A Death on the Island Read online

  “Stop treating me like some kind of idiot—”

  “Come, come,” Shanda said, cutting Daniel off and extending an arm to Julia, who was staring blankly at the table. It wasn’t clear if she had heard anything anyone had been saying. “Why don’t we go to the sitting room?”

  Julia rose to her feet and followed Shanda’s gentle prodding. Daniel, inexplicably tied to Julia, despite having just met her a few hours earlier, did not finish his sentence, and instead followed her out of the room, making sure to cast one last disparaging look at me before he exited. Ward took up the rear, grabbing two candles from the table before he left.

  As soon as Daniel was out of eyesight, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. From the moment we’d found Robert’s body, I hadn’t really believed Daniel could be guilty. After his shenanigans over dinner, however, I was significantly more open to the idea. He had been openly hostile to everyone, but was sticking unusually close to Julia. Perhaps Julia’s fears had some merit. It was possible the killer wouldn’t be happy with just killing Robert. Perhaps the killer wanted to take out the entire Baines family.

  Jimmy and Ethel took off down one of the hallways, promising to stay within shouting distance so they could be alerted when the police arrived. Greg and Tillie grabbed a non-descript bottle from the bar cart in the corner and moved to the formal living area just opposite the dining room. As they left, Tillie lending Greg a helping hand, Samuel and the butler walked into the room, their arms full of water bottles, flashlights, and candles.

  “We found some additional supplies to keep everyone a bit more comfortable,” the butler said.

  “And there is plenty more food in the kitchen if anyone is still hungry,” Samuel added. Then he took in the nearly empty table. “Though, it appears many have already finished.”

  “Tensions were a little high,” Holly said. “Thank you for the supplies, but you two really ought to sit down and join us.”

  Samuel smiled and bowed his head slightly to her in gratitude. “Thank you, but like I said, my nerves will go crazy if I’m not staying busy.”

  “You two should make sure not to wander off alone, though,” Holly said.

  Samuel turned to her, his smile quickly fading. “Why is that?”

  A loaded silence filled the air before Holly finally responded. “Because there is a murderer in the house…”

  Samuel shook his head. “Of course. I’m not thinking clearly. The idea that someone in this house could have done something so horrendous is just unthinkable. I can’t wrap my head around it.”

  Everyone nodded in agreement, and then the butler spoke up, addressing me.

  “Did you ever find your friend?” he asked.

  I bit my lower lip and shook my head.

  “She’ll turn up. I’ll be sure to keep an eye and an ear out, as well,” he said.

  I thanked him, wondering if he suspected Mrs. Harris to be capable of Mr. Baines’ murder like everyone else, and then the two men left, headed towards the kitchen. That left myself, Holly, and Mason alone at the table.

  “Do you think they realize there is very little chance they’re going to be getting paid?” Holly asked. “I don’t understand why they keep working.”

  “Nothing says ‘take the day off’ like your boss getting murdered,” I said. “Though, perhaps they are hoping to be kept on staff. Robert may have left the house to Julia, in which case she may appreciate their dedication.”

  “Julia isn’t in a state to appreciate anything. Did you see her? She was zoned out during all of dinner.”

  “Well her dad was just murdered. And not only that, but she saw his dead body. That’s enough to traumatize anyone,” I said.

  “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Holly said. Then, she leaned in even closer to me until I could feel her breath on my neck, her eyes flicking between me and Mason. “Who do you guys think did it?”

  “I don’t think I should be casting my suspicions. You saw how that went at dinner. It’s not exactly good for morale,” I said.

  Mason nodded in agreement. “I try to avoid starting rumors.”

  “It will stay between the three of us,” she said. “Promise.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. It could be anyone.”

  “Even me?” she asked, smiling. However, when I didn’t return the smile, she grew serious. “Wait. Do you really think it could be me?”

  “I said it could be anyone. It’s nothing personal, but everyone is a suspect.”

