pint to be left on her doorstep twice a week. Except to add to her tea and pour over her morning bowl of oatmeal, she didn’t consume that much milk, but she liked the idea of having the milk she did use delivered in old-fashioned glass bottles.

  Colin stirred and reached out for her as she slipped back into bed beside him.

  “What is it?” he murmured sleepily.

  “The milkman’s just dropped off a pint.”

  “Oh.” And after a moment he asked, “What time is it?”

  “Just before six.”

  “I didn’t know you had the milk delivery.”

  “I ordered it after that time we spent in Beaumaris.”

  “Right.” He fell silent, and Penny thought he’d fallen back to sleep, when he murmured, “The things he must see at this time of the morning, when the world belongs to him.” Colin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, and then his breathing slowed, and a few minutes later he was asleep.

  Penny was just drifting back to sleep, when her eyes opened and she was instantly alert.

  * * *

  “So what would you like to do today?” Colin asked as they prepared their first breakfast together in Penny’s small kitchen. “It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. Anywhere special you’d like to go?”

  “Beaumaris,” Penny replied. “I’d like to go back to Beaumaris and stay overnight at the hotel. There’s someone I want to talk to.”

  “Oh, okay. That’s easy enough to arrange. Is it Sarah Spencer you want to talk to?” He pulled two mugs out of the cupboard and set them on the table, then opened the fridge door.

  “I do. If she’s free later today, the plans for the new hotel spa are ready for her to look at. The spa, which was your clever idea, by the way. But there’s someone else I’d like to talk to, and he’s not at the hotel. We’ll have to be up early to catch him.”

  “Oh, who’s that, then?

  “You said it yourself: ‘The things he must see when the world belongs to him.’ It’s a long shot, I know, but let’s hope the milkman just happened to be in the right place at the right time to see something on the morning Jessica Graham was killed.”

  “So is this how it works, then, your amateur sleuthing? You go around asking the questions yourself?”

  “That’s what I do,” said Penny as she poured hot water over the coffee in the French press, “and so far, it’s worked out quite well, though I say so myself.”

  Colin stepped out of her way as she carried the coffeepot to the table.

  “And what about our engagement? Are you going to tell anyone today, or would you rather wait?”

  A slow smile spread across Penny’s face as she handed him a loaf of bread. “I’m going to start by telling Victoria the moment I see her this morning. I can’t wait to tell everybody!”

  He placed two pieces of bread in the toaster, pressed the lever, and held out his arms to her.

  “Well, let me drive you to work, and then I’ve got a lot of paperwork to catch up on and calls to make, and then I’ll pick you up whenever you say, and we’ll head to Beaumaris. I’ll make the hotel reservation for tonight, shall I? Should we arrive in time for dinner?” he said to the top of her head, resting against his chest.

  “That would be wonderful.” Neither moved until the toast popped up. And from that moment on, the smell of toast always triggered feelings of warmth, love, and comfort in her.

  * * *

  “Morning, Penny.” Rhian looked up from her desk and then tilted her head to one side. “I must say, you’re looking cheerful this morning.”

  “Oh, I am. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Is Victoria down yet?”

  “No, I haven’t seen her.”

  “Okay, I’ll just run up to the flat and catch her before she comes down.”

  Penny sent a quick text, and a few minutes later tore up the steps to the first floor. The door to Victoria’s flat was open, and her voice floated down the hallway. “Just finishing up. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  As Penny always did, she made for the sitting room window that overlooked the River Conwy, and peered out. Then, she retraced her steps and waited for Victoria in the kitchen, leaning against the worktop, her hands behind her back.

  “Is everything all right?” Victoria asked as she entered the kitchen. “Something’s up if you need to see me so urgently that you can’t wait until I get into the office. What is it?”

  Penny withdrew her left hand from behind her back and held it out, showing off her ring.

  “Oh, Penny,” Victoria exclaimed. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, holding out her arms and folding Penny into a warm hug. “Happy, but not really surprised. I had a feeling from the moment you told me about Colin in the coffee shop in Bangor, when I picked you up after your painting weekend, that this relationship was something really special.”

  “Of course you did.” The two women laughed. “Colin and I have so much to talk about, so many plans to make. For example, we don’t know yet where we’re going to live, so I have no idea what this is going to mean for me here at the Spa.”

