“I’m quite capable of looking after myself,” Peter said.
“But you’ll let us fuss over you, because you know we’re worried about you,” Shelly replied cheerfully.
Fenella kept out of the argument, but she stayed close to Peter’s side as they crossed the lobby and rode the elevator to their floor.
“You really don’t need to come in,” Peter said as he unlocked his door.
“I could make you a sandwich or some soup,” Fenella offered.
Peter opened his mouth, and then shut it and swallowed hard. “That was me, swallowing my pride,” he told her. “If you’re sure you have the time, I would be grateful if you could heat me up a tin of soup or something. My head is pounding again and I really just want to sit down.”
Peter’s apartment was similar to Fenella’s, but on a smaller scale. From what she could see, it only had one bedroom, and while the kitchens were virtually identical, Peter’s living room was noticeably smaller. Everything she could see was clean and tidy, with only an odd book and a few pieces of mail lying out. It didn’t take long for Fenella to put together a sandwich and to heat up some soup. Shelly joined them in time to help and they had Peter sitting down to lunch within minutes. He ate everything he was given.
“Would you like something else?” Fenella asked as she cleared away the dirty plates.
“No, I’m nicely full, thank you,” Peter said. “It was lukewarm oatmeal for breakfast, so I didn’t eat. I didn’t think I was hungry, but clearly I was.”
“Would you like us to stay and keep you company?” Shelly asked as Fenella loaded the dishwasher.
“I’m going to take a nap,” Peter said. “And then I think I’ll watch some mindless television for a while. You two go and enjoy the beautiful day.”
Shelly and Fenella exchanged glances. “We’ll come back and make you something nice for dinner,” Shelly said. She opened Peter’s refrigerator and studied the contents. “Maybe a nice shepherd’s pie, as you seem to have the ingredients.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Peter said. “I love your shepherd’s pie.”
“We’ll be back in a little while then,” Shelly told him. “You get some rest. Would you like to give one of us your spare key so we can let ourselves in, just in case you’re still sleeping?”
“I suppose I should,” Peter said. “One of you should have a spare anyway, in case I lock myself out.”
He disappeared into the bedroom and came back out with a key on a ring. “I lost the spare keycard ages ago,” he told them. “But the old key still works in the lock.” He looked at Shelly and then Fenella. “I don’t know which of you wouldn’t mind having it,” he said.
“Give it to Fenella,” Shelly suggested. “I think she’s home more than I am.”
Fenella took the key and dropped it into her bag, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the whole thing. Hoping she’d never need the key, she snapped her bag shut and then followed Shelly into the corridor.
“Do you have things you need to do?” Shelly asked after Peter had shut the door behind them. “Or should we go and enjoy a few hours in the sun together?”
“Oh, let’s do that,” Fenella said quickly. “That sounds much better than doing laundry or research.”
“I was thinking we should go to Onchan Park,” Shelly said. “We could get lunch in their café and play some crazy golf, maybe even go for a boat ride if they’re running.”
“I’m not sure about the boat ride,” Fenella said. “I’m not a good sailor, remember?”
“These are tiny little motorboats on a very small pond,” Shelly said with a laugh. “We won’t be moving enough for you to get seasick.”
Fenella wasn’t sure about that, but she was eager to get out and enjoy the weather. Seeing more of the island was another bonus. After Fenella stopped home to give Katie some lunch, Shelly drove them to the park, which wasn’t very far away.
“I thought there would be a noticeable divide between Douglas and Onchan,” Fenella said as they got out of the car.
“Oh, no, they run right into one another,” Shelly told her. “It might simplify things if they merged into one large city, but there are all sorts of reasons why they never have.”
Shelly led her through a large playground full of various equipment for children of all ages and abilities.
“I’ve never seen such wonderful playground equipment,” Fenella said. “It sure has changed a lot since my childhood.”
“Some of the swings are specially designed for special needs children, and the roundabout is wheelchair compatible,” Shelly said, pointing out the items.