  Holly looked hurt for a second, but her face quickly returned to its neutral position. “I guess you’re right. What about you, Mason?”

  I couldn’t help but notice the way Holly’s heavily lidded eyes roamed across Mason’s face, the way she sucked in her lower lip while she spoke with him.

  I’d expected him to refuse her, to decline to guess and ignore her. However, his lips curled up in an ever so slight smile that made me want to push Holly out of her chair, and he said, “It could be Julia.”

  “You think so?” Holly asked excitedly.

  Mason nodded. “They weren’t exactly friendly, and Robert even admitted that Julia was only here to ensure she’d receive her trust fund. Perhaps she was tired of spending time with her dad, and decided to get rid of him.”

  “That’s just a theory,” I said. “You have no proof.”

  Mason looked at me as though he’d forgotten I was there, and I could see him sobering up, realizing he’d been pulled into Holly’s insensitive game. “I know,” he said, eyes downcast. “It’s just a thought.”

  Holly giggled. “My money is on the butler.”

  “This isn’t a murder mystery party,” I exploded. “A real man is dead and these are real people you’re accusing. You need real evidence.”

  Holly snapped her head in my direction, one eyebrow raised in a challenge. “I know, Mrs. Conscience. And I really saw the butler and Robert Baines having a heated conversation half an hour before I found his body.”

  I stared at her, my mouth open. This was the first real clue to be discovered in the case, and Holly had offered it up so casually. “Are you serious? You’re certain they were arguing?”

  “Positive. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I saw them on the second-floor landing. Robert Baines was getting into the butler’s face, finger wagging and everything. It looked pretty serious. I’d snuck into the kitchen to grab a few more lobster puffs from the box and didn’t want to get caught, so I didn’t linger. But yeah, I’m certain they were arguing.”

  I slid my chair back from the table and stood up, smoothing down the front of my dress, pulling the hemline down so it covered more of my bare thigh.

  “Where are you going?” Mason asked.

  “We are going to go catch a murderer.”

  Chapter 12

  Samuel was alone in the kitchen when we got there, sitting on a three-legged stool at a long, granite island that ran the length of the kitchen. Everything in the room was shiny and industrial. White cabinets, stainless steel appliances, white and black tiled floor. It looked like a restaurant kitchen, not one you’d find in someone’s home. Three-fourths of the back wall was windows looking out on the sprawling back lawn, which looked more like a pond at the moment. The storm was dumping torrential amounts of rain, and I was beginning to wonder whether Shep would be able to make it out to the mansion before morning.

  “Where’s the butler?” Mason asked.

  “Richard? He went to the bathroom,” Samuel said.

  Richard. Right. It probably wasn’t polite to refer to him as his job title.

  “Is there anything I can help you with?” Samuel asked.

  I’d originally come into the kitchen to talk with Richard, but I realized now that it would be more beneficial to have a sense of his movements throughout the evening before talking with him. That way I’d be able to call him out if he were lying.

  “Actually, yes,” I said. “We just have a few questions for you.”

  Samuel look
ed at each of us in turn, his eyes suddenly nervous. “Okay…?”

  “Did you know of anyone in the house who may have had a problem with Mr. Baines? Perhaps a work or personal dispute?” I asked.

  Samuel furrowed his brow and rubbed at his smooth chin with a thumb. “I couldn’t really say. Up until today, my only contact with Mr. Baines was over the phone to iron out the catering details. Mr. Baines only hired me for the party tonight.”

  “Oh, so you aren’t a full-time chef here?” Mason asked.

  “No, no. Just a caterer.”

  “How did Mr. Baines come to hire you for the party tonight?” I asked.

  “I left a flyer in his mailbox,” he said. “I’m a pretty small operation, so I have to do a lot of legwork to secure jobs.”

  Mason turned his head to the side, a question clear on his face. “I live just behind Mr. Baines and I didn’t receive a flyer.”

