Boats and Bad Guys

by Diana Xarissa

  “You didn’t try to speak to Ms. Woods, in spite of seeing that she was upset?” Daniel asked.

  “I, er, no,” Nick replied. “That’s more Brenda’s line than mine, and she was eager to lie down.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. March, do you remember seeing Ms. Woods on the ferry?” Daniel asked.

  “I’m pretty sure it’s in my statement,” Stanley said. “We were getting ready for the ship to sail and when we went up to our cabin, Ms. Woods was standing in the corridor.”

  “And did you also see Mr. and Mrs. Proper?” Daniel asked.

  Stanley frowned. “I don’t think so,” he said.

  “I saw them,” Florence said. “I didn’t pay any attention at the time, but now that you’ve mentioned it, I saw them in the passenger lounge. They were talking to that man in your photograph about something. He didn’t look very happy.”

  “This was after the ferry was boarding?” Daniel asked.

  “Yes,” Florence said. “After we boarded and went to our cabin, we didn’t want to leave until other people were being let on board. We were worried that someone might question us about being on the ferry early.”

  Daniel looked over at Nick. “Do you remember talking to Mr. Mason again, after boarding started?” he asked.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t want to mention it,” Nick said. “The thing is…”

  Daniel held up a hand. “I think we might be better off having this conversation in my office, privately,” he said. As he stood up, Nick continued.

  “It wasn’t a big deal,” he said. “He wanted some money from me, that’s all.”

  Daniel frowned. “As I said, let’s take this down to my office,” he said. He had his phone in his hand, and a moment later the door opened and two uniformed constables walked in.

  “Please take Mr. Proper down to my office. I’d like Mrs. Proper escorted to the station as well, but they need to go in separate cars,” Daniel said.

  “I’m sure Brenda remembers exactly what happened,” Nick said quickly. “How the man asked for a hundred pounds and I said…”

  “That’s quite enough,” Daniel said loudly. “If you say one more word, I’ll arrest you for obstructing justice.”

  “You can’t do that,” Brenda said. “I do remember, Nick said…”

  “The same goes for you,” Daniel told her. “No one says anything, do you understand?”

  Nick and Brenda exchanged glances. Before they could do more than that, Constable Corlett escorted Nick out of the room. Daniel waited until he’d received a text to follow with Brenda.

  “Well, this has been interesting,” Stanley said after the door shut behind Daniel and Brenda. “I never would have suspected Nick Proper of murdering two men. Not that I know Nick, particularly, but he doesn’t seem the type, really.”

  “It’s a lot more complicated than just murder,” Captain Howard said. “Someone was masterminding a huge stolen property ring between here and Liverpool.”

  “Well, that wasn’t Nick,” Stanley said. “He’s not smart enough to manage something like that.”

  “On the contrary,” Florence said. “I think he is quite capable of that very thing. No doubt Brenda helped him. She’s very clever.”

  “I thought you didn’t know them,” Charlotte said.

  “It’s a small island,” Florence said with a shrug. “Everyone meets everyone if they live here their entire lives.”

  “And you think they were the brains behind the burglary ring?” Charlotte asked.

  “I think that seems like the most likely solution,” Florence said. “Of course, that’s for the police to work out, really.”

  “I don’t know,” Stanley said. “I suspect the police will still be looking for the person behind it all.”

  “Perhaps that person is across,” Florence said. “Maybe the operation was being managed out of Liverpool. That’s where the stolen property was going, wasn’t it?”

  “I suppose that’s possible,” Captain Howard said. “Maybe the Propers were simply in charge of the island side of the operation.”

  “I don’t know that Nick could have even managed that,” Stanley said scornfully.

  “No one has offered a motive for Robert’s murder in any of this,” Sarah said quietly.

  “I think it’s pretty obvious that he was involved in the burglary ring,” Stanley said. “He was probably responsible for getting the stolen property off the island. It wouldn’t have been difficult for him to add a few things here and there to the containers his company was shipping across, I’m sure.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Sarah said.

