On Deadly Tides Page 14

  “That’s a very kind offer. But are you sure you can manage? It’s not just my suitcase, remember. There’s Jessica’s as well.”

  “The bus stops right in front of the hotel, and if Victoria can pick me up in Llanelen and drive me home, I’ll be just fine.”

  “I will never be able to repay you for all you’ve done for me,” said Louise. “Unless, of course, one day you find yourself in New Zealand.”

  “There’s no need to repay me,” said Penny. “I got involved when I found Jessica, and I want to see this through. And I want to see that it’s done right. For your sake and for hers.” Louise relaxed into her pillow and closed her eyes.

  “I can’t thank you enough,” she whispered.

  “Now then, that’s enough for now. All this talk has clearly exhausted you, so I’d better let you rest. Have you got the key card for your hotel room?”

  “I’m not sure. I think it was on the dresser in the hotel room, but I don’t really remember anything about when we left for the hospital. I have no recollection of any of that.”

  “The ambulance people probably grabbed your handbag,” said Penny. “I’ll just look in your locker for it, shall I?”

  She opened the little door of the bedside cupboard, lifted out Louise’s handbag, and placed it by Louise’s side.

  “Do you want to look in your bag for the key?”

  Louise’s eyes remained closed, and she murmured something that Penny didn’t quite catch. When she didn’t move, Penny opened the bag and scrabbled through the contents, unzipped inside and outside pockets, but didn’t see a hotel key card. She replaced the bag in the patient’s bedside locker, and then, after lifting Louise’s hands under the bedclothes and tucking the light blanket around her shoulders, she took one last glance at the sleeping woman and crept out of the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Penny walked up the stone stairs of the hotel’s front entrance and made her way through the lobby to the front desk. She didn’t recognize the receptionist on duty, but she introduced herself and explained that she was a friend of hotel guest Louise Graham, who had been taken to hospital the previous night.

  “Oh yes,” said the receptionist. “I heard about that when I came in this morning. How is she doing?”

  “She’s going to be all right, but she won’t be returning to the hotel. I’m here to collect her belongings and let you know that she’s checking out.”

  The receptionist pinched her lips together. “Did she give you her room key?”

  “No, she didn’t have it with her.”

  “Then I’m afraid I can’t just let you into her room.” She gave an apologetic little shrug. “I’m sorry. It’s a security issue. Mrs. Graham is our guest, and without her authorization, as per hotel policy, I can’t let you or anyone else into her room. I’m sure you understand.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” said Penny, “but I’m sure if you check with your assistant manager, she’ll give you her approval. She’s familiar with the situation.”

  “She’s not in today, unfortunately. It’s her day off.”

  “This is rather important. Would you mind ringing her?”

  “I’m afraid I couldn’t do that. She doesn’t like to be disturbed on her day off.” She gave Penny a hospitality-industry smile. “Well, who does, really?”

  “In that case, then, would it be possible for a member of the hotel staff to pack up all the personal effects in Louise Graham’s room and bring them to me? I could wait down here.”

  “We don’t know that you have Mrs. Graham’s permission to take away her belongings, so I can’t agree to that, either.”

  “Right. Thank you for your help. I’ll be back.”

  With a determined spring in her step, Penny marched through the hotel, past the bar and coffee shop, and out the rear door. She walked along the promenade to the Georgian terrace, and up the pathway to the glossy black door.

  From inside came the sound of hammering.

  While she waited for the door to be opened, Penny faced the Menai Strait and drank in the peaceful beauty of the sparkling water.

  At the sound of the door opening, she turned to find Sarah Spencer dressed in a pair of smart beige trousers, a dark brown jacket, and a hat with a broad black grosgrain band.

  “Oh. It’s you,” she said. “Hello.”

  “Sorry to bother you. Looks as if you’re just on your way out, but I need your help with a problem at the hotel.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “There’s an issue with Louise Graham.”

  Sarah crossed her arms and sighed. “You’d better come in, then.”

  Penny wasn’t sure if Sarah knew that she’d viewed the house, but decided not to mention it. She admired the entrance hall as if she’d never seen it before, then followed Sarah into the sitting room. Sarah closed the door to block off the banging noise.

  “Sorry about that racket. Getting a new kitchen fitted. Today’s what they call demolition day. Taking out all the old cabinets and cupboards. That’s why I’m going out. I can’t take it anymore.” I pity the neighbours, thought Penny. “Now what’s the problem at the hotel that the staff can’t sort out?”

  “It’s about Louise Graham. You heard what happened?”

  “Yes, I was told that she took an overdose of sleeping tablets.”

  Convinced that Louise hadn’t taken the overdose, but had been given it, Penny did not respond. “She’s in hospital and won’t be returning to the hotel. She asked me to let the hotel know and to pack up her belongings.”

  “And I’m guessing you’re here because you don’t have her key card.”

  “Exactly. And the receptionist on the front desk was unwilling to let me into her room.”