“I think we’d call that a merry-go-round in the US,” Fenella said. “I can’t remember what I called it when I was little, but we had them in all the parks. I remember them being situated on concrete pads. Nothing like tripping and falling and being dragged over concrete because you didn’t let go of the bars.”
“Well, they’re a good deal safer now, being built over foam or rubber pads, and that one is completely flat to the ground. When I was still teaching I used to come over with the special needs children, and it was lovely that the children in wheelchairs were able to enjoy themselves as much as their peers.”
Shelly led Fenella to the café, where they both enjoyed baked potatoes stuffed with cheese. When they’d finished those, Shelly easily persuaded Fenella to indulge in some local ice cream.
“Now I’m too full to want to move,” Fenella complained as she wiped her mouth and her fingers after the ice cream.
“Then let’s sit in a boat,” Shelly suggested.
Fenella eyed the small lake warily. The park was fairly quiet and most of the other visitors were mothers with small children. Only two boats were puttering their way around the lake. Both boats had older couples in them, riding around and enjoying the nice weather.
“Come on,” Shelly urged. “You can see how small the lake is. We can stop at any time if you start to feel sick. You’re never more than two minutes from the dock, even at the incredibly slow speed these boats travel.”
Fenella laughed. “Okay, we can try,” she said.
Shelly paid for twenty minutes of rental time and then she and Fenella made their way to the small dock.
“Here we are, ladies,” the man on the dock said. “We’ve just finished getting the boats cleaned up and freshly painted for the new season. You’re the first passengers in this one.”
He steadied the boat with his foot while Fenella gingerly stepped inside. The boat rocked back and forth a bit, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. Shelly climbed in next to her and then sat behind the steering wheel.
“Did you want to drive?” she asked Fenella as the man pulled the cord to start their engine.
“Oh, goodness, no,” Fenella said.
After a few minutes, Fenella was relieved to find that Shelly had been right. She felt absolutely fine as they slowly circled the small lake. As they went along, Fenella enjoyed the scenery, which mostly consisted of views of the café, the putting green and the miniature golf course.
“Isn’t this nice?” Shelly asked after about ten minutes.
“It’s lovely,” Fenella told her. “And the perfect weather for it.”
“That’s because there isn’t any wind,” Shelly said. “You wouldn’t believe it, but it can get quite windy out on this tiny lake.”
“It certainly feels like spring today.”
“I think they’re giving rain for tomorrow, unfortunately,” Shelly told her. “And for the weekend as well.”
“I’m surprised the park isn’t busier, then.”
“Most people have to work,” Shelly said with a laugh. “The mums will all be leaving soon as well, as they’ll need to collect their older children from school before too much longer.”
“It will probably get busy once school is out for the day,” Fenella speculated.
“I’m sure lots of neighborhood mums will stop here on their way home from school,” Shelly agre
ed. “Nothing better than letting the kids have a run around before you take them home for dinner and homework.”
“Do all the kids get picked up at the end of the day?” Fenella asked. “I mean, I know you don’t have school buses, but what happens when both parents have to work?”
“Schools have after-school care,” Shelly told her. “And lots of mums use childminders who collect all of their charges from school at the end of every day. There are all sorts of options for child care. A lot of women take extended maternity leave as well. I believe women can get up to a year of paid leave.”
“Wow, that doesn’t happen in the US,” Fenella said.
They made another leisurely circuit of the lake, and Fenella looked again at the miniature golf course. It looked like fun with its odd obstacles and ramps. As the boat turned back toward the dock, Fenella noticed a young couple playing the course. As the man leaned into to whisper something to his companion, Fenella gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Shelly asked.
Fenella turned in her seat and watched as the man kissed the top of the woman’s head. “I know those two,” she whispered to Shelly.
“Who are they?”
“Justin Newmarket and Sherry Hampton,” Fenella said.
