Boats and Bad Guys (An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Book 2) Page 6

  “So it was him?” Fenella confirmed.

  “Yes, it was. His wife positively identified the body for us,” Daniel replied.

  “That poor woman,” Fenella said. “She was worried about him and so happy to be having a vacation with him.”

  “Yes, we’re checking into that,” Daniel said. “I have to ask whether you had ever met or even seen either him or his wife prior to today?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Fenella replied. “I don’t know what he did for a living, or what he wife does for that matter. It’s possible I might have come across one or the other of them in a shop or restaurant or something, but neither looked familiar.”

  “Sarah Grosso is a nurse at Noble’s,” Daniel said.

  “Well, fortunately I haven’t had to visit the local hospital, yet,” Fenella said. “What did Robert do?”

  “He worked for an import and export business,” Daniel said. “That meant that he travelled a great deal, both by ferry and by plane.”

  “So, no, I doubt very much I’d ever seen them and I know I’d never met either of them,” Fenella said.

  “And you didn’t see Sarah Grosso on the ferry at any point?” Daniel asked.

  Fenella tried to think. “Give me a minute,” she requested. She shut her eyes and sat back, mentally walking back through her morning. “I’m sorry,” she said eventually. “I simply wasn’t paying that much attention. I don’t think I saw her, but there were a lot of people rushing around every which way. I think the only person I actually remember seeing is the girl who was behind the customer service desk, and I’m not one hundred percent certain I could pick her out of a lineup.”

  Daniel nodded. “Sarah was a car passenger, so she wouldn’t have been waiting with you inside the terminal. I assume you don’t remember seeing any of the other cabin passengers before you found the body?”

  Fenella shook her head. “They were probably all behind me in the line at customer service, but I felt so bad about how long it took for the woman to give me the key to my cabin that I sort of slunk away without looking back.”

  “And you’d never met any of them before today?” Daniel asked.

  “No, I hadn’t. And as I said, I won’t be in a rush to see them again.”

  “You mentioned seeing two different couples in the corridor after you found the body,” Daniel said.

  “Yes, and now I can tell you that they were Nick and Brenda Proper and Stanley and Florence March, thanks to the round of introductions that Charlotte Masters had us go through.”

  “Was anything said in the waiting room while you and the other cabin passengers were waiting that you think might be relevant to our investigation?” was the next question.

  “Charlotte had us all introduce ourselves,” Fenella told him. “That was about it, really.”

  “Just introductions?” he pressed.

  “Once Captain Howard arrived there was a discussion about why the ferry had been stopped from sailing,” Fenella recalled. “Stanley March in particular seemed to want answers as to what might have caused the delay.”

  “And what answers did anyone come up with?”

  “Charlotte was the only one who offered any ideas. She suggested drugs, people trafficking, and murder as the most likely explanations.”

  Daniel made a few notes. “And what did everyone else think?”

  “Mostly it seemed like they thought she was being overly dramatic. Stanley seemed to think the problem was with the ferry itself.”

  “Isle of Man Ferries is bringing in another ferry. All scheduled passengers will be permitted to travel later today, if they so desire,” Daniel told her. “I’d like to ask you to postpone your journey for a few days, if you don’t mind, however.”

  “I don’t mind,” Fenella said emphatically. “I’m in no rush to get on another boat, that’s for sure. I might have to look into flying instead.”

  “Under the circumstances, you’ll be able to get a full refund from the ferry company if you choose not to travel,” he told her. “They’re being as cooperative as they can be, all things considered.”

  “Do you have a particular reason for suspecting the cabin passengers?” Fenella asked. “I mean, your questions have focused on them.”

  “Right now we have to consider every person who was on the boat as a suspect,” Daniel replied. “We don’t have enough evidence of anything to force anyone to stay on the island while we investigate, unfortunately. I do suspect that the killer was most likely another cabin passenger, but at this point that’s little more than one possible scenario.”

  “It seems impossible,” Fenella said. “There were so many people on the ferry, between passengers and staff. How will you ever sort through them all?”

  “It won’t be easy, but it’s my job,” Daniel replied. “In a case like this we’ll have to start with motive and work from there, I think, considering how many people may have had the opportunity.”

  “Sarah Grosso seemed like such an ordinary person,” Fenella said. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to kill her husband.”

  “That’s the question we need to answer,” Daniel replied. “And that’s why I have to be on my way. At this point in time, I know next to nothing about Robert Grosso. By the time I go to bed tonight, I need to know him as well as his best friend does.”

  Fenella nodded. “I don’t envy you the job,” she said.

  Daniel stood up. “I may have more questions for you as the investigation continues,” he said. “That’s why I asked you not to travel. I’ll be in touch.”

  Fenella only had time to nod before Daniel swept out of the room. She looked over at Constable Hopkins. “I guess I can go home, then,” she said.

  “You can,” he confirmed. “I’ll take you, if you don’t have a car here.”

  “I don’t. I was a foot passenger. But I walked here and I can walk home just as easily.”

  He shook his head. “I’d rather give you a ride, if you don’t mind,” he said. “You don’t want to have to walk through the pack of reporters who have gathered outside.”

