Hmmm…seems he might have had a motive to kill the very people he deemed ruined his career, but unless he was skulking about the resort, there’d been no mention he was near here. Of course, if this director Scott Davidson wanted to murder two people, I doubt he’d want to be seen. I closed the laptop lid. This mystery was becoming more and more intriguing. I had no idea it would ramp up a notch the next day.
Chapter Eight
The next day we all met and headed out to the zip line in the resort’s shuttle. Stormi, Paige and I looked for the strange man, hoping he’d be on the shuttle with us, but he was nowhere to be seen.
The scenery from the resort to the zip line was filled with tropical beauty. From the tall palm trees to luscious vegetation and exotic pink and orange flowers popping up along the roadway, I almost forgot about the mystery that had surrounded Stormi and Greg’s honeymoon and our vacation. This was the first time Brandon and I had been away together, and we were having an awesome time. I felt so relaxed around Brandon. We had this easygoing banter between us and neither one felt like we had to keep the conversation going. I believe that’s a sign of true companionship, when you don’t have to speak or feel like you must entertain the other person. Just feeling comfortable without the use of words, each in his or her own thoughts. Yes, that’s how I felt with Brandon. Some people might think it boring. Not me. I was ready to be with someone who was comfortable with who I was. Of course, there was nothing boring about the other aspects of my life. The ice cream shoppe and Winchester kept me busy and I was missing both of them. And the mysteries that seem to keep popping up were also in the heart palpitation range. So having a fiancé who made me feel relaxed and that everything was under control…well that was the bees knees.
We headed inside the little building to buy our tickets for the zip line and to our astonishment, there he stood…mumbling man. His hair remained unkempt, but at least he’d changed from jeans and an old t-shirt to blue shorts and a different faded t-shirt. I poked Paige and Stormi and nodded towards him. We hurried the guys so we could be right behind mumbling man in line. We heard him tell one of the guides his name was Hammond Hover. Paige reached into her bag, took out her phone, and started punching. I knew she was searching the guy’s name to see if anything came up. She shook her head, but whispered the only name that came up was from Chicago.
After unloading our valuables in the lockers, we followed Mr. Hover along with a few other people up the hillside with the guides. The guides put harnesses on us and strapped us in. I moved ahead and got behind Hammond, hoping to say a few words to him. I looked over the edge and felt queasy. In all the excitement, I forgot I had a fear of heights. Not even Brandon knew. I was alright in a plane, but put me in a high rise looking out from a balcony or a zip line where I was about to plunge into the unknown…well, let’s just say this girl was ready to toss her cookies. I looked up and over at Hammond who was looking right at me.
“Are you alright?” He asked. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
I looked around for Brandon and he was talking with Bruce. “I’m just a little afraid of heights. I guess I didn’t know what I was getting into when I decided to do this.”
I wasn’t lying to the man and he was nice to try to reassure me.
“Watch me,” he said. “I’ll go first and you can see how easy it is.” He tugged on the harness. “I’ve done this before…the harness is good and sturdy. You’ll be fine.”
With that, the guide hooked his harness to the line and he was off, hooting and hollering the entire way. I got in line to go next so I could have time to talk to him alone at the next platform. I was concentrating so hard on following Hammond, I forgot, at least for a moment, about my fear of heights. However, as soon as the guide strapped me in a flood of panic raced through my body. Before I could say stop, the guide pushed me off the platform and I went hurtling through the tops of trees in a downward slope. Although my heart pounded, I was captivated by the untouched beauty of my surroundings. All at once, I could see the platform, Hammond and a guide waiting to grab me. Once the guide unstrapped my harness from the zip line, I let out a collective breath.
“How was it?” Hammond asked with a smile. He didn’t seem as crazy now.
“After the initial jolt of fear, it wasn’t too bad,” I said.
Hammond chuckled. “It gets easier.”
I knew the others would be coming along so it was now or never to say something about Andre and Yvette.
“We’re staying at the Platinum Paradise resort. Did you hear about the people who drowned in the pool?” I knew he knew, but it was the only way I could think of to get him talking about it.
Hammond’s face fell. “Yes I know, I’m staying there as well.”
“Really?” I said knowing full well he was.
“It’s a terrible tragedy. They were beautiful people. I was their biggest fan. I saw all their movies dozens of times.”
He rattled off the names of the movies they were in and even a commercial for some perfume that Yvette advertised. The more he talked about them, the more agitated he became. I didn’t want him to boil over, but I had to ask.
“What do you think happened to them? There are rumors swirling about that there may have been foul play involved.”
Hammond looked me right in the eyes. “Oh, I have no doubt there was foul play involved. They were murdered all right, and the likely suspect is one of the spouses. In fact, I think I might have seen Brady Morris, Yvette’s estranged husband lurking around the resort.”