  “Good. That’s what she was trained to do. We can’t allow anybody into a guest’s room without permission. I don’t suppose Louise gave you something in writing?”

  “No. I spoke to her for a few minutes at the hospital, but she’s still poorly and went back to sleep.”

  “Sorry. I should have asked. How is she doing?”

  “She’s recovering and going to be all right, thank goodness.”

  “Well, we’re not really supposed to allow anyone into a guest’s room for security reasons. I’m really not comfortable with it.”

  “But if the police wanted in, you’d have to let them in? We could always go that route.”

  Sarah eyed her suspiciously. “That sounds a bit like a threat.”

  “Oh, not at all,” said Penny smoothly. “Of course not. And it was very kind of you to provide Mrs. Graham with accommodation. She appreciates that. It’s just she has no more need of the room, and she’s going to come back to stop with me in Llanelen when she’s released from hospital, so it would be better for everyone all round if I could take away her things today, and that would free up the room for the hotel. She really isn’t in a fit state to collect her belongings herself. And you know that I helped arrange for her to stay here, so all I’m trying to do now is make it possible for her to leave as easily as she can. It’s not as if I’m a stranger who appeared out of the blue asking you to hand over her belongings to me. You’re familiar with the situation.”

  Sarah reflected on Penny’s words, then reached for her phone. “All right. I’ll call reception and let them know it’s okay to let you into her room.”

  Penny stood up. “Thank you.” A new round of hammering almost drowned out her words. “And I’m sure the kitchen will look wonderful when it’s done. I love your apartment.” And then she added, “Well, what I’ve seen of it. You look very smart, by the way. Going somewhere nice?”

  “Not especially. Solicitor’s office.”

  Sarah opened the front door, and just as Penny stepped onto the stone step, she asked, “How did you know I live here, by the way?”

  Penny didn’t turn around or answer.

  * * *

  Penny retraced her steps to the hotel, but instead of going to the reception desk to a
sk for someone with a key to accompany her to Louise Graham’s room, she made her way to the bar, where she found Llifon with his back to her as he wiped down an empty shelf. Bottles of wine were lined up neatly on the bar.

  “Afternoon, Llifon.”

  He set down his cloth and turned to face her.

  “Oh, hello. Sorry. Just doing a bit of cleaning. What can I get you?”

  “Nothing right now, thanks. I won’t keep you from your work. I just want to ask you a couple of questions.”

  He picked up a bottle and swiped at it with his cloth. “Fire away.”

  “You took a tray up to your guest Mrs. Louise Graham about eight o’clock last night.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Hot chocolate and toast, was it?”

  He nodded, turned his back to her for a moment while he replaced the bottle on the shelf, then turned to face her, and wiped down another bottle.

  “And what did the toast come with? Jam? Butter?”

  “No, there was a little pot of something. Brown, it was.”

  “Not jam.” Penny mulled that over. “Do you know what it was?”

  “I forget the name of it, but it might have been that spread that Australians like. I was just told to take the tray upstairs, so that’s what I did. Why? What does it matter what was on the tray?” He gave the lined-up wine bottles a mournful look, and Penny couldn’t tell if he was anxious to return to his task or hoped to put it off a few minutes longer.

  “Bear with me, Llifon, for just a minute or two. I’m trying to find out what happened to Mrs. Graham. Can you tell me who told you to take the tray up to her?”

  “The receptionist. She rang just after eight and said there was a note on Mrs. Graham’s file that she was to have a bedtime tray at 8 P.M., and it would be ready to be picked up from the coffee shop and delivered. So that’s what I did.”

  “And who covered for you in the bar while you were upstairs?”

  “Mr. Hewitt. We weren’t very busy at the time.”

  “Mr. Hewitt, the hotel manager?”

  “That’s right. Naturally I’m not supposed to leave the bar unattended, and he was coming out of his office, so I told him about the delivery, and he told me I’d better get on with it then and to be quick about it, and that he’d watch the bar until I got back.”

  “All right, Llifon. You’ve given me lots to think about. Thank you so much.”

  * * *

  “Funny you should ask,” said Llifon twenty minutes later. “You’re the second person to ask me about all that today.”

  Detective Inspector Bethan Morgan turned to Detective Constable Chris Jones. “Now I wonder who else would want to know what we want to know.” And then, back to Llifon, “What did that person look like?” Before he could reply, she continued, “Let me guess. A smart-looking woman about this tall”—she held her hand a couple of inches above her own head—“with very nicely cut and styled red hair.”

  “Got it in one.”

  “And where is she now, do you know?”

  At that moment Penny entered their line of vision as she crossed the hallway, two suitcases trundling along behind her, then disappeared from view as she continued on her way to the lobby and the front door.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Penny!”

  At the sound of Bethan’s voice, Penny stopped and turned in the direction of the voice.

  “Oh, hello.”

  Bethan gestured at the suitcases. “Louise’s?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Where are you taking them?”

  “I’m taking them home with me. I’ve told Louise she can stay with me for as long she needs to—until all the legalities are wrapped up, and she can take Jessica’s body home.”