  “There are reporters outside?” she asked.

  “The police stopping a ferry from sailing is big news,” he told her as they both got to their feet. “And Inspector Robinson has refused to answer any questions all morning. They’re probably getting frustrated by now.”

  “I’m surprised no one has told them what’s going on,” Fenella said. She pulled up the handle on her suitcase for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “There are so many people who were supposed to be on the ferry. Surely one or two of them must have been willing to talk to the press after their police interview.”

  “I understand that most of them are still in the building,” the constable told her as he escorted her out of the room. He took the suitcase from her before he continued. “Isle of Man Ferries has been providing food and drinks to everyone who is waiting for the replacement ferry, which has encouraged many people to simply stay here and wait. I understand they’re showing movies in one of the waiting areas as well.”

  “They are being helpful, aren’t they,” Fenella remarked.

  “They want their ferry back as soon as possible,” the constable said. “I’m sure they were hoping we would wrap this all up within an hour or two.”

  “I didn’t get the impression from Daniel that you were anywhere near wrapping things up,” Fenella said.

  “Inspector Robinson is doing everything he can, but short of an unexpected confession, the investigation will take time,” he replied.

  While they’d been talking, the constable had led her through the Sea Terminal and out a door at the back that led to a small parking lot.

  “This one is mine,” he said as he stopped next to a small car that was at the end of a row. He unlocked the car and put her bag in the back before he held the passenger door open for Fenella. She slid inside, and once she’d fastened her seatbelt, the constable pushed the door shut.

  “You weren’
t kidding about the press,” Fenella said a moment later as the constable steered the car through the lot and out toward the main road. What looked like several dozen people were clustered in front of the Sea Terminal building, taking pictures and talking on mobile phones. As the police car drew near them, a few people broke away from the group and began to walk toward the car.

  “Sorry about the noise,” Constable Hopkins said as he pressed a button on the dashboard. The wail of a police siren cut through the air and caused the approaching men to take a few steps backwards. Traffic on the main road came to a halt because of the sound, allowing the constable to slide into traffic easily.

  “If I had that, I’d use it all the time,” Fenella said as the man drove sedately down the promenade toward Fenella’s apartment building.

  “The rules about using it are pretty strict,” he told her. “But that was all about protecting a witness from potential press harassment.”

  “For which I’m hugely grateful,” Fenella assured him. “I certainly didn’t want to talk to them.”

  “Inspector Robinson doesn’t either, but he’s going to have a press conference in a few hours anyway,” the man said.

  “Poor Daniel,” Fenella remarked.

  “It comes with the job,” the constable shrugged. “That’s part of why I’m not in any hurry to move up to inspector.”

  Fenella smiled. “It’s such a difficult job, any job in the police. I’m sure the rest of us aren’t nearly as grateful to you all as we should be.”

  “Here we are,” the man said as he pulled to a stop in front of Promenade View Apartments. He stopped the car and switched off the engine. Before he climbed out, he put a “Police” sign on the dashboard.

  “If I had one of those, I’d abuse that, too,” Fenella said, pointing to the sign that was letting the man park illegally.

  “Again, there are rules,” the man replied. “But in this case, Inspector Robinson instructed me to escort you to your flat, so I’m covered.”

  “That really isn’t necessary,” Fenella said as she watched the man drag her suitcase out of the back of the car.

  “He’s the boss,” the man retorted. “You can argue with him about it, if you want.”

  “I will, the next time I see him,” Fenella replied.

  The man nodded, and then Fenella led him across the lobby and into a conveniently open elevator. While they rode up, she dug her keycard out of her bag. It felt odd to be walking back toward her own apartment again so soon, but Fenella felt tired, sad, and eager to get home.

  “This is me,” she said as she stopped at her door. She waved the key in front of the lock and then pushed the door open. The constable followed her through the door, still dragging her suitcase behind him.

  “Oh, you can just leave that anywhere,” Fenella said.

  “What on earth?” Mona gasped, getting up from the couch with a surprised look on her face.

  Fenella opened her mouth to reply and then quickly bit her tongue. Constable Hopkins couldn’t see Mona. He would think Fenella was crazy if she started talking to her.

  “Are you okay?” the young man asked, glancing around the large room with its floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out at the sea.

  “I’m fine,” Fenella assured him. “I’ll have to reschedule my trip at some point, but for now I’m ever so glad to be home.”

  The man nodded. “I’ll get out of your way, then,” he said cheerfully. At the door, he stopped and reached into his pocket. “Here’s my card. Please don’t hesitate to ring me if you need anything.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” Fenella replied. “I hope I never have an occasion to use it, though.”

  The man nodded. “No one ever wants to need me,” he said. “I’m good with that.”

  Fenella chuckled as she let the man out, quickly locking the door behind him as he disappeared down the corridor.

  “What are you doing back here?” Mona demanded as soon as the door was shut.

  “I must call Edward and tell him I’m not coming,” Fenella said, holding up a hand to stop Mona’s questions.

  There was no one home at Edward’s house, so Fenella left a message on the answering machine, simply saying that the ferry had been cancelled and that she’d be in touch when she’d made other arrangements. With that out of the way, she sank into a chair and sighed deeply.

