Island of Deceit

by Candice Poarch

  “I’ll tell her. You have a great holiday.”

  “Are you visiting your family?”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “I’ve got to pack.”

  “And I have to get ready to work in the gallery,” her roommate said.

  “Check you later.” Sonya didn’t want to appear too eager. Her roommate would get suspicious. She and Boyd weren’t going anywhere for the holidays. She wanted it said that they weren’t around when things happened on the island.

  Barbara went to services at Harper’s church, but afterward he dropped her off at her house so she could get her car and drive to his.

  Harper headed home to change and called John to discuss his conversation with the ferry captain.

  “Talk to Gabrielle about it. They’re driving an old Taurus. But I can’t see how they can afford the B and B’s prices if they can’t afford a newer car. But we’re going to cover all the bases.”

  “I’ll go by Gabby’s place now. I’ve seen a Taurus lately. A 2001 model.”

  “Who was driving it? Man or woman?”

  “Some guy. A stranger.”

  “I’m headed to the artist colony to question the owner,” Harper said.

  “Artists are always coming and going from that place.”

  As soon as he changed, Harper left for the artist colony. Located on the other side of the island, it consisted of a collection of old cottages with a huge white barn in the center divided into rooms for painting. The sculpturing and glass blowing took place in separate buildings.

  The cottages and barns were all freshly painted. The grounds were well maintained. In the spring and summer, flowers would flourish.

  Several cars were parked in front of the gallery, which, like most of the other buildings, was a white one-floor cottage.

  It was run by the daughter of the woman who’d started it. Nancy’s mother had formed the colony five years before she died, buying up the surrounding summer cottages from a family who rented them out. Nancy married and kept the colony going with the help of her husband, but Nancy did not have her mother’s immense artistic talent, although she was an amateur sculptor.

  One of the conditions for living there was that each person had to participate in the upkeep of the buildings. A portion of their sales went to maintain the colony.

  The colony also planted a huge vegetable garden each year, and they usually ate their meals together in a second building smaller than the studio.

  Harper climbed out of his car and headed to the gallery.

  Nancy was showing a painting to a customer. Harper indicated he wanted to speak to her when she finished. He studied the surroundings while he waited. A woman in a long, flowing, vividly colored patchwork skirt with a peasant blouse manned the cash register.

  One of the artists was discussing a seascape with another couple. Harper wondered if she’d painted it.

  Harper was studying a painting of the colony when Nancy approached him. She was thin and had a café au lait complexion. She wore a jean skirt with beadwork with a colorful red blouse. Her hair was done in a French twist.

  “What brings you here, Sheriff?”

  “I see business is brisk,” Harper said, nodding toward the crowd.

  “Weekends are the busiest times for sales with people from the mainland.”

  “We’re still looking for Sarah Rhodes’s murderer.”

  “Oh, that poor child. She used to come here to look at the paintings. She couldn’t afford them, of course, but she certainly enjoyed art.”

  Harper jotted that down. “Did she mingle with any of the artists?”

  “Oh, no. She was friendly, though.”

  “In the last month have any of your artists had a sudden cash input? Maybe from an uncle or parent?”

  “Not as far as I know. Everyone here is living on a shoestring. None of them have wealthy families. From time to time, we do get those who have an independent income, but that hasn’t happened in the last few years.”

  “Any new arrivals in the last two months?”

  “One couple arrived the middle of September. The woman is the artist. Actually, she painted the picture of the grounds you were looking at. She has a very promising career ahead of her.”

  “They wouldn’t by any chance drive a brown Ford Taurus, would they?”

  “Actually, they do. Her boyfriend works in Norfolk. She works there part-time for living expenses.”

  “Are they here now? I’d like to meet them.”

  She shook her head. “Both of them are off-island right now. They’re leaving to visit their families for two weeks. They won’t return until after Thanksgiving. I can call you when they’re here if you’d like to talk to them.”

  “I would.” Harper handed her a card with his cell number and office number. “As soon as they return,” he said.

  “Do you know where they work?”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

  On his way home, John called Harper. “I talked to Gabrielle. She hasn’t had anyone staying there for that length of time.”

  “I lucked out at the artist colony. But they weren’t there. Nancy will call me when they’re in.”

  “So are you on your way to the office?”

  “I’m going home.”

  When Harper disconnected, he smiled. He was going home, to Barbara. For so long he’d wanted someone to welcome him home, and finally he had her.

  Barbara absolutely loved Harper’s kitchen—his entire house, actually. Before church, he’d taken two steaks out of the freezer to thaw. She was marinating them in a little red wine and olive oil. He’d promised to grill them outside.

  She was going to keep it simple. She’d washed and put foil on the sweet potatoes, the salad was in the fridge, and the homemade dressing on the counter.

  Barbara sat at the bay window and regarded the ocean. What a lovely view. She watched snow birds frolic near the water. Farther down she saw a couple walking. She was still a little nervous about whether Elliot would actually go through with the stock deal. She couldn’t consider it a done deal until she had the money in hand.

  She heard the garage door activate. Harper was home. A minute later, he came through the door.