  Samuel nodded. “I saw that this house was quite large and very near completion. I was hoping whoever lived here would be the type of person to throw a house warming party, and the kind of person with enough money to spring for a caterer. If I had enough money, I’d litter the entire island with flyers. However, as it is, I have to be selective.”

  Mason nodded. “Fair enough. My house isn’t as big or flashy as this one.”

  “Very few houses are,” Samuel said with a laugh.

  “But Richard is a full-time employee of Mr. Baines?” I asked, refocusing the conversation.

  “Yes. Well, he was,” Samuel said, looking down at the checkered floor, his head shaking sadly.

  “And you didn’t notice any animosity between him and Mr. Baines?”

  Samuel paused. “Well, like I said, I’ve only been around for one day. But no, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Richard complained here and there about Mr. Baines being particularly stressed out, but he said it was because Julia was in town. Apparently, Mr. Baines and his daughter have a rather strained relationship. Richard said that he is always in a bad mood when she is around. However, it felt like normal employee complaints to me. Everyone complains about their boss.”

  “That’s the truth,” Holly said, winking at Samuel, who didn’t seem to know what to do with the gesture. He just smiled awkwardly back at her.

  I rolled my eyes, curious how Holly managed to do any investigative reporting when she couldn’t seem to take anything seriously. “Do you happen to know where Richard was in the half hour leading up to the discovery of Mr. Baines’ body?”

  Samuel shook his head. “Sorry, no. I was alone in the kitchen all night. The only time I left was to take lobster puffs out to the guests.”

  “Those lobster puffs were fantastic, by the way,” Holly said. “They were so good that I came back to the kitchen for seconds.”

  Then her face froze, her eyes rolling up towards the ceiling. I could see her formulating a thought. “The kitchen was empty when I came back here…” she said. “And that was about thirty minutes before I found Mr. Baines…”

  Holly, Mason, and I turned to Samuel at the same time, each of us having the same thought. Why was he lying?

  Suddenly, Samuel’s face lit up in realization, his expression open and relieved. “Of course. I took the trash out.”

  “The trash?” I asked, slightly deflated.

  “Yes. The bins are around the side of the house, and the trash can in here was full after I’d been cooking all day. I ran it outside. I’d forgotten, but that must have been where I was when you,” he said, gesturing to Holly, “came into the kitchen. And thank you for the compliment on the lobster puffs. They are an old family recipe.”

  That made sense, and I was slightly ashamed of how disappointed I was about that fact. I shouldn’t be actively rooting for people to be found guilty as murderers.

  “What’s going on?”

  Again, we all turned in unison at the sound of the new voice. It was Richard, his eyes pulled together in concern.

  “Has something else happened?” he asked, slightly panicked that no one had answered his initial question.

  “No,” I said, “nothing has happened. We were just asking Samuel a few questions.”

  Richard released a sigh. “Thank goodness. I don’t think I could handle anything else right now.”

  “You knew Mr. Baines pretty well?” I asked.

  “Yes, I suppose so. As well as anyone could. I’ve worked for him for the last five years.”

  “And you had a…good relationship?”

  Richard looked at me, and I saw realization dawn across his face. “Am I a suspect?”

  “No,” I started, before I realized that was an outright lie. So, I shifted my response. “Well, everyone is a suspect.”

  “Listen, I’ll answer any questions you have,” he said, walking across the room and taking a seat on the opposite side of the island. “I have nothing to hide.”

  “Uhh, great. Thanks.”

  He nodded and gestured for me to get on with it.

  “So, you and Mr. Baines worked well together?” I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable. I wasn’t a detective. Sure, I’d solved two murders a few weeks before, but that was mostly a lot of luck. It hadn’t required any genuine detective skills. Now, though, I was running around like a modern-day, female Sherlock Holmes, and I couldn’t help but feel entirely inadequate.

  “I’d like to think so. He asked me to relocate with him when he moved here to the island, so it seems as if he liked having me around.”