“Is that so,” I said. Now I wasn’t sure what to think. Was he casting blame to hide his own involvement? He was definitely a super fan, maybe even a stalker. Could it be that he tried to get too close to Yvette, Andre intervened, and in the tussle, both were drowned. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
Hammond continued his theory. “I know all about Brady and how he knew Yvette was having an affair.”
I was puzzled. “How would you know that?”
Hammond shrugged. “It’s in all the Australian tabloids. Yvette and Andre never really hid their love for one another. Andre’s wife vowed to take him to the cleaners if he tried to divorce her so Andre simply didn’t feel like hiding his feelings anymore and just told the press he had an open marriage. Brady on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. Yvette had him sign a prenup before the wedding. He would be out millions if she divorced him. Since he lived off her paycheck, her leaving the marriage would leave him in ruins.”
I was amazed at how much this man knew about Andre and Yvette’s marriages…and a little creeped out as well. The rest of our group zoomed down to the platform and we continued the zip lining until we reached the bottom. Everyone was hungry by that time and we decided to eat at the little café right next to the zip line ticket office. On a hunch, I invited Hammond to join us. He looked at our group and seemed a little overwhelmed.
“Please come with us,” I said. “I want to express my gratitude. You made my first zip line experience one where I didn’t cry in terror the entire time.”
Hammond’s face softened and he agreed to go with us. The girls were giving me looks of way to go, while I could tell the guys thought I’d left my brain back on the zip line trail.
Brandon took me aside. “Ummm, and why did we ask this guy to accompany us to lunch?”
I shrugged. “I thought it would be a nice gesture.”
Brandon wasn’t buying it. “You girls have something going on with this guy. Do you think he had something to do with the drowned couple in the pool?”
“He’s very infatuated with them,” I said. “Could be nothing, but I thought maybe Greg might be able to discern his behavior at lunch.”
Brandon nodded. I don’t think he was too pleased that this strange man would be attending our lunch, but he understood the curiosity I had about him and he would go along with it, as long as he was there to protect me. Of course, he didn’t know about the secret escapades Stormi and I had been on, but that would
keep.
We settled down at a long table and Hammond sat between Paige and me. I had introduced him to everyone before we entered the restaurant. He seemed a little unsure of himself, which was understandable. He’d just met us and I’m sure felt overwhelmed with such a large group. After placing our orders and being served drinks however, he began talking feverishly about Andre and Yvette. He mentioned every movie they’d been in, even reciting dialogue from the films. He was so enthusiastic it was difficult for anyone else to speak so we all just sat and listened. It was obvious to all of us that Hammond was stalking Yvette and Andre. Suddenly his face fell, as he seemed to remember their deaths.
“I can’t believe the police haven’t looked at the spouses as possible suspects to their murders,” Hammond said with utter distaste. “It’s obvious to me that one of them murdered Yvette and Andre.”
“Why do you think they were murdered?” Greg asked. Yes! I knew Greg and his detective skills would be interested in Hammond’s obsession with the couple.
“I think it’s obvious,” Hammond said with total conviction.
“How is it obvious?” Greg asked as he nonchalantly took a sip of his iced tea. “I’m not disagreeing with you…I just want to see how you came to that conclusion and if it corresponds with mine.”
Hammond straightened in his chair. I could tell he felt like he might have a partner in his way of thinking. “Their spouses were leeches. Always spending their money on fancy cars, jewelry, and Brady Morris had a horrible gambling problem.”
“And you know this how?” Greg continued his inquisition. Hammond had no clue that he was the one under suspicion.
“Oh, everyone knows. It’s very common knowledge in Australia. It’s in the papers and on television. I’m sure that’s why Andre and Yvette came to Cancun to get away from all the gossip. I wouldn’t be surprised if they planned on divorcing their ungrateful spouses and took this trip to get everything planned out.”
Greg nodded. He was cataloging the info and I knew it was suspicious that Hammond seemed to know so much about the couple. But it’s possible that someone like Hammond who may be a loner in life and such a super fan would know almost every nuance of this famous couple.
I was torn. On the one hand, I felt sorry for Hammond. He seemed like a nice enough fellow, albeit a bit odd and obsessed, but maybe that’s all he had in life. I didn’t know much about him, but I perceived that he either he didn’t have any close family or friends or that his idiosyncrasies had driven most of them away. All he had was his fixation on this celebrity couple, and now they were gone. I felt bad for him, but I couldn’t allow my sympathy to cloud my judgment. I didn’t know this man. Although Stormi and I witnessed his sorrow in the couple’s hotel room the other day as he lay in their bed and sobbed, that could’ve also been from regret. Regret that he’d overstepped his boundaries and might have intervened with the couple and it turned into tragedy. I had to be careful.
Hammond continued his rant. “I wouldn’t be surprised if their spouses found out that they planned on divorcing them and worked together to stop them. What better way than to kill them so they could keep all the money.”
Hammond’s eyes filled with tears. I decided we needed a change in subject.
“Tell me Hammond, what kind of work do you do?”