  “You’ll see, when the Propers go to trial,” Stanley predicted. “It will all come out.”

  “Maybe I should take a long holiday,” Sarah muttered.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Florence said. “I think Stanley and I might go away in the next day or two, actually.”

  “I’m not sure the police are finished with everyone,” Captain Howard said. “And I’d still like to talk to you more about the young woman who let you board early.”

  “You said no one was going to lose their job,” Florence reminded him. “It doesn’t matter who she was.”

  “There is going to be some significant retraining going on, that’s for sure,” the captain said.

  “At least now the crime rate on the island should drop,” Harry said. “I was thinking about putting in a security system. Now I won’t bother.”

  “Many of the burgled homes had systems,” Stanley said. “Another reason why I can’t picture Nick behind the operation. He’d have no idea how to disarm a security system.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot about a man you claim you don’t know,” Charlotte said.

  Stanley shrugged. “I’ve spent my life learning how to read and understand people on very short acquaintance. You have to do that to run a business. I knew everything I needed to know about Nick when I shook his hand for the first time.”

  “When was that?” Fenella asked.

  “Oh, I, that is, I can’t remember. It would have been at some charity function that my wife dragged me to, no doubt,” Stanley said.

  “What about Brenda? What did you think of her?” was Fenella’s next question.

  He glanced at Florence. “She wasn’t the criminal mastermind type,” he said dryly.

  “I think you underestimate the woman,” Florence said sharply. “She may well have been the driving force behind everything that’s happened. I will be telling the police that, the next time I speak to them.”

  “Nonsense,” Stanley said. “They need to look elsewhere for the person responsible.”

  “No, they don’t,” Florence said sharply.

  “We’ll have to agree to disagree, my dear,” Stanley said. “Perhaps I know Nick and Brenda better than you do.”

  “Or maybe not,” Florence said. “Anyway, what matters is what the police believe, not you.”

  “Yes, well, I suppose we’ll all have to talk to the police again, won’t we?” Stanley said.

  “What does that mean?” Florence demanded.

  “It means that I shall have to share my thoughts on the matter with the police, that’s all,” Stanley told her.

  Florence’s cheeks turned red and she got to her feet. “I think that’s quite enough,” she said. “I’m going home.”

  “At least the police won’t have any trouble finding you there,” Stanley said.

  Florence picked up her handbag and stormed out of the room, leaving the others staring after her. After a moment Stanley shrugged.

  “I suppose I should go with her,” he said. “She hates when I disagree with her, but I had to share my thoughts on Nick and Brenda. I’m sure they’re in all manner of trouble, but I still think someone else was behind it all.”

  “Do you think Nick and Brenda killed the two men?” Fenella asked.

  “Probably,” Stanley said. “But only on orders from someone else. Nick wasn’t much more than hired muscl
e.”

  “I hope you talk to the police soon about your theory,” Fenella said. “I’m sure Inspector Robinson will be interested.”

  “I’ll ring him from home and share my thoughts,” Stanley told her. “I assume we’re done here for today?” he asked the captain.

  “We might as well be,” the man replied with a sigh. “I don’t think we’ve accomplished anything, but I suppose the police have arrested someone, so it wasn’t a total waste.”

  Fenella was hoping that some of the others might want to talk more, but as soon as Captain Howard stood up, everyone in the room seemed to be on their feet. In less than a minute, the room was nearly empty as people rushed out the door. Only Fenella and Charlotte remained behind. Fenella dawdled over picking up her handbag, waiting to see if the other woman would speak.

  “That was very odd,” Charlotte said as she dug her car keys out of her bag. “It was almost like Stanley was trying to start a fight with Florence.”

  “Perhaps they’re not getting along well at the moment,” Fenella said.

  “Clearly they aren’t,” Charlotte said. “But I wonder why?”

  “I was talking to Florence at a charity event last night and she seemed, well, unhappy,” Fenella said. “I think she spends too much time looking after Stanley.”