Chapter Thirteen
Shelly drove the boat around the lake another time, giving Fenella a chance to get a better view of Justin and Sherry.
“They look like a couple,” Shelly said.
“Poor Harry,” Fenella replied.
“It’s time to head back to the dock,” Shelly told her after a glance at her watch. “And then I think we should play crazy golf.”
“I don’t know about that,” Fenella said.
“Just pretend you didn’t see them,” Shelly said. “Act surprised and see what sort of explanation they offer.”
Shelly pulled the boat up to the dock, hitting it a little bit harder than she probably should have. The man laughed and then helped them both out of the boat. “Did you have fun?” he asked.
“It was lovely,” Shelly told him.
“We’re here all summer,” he said. “Make sure you come back to see me again.”
Shelly blushed and glanced at Fenella, who wasn’t really paying attention.
“Do you think he was flirting with me?” Shelly demanded as they walked away.
“I don’t know, maybe,” Fenella said.
“He’s probably around my age,” Shelly said. “And he was sort of cute. He’s probably retired and works here in the summer just to get out of the house.”
“Maybe he’s married and he works here to get away from his wife,” Fenella said. Shelly’s face fell. “I’m only teasing,” Fenella said quickly. “Why don’t we come back again the next time it’s nice and you can talk to him a bit more.”
“We’ll see,” Shelly said.
They bought tickets for the golf and picked out clubs and balls.
“Maybe they won’t notice us,” Fenella said as she put her ball on the first tee.
“Except the course goes up one side and down the other,” Shelly pointed out. “And they’re just about halfway done.”
Fenella forced herself to concentrate on playing the game and tried hard to ignore the couple who were now slowly making their way toward her. They were only a few feet away when she looked over and made eye contact with Justin, who had his arm around Sherry. As their eyes met, Justin jumped and then took a large step backwards, nearly tripping over the small stone castle that was an obstacle on his previous hole.
“Careful,” Sherry laughed. She looked at Justin’s face and then looked over at Fenella. “Oh, hello,” she said lightly.
“Hello,” Fenella replied. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“It’s far too nice a day to be stuck inside,” Sherry said. “Harry had a meeting with his financial advisor, so I told him I was going to come down here and play some crazy golf like I did when I was a kid.”
“It’s the perfect day for it,” Fenella said.
“Yes, isn’t it?” Sherry replied.
Fenella looked over at Justin, who was studying his shoes intently. After a moment, he looked up and found her staring at him. “Oh, I was, um, that is,” he stammered.
“I rang Justin and asked him if he wanted to meet me for a round of golf,” Sherry said. “We knew each other at school and we have lots of friends in common. In fact, I told him to round up a whole group of people, but no one else was free this afternoon.”
“Well, enjoy your game,” Fenella said. She put her ball down and lined up a shot, conscious that Sherry and Justin were still watching her. After a moment, though, they went back to their own game. Fenella and Shelly were nearly halfway around the course when Sherry strolled over.
“You’re friends with the police inspector, aren’t you?” she asked Fenella.
“I’m not sure that we’re friends,” Fenella replied. “I mean, I don’t know quite what we are.”
Sherry nodded. “I was just wondering whether Harry is a real suspect or not,” she said. “I mean, he does have a lot of money in the bank. I never thought about it, but I’m not sure exactly where he got it all. He doesn’t seem the type to be involved in anything criminal, but you never know, do you?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve no idea who the police suspect,” Fenella said. “Inspector Robinson doesn’t discuss police business with me.”
“Sure, but you must get some interesting pillow talk. I just want to know if my husband is going to be arrested or not.”
Fenella shook her head. “We aren’t that good of friends,” she said emphatically. “Maybe you should be having this conversation with your husband. Perhaps you should ask him where all of his money came from.”
“He’ll just fob me off with the same answer he always gives. He never stops banging on and on about how hard he and his wife worked for their entire working lives. He seems to think that I should go out and get a job to bring in even more money. It gets quite tiresome.”