  “Yes, that is a high compliment,” I agreed.

  “I mean,” Richard continued. “When you work with someone for so long, you are bound to butt heads over a few things, but we always worked it out.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of things did you butt heads over?” I asked.

  “Mr. Baines is a businessman in the financial sector. So, as you can imagine, he likes to find a good deal. That tendency led to a few issues with my pay, but we were always able to compromise.”

  I had all too good an idea what kind of financial dealings Robert Baines had gotten up to, and being stingy was the least of his issues. Some people around the bank had speculated that most of his money had come from illegal deals with the mob and other crime bosses. I had never seen any proof of this, but after seeing his blackmail stash upstairs, I wouldn’t put it past him.

  “Had you two argued about anything recently?” I asked.

  Richard shook his head. “No. He paid me very well to relocate to the island with him. Things have been really good. Well, they had been. They obviously aren’t so great now.”

  Holly shifted nervously from foot to foot. We’d caught him in a lie. He was outright lying, and had Holly not seen the two of them arguing, I would have had no idea. I’d always fancied myself a human lie detector machine, capable of perceiving deception in those around me. However, after living next door to a murderer for a few weeks and seeing Richard lie so convincingly now, I was less sure of myself. In fact, I was even starting to wonder whether Richard weren’t telling the truth. He seemed so trustworthy. I wanted to believe him.

  “The thing is, Richard,” I said, trying to ease into the truth. I wanted to confront him, but I also knew I had to be careful. If Richard was a cold-blooded murderer, there would be nothing stopping him from lashing out at me or anyone else in the kitchen in order to make sure he could escape. “Someone actually saw you arguing with Mr. Baines just before his death.”

  Richard’s face was blank. I couldn’t decipher a single emotion. His eyes stared at me, flat and black in the dim light offered by the candles and a few flashlights, and his mouth was in a straight, neutral line. Then, he shook his head. “No, they didn’t. Whoever said that is either lying or they misinterpreted something. Mr. Baines and I did not get into an argument tonight.”

  I wanted to tell him Holly was the one who’d seen him, but I also didn’t want to throw her under the bus. If Richard did turn out to be the murderer, Holly would be a key witness, and
that put her in serious danger.

  As it turned out, I didn’t need to rat Holly out. She did it all by herself.

  “I saw you at the top of the stairs,” she said. “Mr. Baines was waving his arms and it seemed pretty heated.”

  “We weren’t arguing,” Richard insisted. “Mr. Baines was upset, but it wasn’t at me.”

  We all looked at one another, waiting for Richard to give up the information we all obviously wanted, but he stayed resolutely silent.

  Finally, Samuel asked nervously, “Who was he upset with?”

  “His daughter,” Richard said. “He was upset with Julia.”

  “About what?” I asked, wondering whether Mason’s theory was going to pan out after all. Had Julia been interested in receiving her trust fund without the attached string of having to spend so much time with her father?

  “The easier question to answer would be what he wasn’t upset about. The two of them rarely saw eye to eye on anything. Julia lived with her mother after the divorce, and Robert swore the woman poisoned Julia against him. Julia had all these ideas about Robert being involved in the mafia. It was absurd.”

  I resisted the urge to raise my eyebrows or roll my eyes or make some other facial expression that would convey my disbelief that a man who had worked with Robert Baines for five years could be unaware of his less than legal business arrangements.

  “Well, what did they argue about tonight?” Mason asked.

  “It was hard to get the entire story because Robert was a bit worked up—the power had just gone out and he was worried his entire party would be ruined—but it had something to do with Julia wanting to leave early.”

  “Wanting to leave the party early?” I asked, clarifying.

  Richard nodded. “Yes, and the island in general. She had agreed to spend two weeks on the island with her father, but apparently some of her college friends were headed out on a week-long vacation before classes started back up, and Julia wanted to go. Robert refused to fund the trip, though.”