  “She needs a hobby,” Charlotte remarked. “I sew and knit, and those keep me quite busy when I’m not traveling. Actually, they keep me quite busy when I am travelling as well. There’s nothing better than a knitting project to fill the time on a ferry journey.”

  Fenella nodded. “I was planning to read,” she said. “After years of teaching and researching, it’s wonderful to read strictly for pleasure again.”

  Charlotte nodded. “Must be off,” she said. Before Fenella could reply, she swept out of the room, leaving Fenella on her own.

  Picking up her handbag, Fenella followed slowly behind the other woman, not wanting to catch up to her. Outside, it was cool and overcast, and Fenella thought she’d better hurry to get home before the rain started. As she walked, with her jacket pulled tightly around herself, she found it hard to believe that the weather had been so pleasant lately. At least there was the prospect of many more spring days to come.

  The rain was just starting to fall when she reached her building. While she’d been walking, her brain had been replaying the conversation that had taken place after Daniel had arrested the Propers. As she opened the door to her apartment, an odd thought sprang into her head.

  “She needs a hobby,” Fenella could hear the words replaying over and over again. Was it possible that Florence had a hobby, after all? But if that were true, it almost seemed as if Stanley was trying to get Florence into trouble, which made no sense at all. Fenella sat down and gave Katie a pat. The kitten curled up in her lap and Fenella petted her mindlessly while she tried to think.

  “You’re lost in thought,” Mona said. “What happened at the Sea Terminal?”

  Fenella gave her aunt a complete rundown of the afternoon’s events. When she was done, she looked at Mona curiously.

  “I had an odd thought,” she said. “But I’m afraid you’ll laugh at me.”

  “Tell me anyway,” Mona said. “Ghosts can’t laugh.”

  Fenella narrowed her eyes, not quite believing the other woman. “What if the mastermind behind the whole burglary ring is Florence March?” she asked.

  Mona burst out laughing, leaving Fenella frowning at her. “I thought you couldn’t laugh,” she said when her aunt finally stopped.

  “Only in extreme circumstances,” Mona said, waving a hand.

  “I don’t think the idea is that funny,” Fenella said crossly.

  “I knew Florence March for a great many years,” Mona said. “She’s as bland and colorless a person as you can get. I can’t see her having enough imagination to put something like a burglary and smuggling ring together.”

  “The more I think about it, the more it seems like Stanley was hinting at that, though,” Fenella told her.

  “He was hinting at something and no doubt he knows something he hasn’t told the police, but it’s a long way from that to Florence being behind the crimes,” Mona said.

  “So it’s a crazy idea,” Fenella said with a sigh.

  “But it’s one you should share with Inspector Robinson,” Mona replied. “Maybe it will get him thinking outside the box, at least.”

  “I’m sure Stanley will give him ideas,” Fenella argued.

  “But he probably hasn’t spoken to Stanley yet,” Mona pointed out.

  Knowing that Mona would nag her until she did, Fenella called the police station. She was put on hold for several minutes before Daniel came on the line.

  “The conversation after you left was strange,” she told the man. While he listened, she did her best to repeat what was said.

  “So Mr. and Mrs. March aren’t getting along very well,” Daniel said. “I’m not sure why that’s of interest to me.”

  Fenella took a deep breath. “I was wondering if there’s any chance that Florence is the person behind the burglary ring and the murders,” she said.

  The silence on the other end seemed to drag on for a very long time. At least he isn’t laughing, Fenella thought.

  “I’m going to have both Marches brought in for questioning,” Daniel said eventually. “If anything interesting comes of it, I’ll let you know once it’s set to hit the papers.”

  Fenella hung up and made herself some dinner. She fed Katie and then pottered around the apartment, wondering what was happening. When Shelly stopped by to suggest the pub, Fenella found that she wasn’t in the mood, but she went anyway.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Daniel finally stopped by two nights later. Fenella was sitting on the floor playing with Katie and Smokey, while Shelly watched, when he knocked on the door. Shelly was closer, so she let the man in.