  “She told me. And that’s very good of you. Listen, I’m not happy with the way things are going. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and you might be right. This case has now taken a different turn, and I’ve asked the pathologist to take another look at Jessica’s injuries, to see if anything was missed or misinterpreted in the postmortem.”

  “Oh, I thought you weren’t one for speculation.”

  “I wouldn’t call this speculation. I’d call it policewoman’s instincts. When something doesn’t feel right, chances are good it isn’t. And now, I’m very curious in a way I wasn’t before.” She folded her arms. “Because somebody did a very stupid thing.”

  For the briefest of moments, Penny thought Bethan was referring to something she had done, and then realized what the policewoman meant. “They tried to make it look as if Louise took an overdose.”

  “That’s right,” Bethan replied. “But if you believe Louise’s version of events, which, after just speaking to her again at the hospital I now do, someone decided to send her a powerful message to stop asking questions about her daughter’s death, or perhaps even tried to silence her. So now everything I thought about Jessica’s death is being called into question. We start over. If someone had left well enough alone, they might have got away with Jessica’s murder.”

  “So someone’s starting to panic,” said Penny. “That’s the significance of what happened with Louise.”

  “It looks that way. So at this point, you need to be careful. Stop asking questions. Leave it to us.” She reached for one of the suitcases. “You’d better let me help with that. Louise is going to be discharged today. Like hospitals everywhere, they don’t keep people in a minute longer than they need to. And they’re satisfied that she’s got someplace safe to go to for the next few days. And it’s probably better for you, too, to have someone staying with you. It’s lovely, your cottage, but a bit isolated. I do worry about you sometimes, you know.”

  “So you’ll take the suitcases to Llanelen?”

  “I will. I’ll drive Louise there as well. Expect us this evening. Meanwhile, I’m going to take another look at the beach where Jessica’s body was found.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” An image of Louise Graham, on her knees, digging her hands in the rough sand and small pebbles that had briefly held her daughter’s body, erupted in Penny’s mind.

  “No I do not, thanks all the same. I’m investigating Jessica’s death from a different perspective now, and I want to get a feel for the place from that point of view. I need to be on my own.”

  Well, at least we’re on the same page now, thought Penny. While she appreciated that modern policing methods required a measured, evidence-based approach, there were times when following your instincts could really speed things up.

  “Would you like my thoughts?” Penny asked.

  “Yes, I would.”

  “It has to be someone either from within the hotel or with a strong connection to it.”

  “That is now becoming obvious.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “I thought I would have heard from him by now,” Penny moaned at lunchtime the next day. She and Victoria were seated side by side, enjoying a picnic on what they considered “their” bench in the churchyard. One day at a time, the summer was drifting onward, and although it was too soon for the air to hold the first breath of autumn, that day was coming soon.

  “How long has it been?”

  “I heard from him when he got back to Canada, just before they set off on this expedition, and nothing since. He was meant to be gone for two weeks, and it’s now closer to three weeks since I’ve heard from him.”

  “Didn’t he tell you there wouldn’t be any Wi-Fi or mobile service where he was going?”

  “He said it would be unpredictable and spotty, at best, so I didn’t expect to hear from him while he was away, but I thought I’d hear from him as soon as he got back.”

  “Well then, there’s your answer. He’s not back yet.”

  Penny raised her sandwich as if to take a bite, then lowered it to her lap, untouched. “Where did he go, again?” Victoria asked.

  “He’s with an international group of scientists in the Canadian Arctic, or at least the far
North, photographing polar bear habitat. Or what’s left of it.” She took a sip of water from her refillable bottle. “It’s for a magazine feature on the climate crisis, but Colin said he fears that what he’s really doing is capturing the last days of so many species, and maybe even the planet itself, as we know it.”

  “That’s a terrifying thought,” Victoria said as her eyes swept over the River Conwy flowing past them. “Have you tried contacting him?’

  “I sent him another text two days ago. And no response.”

  “Well, I’m sure there’s nothing for you to worry about. They might have discovered something really interesting that took them in a different direction, or maybe the whole venture is just taking longer than they thought it would.”

  Penny made a throaty little noise. “That’s really not what’s been bothering me. It’s not so much the logistics of the expedition that concern me, it’s that I’m afraid that he …”

  Victoria gave Penny time to finish the sentence, and when she didn’t, Victoria prompted: “Go on. You’re afraid that he what?”

  “Well, that he’s, you know, no longer interested in me. That he got back to Canada and thought all this”—she flapped her hand at the view before them in a light, encompassing motion—“was just a holiday romance. Or, more accurately, that I was.”

  Victoria’s mouth opened in a little circle of surprise. “Oh no, Penny, you don’t really think that, do you?” Her eyes widened. “I’m sure that you’ve got the wrong end of the stick here. I got the impression he was quite serious about you. How serious, I don’t know, of course, but from what I could tell, he’s very fond of you. You two really seemed to hit it off.”