“A job would get you out of the house,” Fenella pointed out.
Sherry shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m well-suited to marriage anyway. And I don’t really think Harry would miss me if I went. The problem is, he isn’t going to want me to take any of his money with me.”
“I can see his point,” Fenella said dryly.
“Anyway, I’d better get home. He’ll be done with his financial advisor by now. I’m hoping his investments are doing well and he’ll be in a generous mood. I saw this gorgeous bracelet in the jeweler’s window…” she trailed off and walked away, leaving Fenella staring after her.
“Poor Harry,” Shelly murmured.
They finished their round of golf and then headed for home. While Fenella wasn’t actually worried about Peter, she knew she’d feel better once she and Shelly had checked on him again.
He answered her soft knock within seconds. “I gave you a key,” he reminded her. “I’m sure I didn’t dream that.”
Fenella laughed. “I didn’t feel right just barging in,” she said.
“You’d have been welcome,” he said. “I had a nap and I was just getting fed up with the drivel on daytime telly. Your timing is perfect.”
“I hope you’re also getting hungry,” Shelly said. “We’ve been at the park and all that fresh air has given me quite an appetite.”
She went to work in the kitchen, getting the shepherd’s pie ready for the oven while Peter and Fenella chatted in the comfortable living room.
“Tomorrow you can cook,” Shelly said to Fenella as she settled onto the couch next to Peter. “Tonight’s dinner is in the oven.”
“I wish I could, but tomorrow night I’m meant to be going to some fancy charity fundraiser with Donald,” Fenella replied.
“Donald Donaldson?” Peter asked. “I didn’t realize he was back on the island.”
“He’s flying in today for the event tomorrow,” Fenella explained. “And then he has to leave again, I understand.”
“Wow, must be nice to be able to afford to fly back and forth for just one day,” Shelly said.
“Is it the event out at the Seaview?” Peter asked.
“I think that’s what he said,” Fenella replied.
“Oh, that’s very posh,” Shelly said. “Only a few very select people get invited to that.”
“I was invited,” Peter said. “I used to go sometimes, but this year, I decided not to spend the money. Tables run into the thousands of pounds and there are other charities that I’d rather support.”
“What should I wear?” Fenella asked Shelly.
“You’ll have to raid Mona’s wardrobe,” Shelly told her. “After dinner, I’ll come over with you and help you choose, if you’d like.”
“Oh, yes, please,” Fenella said quickly. “Donald said long gowns were appropriate. I’m not sure Mona even had anything like that.”
Shelly looked at Peter and they both laughed. “Mona had some of the most gorgeous gowns I’ve ever seen,” Shelly told her. “She went to a great many very fancy events over the years. I’ve no doubt you’ll find several things to choose from in her wardrobe.”
The shepherd’s pie was delicious and the threesome chatted easily about nothing and everything as they ate. After dinner, Peter decided that he was too tired for company and headed for bed. Shelly and Fenella went back to Fenella’s apartment to look at Mona’s dresses.
The light was blinking on her answering machine as Fenella let herself and her friend into the apartment.
“It’s Donald. I just wanted to let you know that I’m in New York now and should be back on the island around eleven tomorrow morning. I plan on sleeping from then until time to get ready for the party. I’ll see you around seven,” was the first message, which made Fenella smile.
The second message made her less happy. “Yes, Ms. Woods, it’s Jessica Harris from Isle of Man Ferries. As the last meeting we had with you had to be cut short, Captain Howard would appreciate your attending another session on Friday at one o’clock. This time the police will also be in attendance. Please let me know if you can not attend.”
Deciding to simply ignore the message for now, Fenella led Shelly into her bedroom and threw open the doors to Mona’s wardrobe. She kept meaning to go through everything in it, but it felt intrusive, especially with Mona’s ghost wandering in and out all the time.
Boats and Bad Guys Page 20