  “This is a surprise,” Fenella said, standing up quickly. She brushed cat hair off of herself, blushing as she realized how casually dressed she was. Her sweatshirt and jeans were covered in black and grey fur, and nothing she did seemed to help much.

  “I hope it isn’t inconvenient,” Daniel said.

  “Not at all,” Fenella replied, wishing she’d taken the time to shower and fix her hair and makeup before Shelly had arrived.

  “I just brought Smokey over for a kitty play date,” Shelly told Daniel. “But it’s just about time for us to head home for our dinner.”

  “MERROW,” Smokey said emphatically.

  “I think somebody is hungry,” Shelly laughed. She picked up the cat and held her up, nose to nose. “Are you hungry, my precious?” she cooed.

  “Merrow, merrr, merrr, yowww,” Smokey said in a conversational tone.

  “I believe that means yes,” Fenella laughed.

  “I’ll stop back in a few hours,” Shelly said. “I’ll be on my way to the pub by then.”

  Fenella nodded. They’d fallen into the habit of going to the pub nearly every night. Sometimes Fenella opted for a soft drink, but a single glass of wine each evening wasn’t going to hurt her. Some doctors even suggested that it was healthy.

  “I don’t want to get in the way of your dinner,” Daniel said after Shelly and her pet had let themselves out.

  “Have you eaten? We could order pizza or Chinese,” Fenella offered.

  “If you’re sure I’m not in the way, I’d love Chinese,” Daniel said.

  There was a Chinese restaurant only a few doors away and they were happy to deliver to their neighbors. After a few minutes with the menu, Fenella called in the order for them both.

  “So, how are things?” Fenella asked as she handed Daniel a can of soda.

  “Things are good,” Daniel said with a grin. “Tomorrow’s papers will be full of news.”

  “Really? I kept expecting to hear things, but the usual gossips don’t seem to know anything.”

  “Stanley and his advocate have been doing everything they can to keep things ve
ry quiet,” Daniel explained. “I’ve been interviewing him and Florence at their home rather than the station and only formally arrested her earlier this evening.”

  “So Florence was involved in something criminal?” Fenella asked in surprise.

  “She was behind the burglary ring, just like you suggested,” Daniel confirmed.

  Fenella glanced around the room, but Mona was nowhere in sight. She couldn’t wait to tell her aunt that she’d been right.

  “I’m shocked,” Fenella said.

  “But you suspected it,” Daniel countered.

  “But I thought I just have an overactive imagination,” Fenella explained. “Tell me everything, please.”

  “I’ll tell you what I can. As I said, a lot of this will be in the paper tomorrow. It all started some time ago. It seems that Florence found herself bored once her children left the nest. She tried doing more volunteer work, but found that wasn’t fulfilling enough. At a party one night, one of her wealthy friends was talking about going away for several months and leaving her house empty. She asked Florence to stop by and check on the house for her. While she was doing that, Florence found a pair of diamond earrings she liked.”

  “Her poor friend,” Fenella remarked. “Did she just help herself, then?”

  “She did, but so cleverly that no one ever suspected. She found herself someone else to do the real dirty work.”

  “Nick Proper,” Fenella guessed.

  “Apparently she knew Brenda from one of the charities she was involved with,” Daniel explained. “And she knew the couple needed a bit of extra money. She gave Brenda the code for the security system and told her that she and Nick could keep everything they took. By the time Florence’s friend got back to the island and discovered that she’d been burgled, Florence had been wearing the earrings for several months.”

  “But surely her friend was suspicious?” Fenella asked.

  “Florence was clever about it,” Daniel explained. “She took the earrings within days of her friend leaving. About a month later she managed to ‘accidently’ leave a tap running when she was there checking on the place. A whole crew of cleaners had to come in to clear up the mess and they were able to tell the police that there was no sign of a break-in when they were there. Just a few days before the friend was due back, the Propers went in and made a huge mess as they stole nearly everything of value in the house.”