  “If you start the grill I can put the sweet potatoes on,” she said.

  “Get your jacket. I’m going to show you where everything is.”

  “How did things go today?” she asked, donning her coat.

  “They weren’t there. But they haven’t come into any money either.”

  She grabbed the potatoes and they went out the sliding door. There was a huge outdoor fireplace on the porch.

  “Is that another fire pit in the yard?”

  He nodded. “Near the hot tub. You and I can get in later. You’re going to love spending time out here.” He lit the grill.

  “In the summer.”

  “In the snow and ice, too.”

  “Keep dreaming.” Barbara placed the potatoes on the rack and closed the hood.

  Harper put his arm around her as they walked back inside. “I’m going to turn you into an outdoors girl yet,” he said, and Barbara believed he might at that.

  “Harper, do you really think Sarah’s death was the result of a robbery?”

  He nodded. “She had five grand on her, but we haven’t given out that information.”

  “In cash?”

  “Yes, it was a gift from Hughes so that she could buy a used car. Hers had broken down and she needed transportation.”

  Maybe Elliot didn’t kill Sarah, Barbara thought. But he definitely killed Dorsey. She believed that even though Dorsey’s neighbors had tried to dissuade her.

  Harper showered while Barbara finished dinner. Now he was watching the football game while Barbara enjoyed herself in the hot tub in his bathroom. The bubbles almost overflowed the lip. She’d lit candles around the tub. And she was enjoying a glass of wine. It was time for her to realize some of those fantasies she used to have.

  “Harper?”
she called out.

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you bring me a towel?”

  “Aren’t there towels in there?” he asked, clearly into his game.

  “I can’t reach it.”

  “In a minute.”

  It was five minutes before he actually opened the door.

  “What the…”

  Barbara held out a glass of wine. “Would you like to join me?”

  She didn’t have to ask him twice.

  “What about your game?”

  “I’ll catch it later,” he said as he slid into the tub behind her. She leaned back against his chest.

  “Two months ago, I never would have dreamed…”

  She rubbed the inside of his thigh. “Dreamed what?”

  “Romantic nights like this with you.” He cupped her breasts, caressing her nipples.

  “Just so you know—I’ve had a few fantasies about you, too.”

  “Glad to hear it.” He released her and leaned back himself, carrying her with him. “I still can’t figure you out.”

  “What’s bothering you?”

  “What did you see in Andrew?”

  Barbara nearly groaned. “I thought he was a nice guy.”

  “Come on, Barbara. I was trying to put the moves on you and you chose him.”

  “We never went out on a date.”

  “You were so quiet and standoffish. And always tense around me. I was trying to work my way up to a date. I thought if I moved slowly, you’d learn to relax around me.”

  “Andrew is in the past. Is he important now?”

  “It just puzzles me that a woman like you would date someone with no more sense than Andrew. You’re too smart for that.”

  “Nobody asks older men why they date younger women. But you’re going to put me through the third degree about Andrew?”

  “At least the women have something going for them.”

  “What? A nice body? Paid-for boobs? They’re great at sucking dick when a guy’s paycheck is high enough?”

  Harper groaned. “I’m digging myself in with this one, aren’t I?”

  “Deeper and deeper.”

  “Baby, don’t talk like that or we won’t be relaxing in here much longer.”

  “Well, that was the plan until you pissed me off.”

  “Let me remedy that right now.”

  And for the next hour he put action to words, unrelenting in his need to satisfy his increasing desire for her. Barbara had never made love with such deep absorption that it left her gasping for breath and wanting more than ever to hold on to what she had.

  It was hard getting away from Harper. They spent every spare minute together. But the next morning, Barbara told him she was going to the mainland to shop for groceries and for supplies for her shop.

  She met Lambert’s daughter for breakfast.

  “Thank you so much for meeting with me,” Cassandra Houston said. “I’m at my wit’s end. Dad won’t believe anything I tell him about Minerva. He thinks she’s the best thing since the arrival of Jesus. He thinks of her as his girlfriend. Can you believe that?”

  “It’s their way of gaining trust. She’s sweet to him. The one thing I learned a long time ago was that confidence women know how to treat men. And she’s good at it. She’s had years to hone her kills. And so has her husband.”

  Cassandra leaned back, shocked. “I never would have believed my father could have the wool pulled over his eyes this way. I’m going to the police.”

  “That’s a good move, except, has she gotten any money from him yet?”

  Cassandra sighed. “No.”

  “They won’t do anything. But at least you can have it on record. And since it’s a small town…I don’t know. I’m dating the sheriff. Our relationship is rather new, and I haven’t mentioned my reason for being here. He cares about the people here, so I think he’ll try to help you.”

  “Why won’t you tell him?”

  She told her about the legal process for returning the cash back to the owners and how she didn’t actually have the money yet.

  “How long before you think they’ll give it to you?”

  “Couple of days at most.”

  “Call me as soon as you get it. Then I’ll go to the sheriff.”