  “I have some thoughts on that,” said Victoria. “I mean I’ve been thinking about it, and what you might want to do. I suspect you’ll be spending less time here because you’ll probably want to travel with Colin to those far flung places he’s always off to.” She checked her watch. “We’d better get downstairs. We can talk about all this later.”

  “You know that I’ll want you for my bridesmaid, or whatever that role is called now,” said Penny as they descended the stairs. And when they reached the last step and entered the hallway through the private door just outside the nail studio, she added, “Of course you were the first person I told.”

  “I heard that!” came a cheery voice from the manicure room. Mrs. Lloyd, who had just settled herself into the client’s chair, turned her face eagerly toward Penny and Victoria in the hallway. “What did you tell Victoria, Penny? Is there news? Come in and let me be the second person you tell.” Penny and Victoria exchanged amused looks, and Victoria gave a little “see you later” wave and continued on to her office. Penny greeted Eirlys, who was standing by ready to begin Mrs. Lloyd’s manicure, and then spoke to Mrs. Lloyd.

  “Yes,” she said. “I do have news.”

  Mrs. Lloyd tilted her head and scanned Penny’s face, taking in her bright eyes and the little smile that played at the corners of her lips. “Good news, by the look of you. So come on, don’t keep us waiting. Tell us.”

  As she had done just a few minutes earlier, Penny held out her hand. “Colin asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”

  “Oh, my dear, that’s wonderful news! I knew this would happen! I said as much to Florence when we were tidying up after our little drinks party. And when will the wedding take place?”

  “We have all those details still to sort out,” said Penny. “But I promise that you’ll be among the first to know once everything’s decided.”

  “So there’s nothing more you can tell me now?”

  “Not really. It just happened last night. I’m still getting used to the idea myself.”

  Mrs. Lloyd stood up. “Do you know, I don’t think I’ll stop for a manicure this morning, after all. I’ll check back later, and if you’ve got a spot open this afternoon, I’ll pop back. Otherwise, I’ll see you when I see you.” She picked up her handbag and looped the handle over her arm. “I’ll see myself out.” And with that, she was gone.

  Penny and Eirlys burst out laughing as Penny slid into the chair Mrs. Lloyd had just vacated. “Well, Eirlys, since I’m going to be showing off my ring today, I can’t think of a better reason to get a manicure, can you? And isn’t it convenient that a spot just opened up.”

  Rhia
n appeared in the doorway. “Oh, Penny, Mrs. Lloyd just told me your exciting news. Congratulations!”

  “She’ll have almost reached the town square by now,” said Eirlys, “so give it another twenty minutes and the whole town will know.”

  “Still,” said Rhian, “it’s wonderful that she’s spreading such good news. Honestly, Penny, everyone is going to be so happy for you.”

  “I can hardly believe it myself,” said Penny. “On one hand, it all seems to have happened so quickly, and on the other, it seems as if he and I’ve known each other forever.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Penny and Colin walked hand in hand along the Beaumaris promenade. One by one, the days of summer had drifted into early autumn.

  “I’ve been thinking,” said Penny. “About my cottage. It won’t do for the two of us to live there. We’re going to need a bigger place.”

  “Yes, we are,” said Colin. “Have you thought about where you want to live?” He gestured to the intoxicating view of the Snowdonia mountain range across the Menai Strait. “What I mean is, could you see yourself living here?”

  “Here? Do you mean here in Beaumaris?” Penny mulled that over. “Yes, I think I could. You?” He nodded.

  They had reached the Georgian terrace, and Penny pointed at the FOR SALE sign that now featured an “Under Offer” banner in bright red letters splashed across it.

  “Looks like our apartment’s been sold,” she said as they stood in front of it. “Lucky people.”

  “Our apartment?”

  “Well, you know. The apartment we looked at together.”

  Colin smiled. “What if it were our apartment? Could you see yourself living there?”

  “Living there? But how could we? It’s …” Colin raised his eyebrows, turned his head slightly, and gave her a conspiratorial smile. “You!” Penny exclaimed. “You made the offer! Am I right? Did you? Did you make an offer? Was it you?”

  “Well, I’m in talks, as they say. Pending approval. Your approval, that is. Nothing’s been signed off yet, of course. The minute you agreed to marry me, I made some phone calls. I know how much you love this property, and I thought it would be the perfect base for us if you were willing to move from Llanelen. True, it needs a lot of work, but it’s got great bones, and we could do it up together.”