  “What’s happened?” Mona asked, sitting down next to Fenella.

  “I found another body,” Fenella said after a moment.

  “You what?” Mona asked.

  “I found another body. When I went to my cabin, there was a dead man in one of the berths. He had a rope around his neck. I called Daniel and he came and cancelled the sailing. I’d have been back a long time ago, but I had to wait to be questioned.”

  “This is getting to be a rather unpleasant habit for you,” Mona said sharply.

  “It isn’t my fault,” Fenella snapped back. “The cabin I was supposed to be in had some sort of plumbing issue or something. The girl at customer service just assigned me to a random cabin. It’s hardly my fault that someone had hidden a dead body in there.”

  “So the man wasn’t killed there? He was just hidden there?” Mona asked.

  “I have no idea,” Fenella replied. “And I don’t want to talk about it, either.”

  “Surely you’ve been talking about it all day,” Mona said. “It won’t hurt for you to tell the story one more time.”

  “I’m going to get Katie,” Fenella told her aunt. “She won’t want to hear all of the morbid details. She’ll just be happy to see me.”

  “But Shelly will want all of the details,” Mona said. “At least ring her and have her bring Katie here. Then you can tell both of us what happened at the same time.”

  Fenella shook her head. “How rude is that? Calling her up and asking her to bring me my cat back? I shall go and get Katie. You can listen in the doorway if you must.”

  Mona sniffed. “Eavesdrop? How tacky.”

  “Suit yourself,” Fenella replied. She walked to the door and unlocked it, deliberately leaving it ajar as she walked the short distance to Shelly’s door. When no one answered, she was hugely disappointed.

  “Is no one home?” Mona asked when Fenella walked back into her own apartment a moment later. The woman was sitting on the couch, but Fenella reckoned she looked as if she’d rushed to get there after having been listening at the door a moment earlier.

  “I have her spare key, but it would wrong to let myself in just to get Katie. I’ll have to wait until she gets home,” Fenella said, annoyed with herself when she heard how sad she sounded.

  “I’m sure Katie will survive for a few more hours without you,” Mona said. “And while we wait, you can tell me about the body you found.”

  Fenella sighed. “You aren’t going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?” she asked.

  “If you want me to, of course I’ll leave you alone,” Mona replied. “You know I don’t want to be a bother.”

  Before Fenella could reply, Mona slowly faded away. Fenella dropped into the nearest chair and put her head in her hands. This day was not going at all the way she’d planned and she felt like screaming, crying, and eating chocolate, not necessarily in that order. After a minute, when tears didn’t come and shouting felt less appealing, Fenella headed for the kitchen.

  As she poked around in her cupboards, she realized that she hadn’t had anything to eat all day and it was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon. She also realized that she’d cleared most of the food out of the apartment in anticipation of being away for a week. With a sigh, she pulled a box of chocolate-covered cookies out of a cupboard and opened it. For several minutes, she nibbled mindlessly on one after another, taking comfort in their sugary sweetness.

  “Shelly, it’s Fenella. The ferry was cancelled. I’ll explain when I see you, but basically I’m not going anywhere for a while. I can get Katie back from you when you get this message,” she said into Shelly’s
answering machine a short time later. She needed to go grocery shopping, but she couldn’t muster up the energy. Too full of cookies to really care at the moment, she decided she could get pizza delivered later and deal with her shopping needs another day.

  She was reconsidering that decision a while later as she pottered around her apartment. She couldn’t seem to find anything to do. Reading didn’t appeal, there was nothing to watch on the television, and she didn’t want to go out. Sighing deeply, she glared at her reflection in the mirror in her bedroom.

  “You should have just told Mona the whole story,” she said to her mirror image. “Maybe retelling it would have chased it out of your head.”

  When her doorbell rang a short time later, Fenella couldn’t answer it fast enough. Even a life insurance salesman would be welcome at the moment, she thought as she turned the knob and pulled the door open.

  “Are you sure you don’t just want me to keep her?” Shelly asked as she held Katie out to Fenella.

  “Oh, quite sure,” Fenella said. She took the animal from Shelly and buried her face in Katie’s back. The kitten squirmed as Fenella burst into tears.

  “Oh, good heavens,” Shelly exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

  Fenella nodded and then shook her head while Shelly gently pushed her backwards into the apartment. Shelly shut the door behind herself and then pulled Fenella over to the couch.

  “Sit down and tell me what this is all about,” Shelly instructed Fenella as they sat down next to each other.

  Katie let out a soft “meow” that interrupted Fenella’s tears.

  “I shouldn’t cry all over you, should I?” Fenella asked the kitten.

  “Merrooww,” Katie replied. Fenella smiled in spite of herself and gave Katie a hug. “Off you go, then,” she said, putting Katie on the floor.

  The kitten ran off, straight to the kitchen. Fenella had already filled the water and food dishes in anticipation of Katie’s return.

  “Now, what’s happened?” Shelly asked, taking Fenella’s hand.

  “I found a body,” Fenella said. She took a deep breath and shook her head. “I didn’t mean to just blurt that out,” she added as Shelly gasped and stared at her.