Hammond looked uncomfortable. “Nothing really,” he mumbled. “Oh, I forgot. I have a spa appointment at the resort. I must get going,” he said standing up. “It was nice meeting all of you.” And he was out the door.
Bruce took a bite of his hamburger. “Well, that was odd and I’m not too ashamed to say I’m glad it’s over.”
Brandon agreed. “That was the strangest dude I’ve ever met.”
Stormi stabbed at her salad. “And that’s saying something brother.”
I looked over at Greg who was deep in thought.
“What about the director, Scott Davidson?” Paige interjected. “On the news it said that film he directed them in was a flop and he was angry with the couple. That they had ruined his career. You think he could have anything to do with this?”
“Well if this Davidson guy was as loony tunes as Hammond, it’s a possibility,” Bruce said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Just because he’s a little odd doesn’t make him a murderer,” I said, surprised at my own defense of Hammond.
“Doesn’t help,” Stormi said with her mouthful of lettuce. “And let’s not forget the sobbing incident.”
My face fell. Stormi!!
“What sobbing incident?” Greg asked.
Stormi looked like a herd of deer in headlights. She motioned towards her lips, like she couldn’t talk because her mouth was full. She was trying to stall for time so she could think. Stormi took a long drink of water and then said, “Tara and I saw him sobbing after it happened. We didn’t know why he was crying, but it makes sense now.”
Greg looked at her quizzically. I don’t think he was buying it, but he wasn’t going to prod or embarrass her in public. I knew she’d cave later on, and it was only right. They shouldn’t have any secrets between them…which meant I had to confess to Brandon as well. Only later.
We headed back to the resort after lunch. What we didn’t expect was the place was in complete chaos. Police were everywhere and Hammond was in handcuffs being ushered into a police car!
Chapter Nine
Hammond was sobbing again. He looked pathetic as officers led him to the police car in handcuffs. We were shocked…what was going on. Greg walked over to one of the police officers who he’d spoken to the day the couple was found floating in the pool. He talked to him for a few minutes while the rest of us watched as Hammond was taken off in the squad car.
When Greg returned he said, “The police went back to Andre and Yvette’s room and discovered fingerprints they hadn’t found before.”
Stormi and I looked at one another, the color draining from our faces.
“Seems they found Hammond’s fingerprints in different areas of the room so they’ve arrested him on suspicion of murder.”
“But just because he was in the room doesn’t mean he’s guilty of murder,” Paige said as she side eyed Stormi and me.
“True,” Greg answered. “But the police may have more evidence. Obviously they now have evidence it was a murder and not an accident. I’m sure they aren’t going to tell me everything they have.”
“I just don’t think he did it,” I blurted out. Everyone looked at me. “What would be his motive? He cared about them. I know, it was a strange obsession, but why kill the very people that made him happy? Maybe there’s someone else lurking around this huge resort that might actually have a motive to murder them.”
“She has a point,” Bruce agreed. “Not that I don’t think Hammond is one joker short of a full deck, but I can’t see him harming them. However, the husband and wife of Andre and Yvette…it sounds like they had a motive. Even the director might have wanted revenge, although killing the couple seems extreme.”
“He seemed a little unglued in that television interview,” Paige reflected.
“Greg, do you think you could ask the resort to let you look at the guest list for the hotel?” Stormi asked. “Being that you are a police officer and all.”
“I could try.”
We followed Greg to the lobby. As we watched, the hotel manager talked with Greg, looked at his badge, and then handed him a Xeroxed copy of the guest list. We studied the list, hoping to find a familiar name. Unfortunately, nothing matched Brady Morris, Scott Davidson, or Alaina Salazar.
“They’re not going to use their real names,” Paige stated. “Are there any names that look familiar to those?”
I pointed to one of the names. Mo Brady. “Now that’s awfully familiar to Brady Morris don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Greg agreed. “But it could also be someone legitimate. Or it could be a person trying to toss suspicion in his direction. It’s hard to know.”
“Why don’t we just go u
p and knock on that person’s door and see if it’s this Brady person or the director, Scott Davidson?” I asked, ready to zoom up to the room and see if we could find a killer. However, Greg was having none of it.
“No, we can’t intrude on an active investigation. I wouldn’t want civilians encroaching on one of my cases and I’m sure the police here don’t either. Besides, it could be dangerous. You’re talking about a killer or killers here.”
I knew what Greg said was true, but I felt bad for Hammond. What if the police didn’t look for any other suspects? They probably wouldn’t now that they had one in custody. Stormi, Paige and I knew why Hammond’s prints were in their room. We’d seen him in there, sobbing his eyes out over Andre and Yvette’s death. There was nothing sinister about his presence in their room. Odd yes, but his prints being there didn’t mean he killed them. Heck, Stormi and I were in the room too. Which means we’d likely have to come forward to the police about our little jaunt into the couple’s room. Drat!
A Sprinkle of Tropical Trouble: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 9) Page 4