  Barbara nodded. “They deal in cash, so there’s no record that the money transfer transpired. They will deny it. And they don’t keep their money in American banks. If they have an account at all, it’s offshore. That’s easy to do,” Barbara said. “You can try getting power of attorney, but by the time you have your father declared incompetent, it’ll be too late. She has him in her grips now, and she’ll move quickly. She knows his family is here.”

  Cassandra was clearly disturbed. “How can these people get away with this?”

  “They hit fast and move on to a new location under another identity.”

  “She actually cried these big boo-hoo tears and had him angry with me for upsetting her,” Cassandra said in outrage. “Can you believe it?

  “I don’t know what to do. Both my parents worked very hard for their money. My mother died twenty years ago, and I don’t want my father’s retirement money for myself. I just want him to be comfortable for the rest of his life. I want him to be able to travel, to play golf, to enjoy the comforts he’s worked so hard for. And most of all, I don’t want him hurt.” She sighed, a tear slipping down her cheeks. “But I’m afraid it’s already too late for that. He’s going to be heartbroken when this is over. And he doesn’t deserve that.”

  There was nothing Barbara could say. It was all true. As she made her way back to the island, she felt as if someone was watching her. She often got that feeling lately and didn’t understand where it was coming from. She’d turn, thinking someone was glaring at her, and everyone would be engaged in conversation. It had gotten to the point where she was nervous in her own home, even with the security system. She’d never been afraid before, even in New York, where crime was off the charts.

  She shook her head. She was becoming paranoid. But she couldn’t shake that feeling.

  Tuesday morning, Elliot stored the backpack in the trunk of his car and then ran to the local gas station to fill up the tank. Minerva should be finished with her breakfast, he thought as he went inside and tossed the keys on the countertop.

  “Elliot, I’ve changed my mind,” Minerva said before he could get out of his coat. She was still at the breakfast table, and for a change Andrew was up in time to join her. She was leaving for work in a few minutes.

  “About what?” Elliot asked, dropping into a chair and grabbing a sweet roll. He bit into it and grimaced. The ones Barbara had served were much better. Wonder where she got them from?

  Minerva worried her bottom lip. “I’ve been thinking about that money. I’m getting a weird feeling about giving it to Barbara. I’m on pins and needles at work. Lambert’s daughter watches me like a hawk and it’s making me nervous. That money is all we have left. I’m feeling that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. You don’t know what could happen with that stock she’s talking about. I’m not willing to trust it.”

  “Minerva, we don’t have enough to live off. We’ve already discussed this, and the paperwork Barbara gave us looks good. The company’s legit.”

  “I know. But we’ll have nothing if something goes wrong. What if Barbara gets in an accident or dies? There will be no proof that we ever gave that money to her. We’ll never get it back.”

  “Minerva, what the hell’s gonna happen here in this town? Barbara barely ever leaves the island.”

  “Look at our son and you can ask me that question?”

  “I’m figuring Andrew got into something in Norfolk he’s not telling us about, just like he messed up with Barbara.”

  “Daddy, that’s not true…”

  “Quiet, boy. I’m talking. Minerva, it’s a safe investment and better than anything else I can come up with. If we set up another scam, it’ll take time. We’ll run the risk of getting
caught.”

  Minerva crimped her mouth. “I don’t care. Let’s hold on to what we’ve got.”

  “Minerva…”

  “I mean it, Elliot. I’ve always gone along with your plans, but not this time. If half of it hadn’t been taken, I’d go along with it, but we can’t afford to lose this on top of what we’ve already lost.”

  “You always were too cautious.”

  “I told you to put that money in an offshore bank. Then we would have it.”

  “The feds look at that stuff.”

  “Tell Barbara you changed your mind.” She shoved her chair back. “I’ve got to get to work.”

  Minerva was a stubborn woman when she made her mind up about something. Frustrated, Elliot watched her disappear into the back room. He got up, gathered his keys from the counter, and stomped to the door. “Tell your mother I’ll be waiting in the car.”

  “What you gonna do, Dad?” Andrew asked, watching him closely.

  “Exactly what your mother said. I’m going to tell Barbara I changed my mind.”

  Outside, Mrs. Claxton waved and Elliot smiled and waved back. The old hag was blasting her husband. Elliot scoffed. It would be a cold day in hell before he let a woman tell him what to do. He was going to drive right up to Barbara’s house after he dropped Minerva off at work and give her that money.

  Elliot arrived at Barbara’s house shortly after she got home from Harper’s place. She and Harper had exercised on his equipment together that morning. And since Lambert’s daughter was in residence, she decided not to walk past his place. It would be interesting if she met Trent on the path.

  Elliot carried a backpack.

  She hated to let scum into her house, but what choice did she have? She managed to summon a smile as she opened the door. “Come on in.”

  Frowning, he exploded into the room with a desperate air. “I can’t emphasize enough how much this money means to me and Minerva.”

  “I understand,” Barbara said empathetically. It meant a lot to the people he stole it from, too.

  She tried to tamp down her enthusiasm at getting hold of that money.

  He patted the backpack. “That stock looked real good. I looked it up on the Internet and there were some good things about the parent company.” He patted the backpack. “So you take real good care of this for us.”