Time for Surprises

by Mette Barfelt

  "It looked like it." Miranda felt herself becoming defensive, although there was no reason to be. Whatever else could it be? Fireworks and smoke bombs?

  "Er, yes, that's correct. But the daylight and the investigation have uncovered things that were impossible to discover in yesterday's darkness," Alfred said.

  "What are you saying?" She had a feeling they'd witnessed something far more serious than an explosion.

  Alfred turned tongue-tied and didn't seem comfortable relaying unpleasant facts.

  "Just tell it like it is, and we'll deal with it." Why did she say that? She didn't need more worries than she already had.

  "Yes, of course. It's most regrettable, but two bodies were found in the beach house." Alfred said it so quickly he almost stumbled over his words.

  Miranda was rendered speechless and thought she was about to pass out. She felt sick and dizzy. Gabriel laid his arm around her shoulder to support her.

  "Are they alive?" she stuttered, before realizing how foolish the question was. Of course, they weren't. It would be impossible in such an inferno.

  The police chief shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We don't even know who they are. We need to identify them first."

  Miranda massaged her temples. This was getting worse by the minute.

  "Is anyone missing from the hotel?" Alfred asked.

  "No, none of the guests were there. The door was locked, thankfully. They weren't able to open it. That's why we were at the hotel last night, to figure out the issue with the keycard," Miranda explained.

  "I see. We've got a lot of work ahead, boys." Alfred nodded at the two younger policemen. "I'll keep you posted." He started walking, then turned back. "Er, I'm afraid you have to come in for questioning. This might be a criminal act."

  Miranda nodded, without understanding what he meant. She had difficulty thinking straight. They hurried to the garage to avoid meeting anyone and took the elevator up to her office. "Gabriel, this is frightful. To think someone has been found dead at our hotel! How could this happen?"

  He pulled her close, laying his arms around her. "I don't know," he whispered into her hair.

  "What if it's someone we know."

  "Don't worry needlessly. We don't know who they are, nor what's happened," he said.

  It's still terrible, Miranda thought, looking up at him. "Don't leave me." She didn't want to be alone right now. Her hair had slipped into her face, and Gabriel placed it back behind her ear.

  "Wouldn't dream of it," he said and held her close as if he'd never let go.

  Miranda put her head on his chest and hoped she could stand here forever and never have to make another decision. But her thoughts went to Vidar and everything they needed to sort out, and she let go of Gabriel. She sank onto the sofa with a heavy thump. They sat there for a long time, contemplating before she picked up her cell phone to call Vidar again. "Still no answer. What's he doing?" She sighed and irritably took a toad from the bowl.

  Gabriel did the same. "Maybe he's in the car. Try texting him."

  "Good idea." She sent a message and asked him to call. "How much time do the police need to identify the bodies?"

  "Haven't got a clue. I guess it depends on their condition and how simple it is to recognize them. And then they'll check it against missing persons."

  Miranda shuddered and felt sick again. But she had to shake it off. It was late evening and time to go home. The children might be back already. "Hopefully we'll get an answer tomorrow. It's tough not knowing anything. I feel a great responsibility for what has happened at the hotel."

  "It's a frustrating situation. I'm afraid we'll have to do the questioning tomorrow. The police must make sure we're not involved in the case. They'll want to know about the keycard system and who had access. I'm surprised they haven't done it this afternoon, but perhaps it's like this in a small town," he said.

  "I don't know, but it'll be good when this is over."

  "Will you be able to sleep tonight?" Gabriel stroked her cheek, and she felt his touch send an electric shock through her body.

  "No. Will you?" She looked into his compassionate eyes.

  "It won't be easy."

  His mouth was close enough for her to smell the aroma from the toads they'd just eaten. Their lips met, and the kiss was tender and light as a summer breeze.

  When she finally concluded the kiss, her heart was still pounding wildly, and the desire for more kisses exceeded everything else. "It'll be even worse, now."

  He kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's get out of here before we no longer have a choice."

  Miranda lay awake thinking that night. The children had been in a good mood when she came home, so she'd decided not to mention the accident again. They hadn't asked about Vidar, or where he was living now, and she was glad. She had to get his address tomorrow. This might only be an adaption process for them all.

  She hadn't informed the rest of the family that they were facing a fatal accident. There was no purpose in mentioning anything before they knew the policemen's conclusion. What if the police were wrong? The siblings knew of the explosion, so they weren't entirely unaware. She'd called all of them. No, she hadn't. She'd refrained from calling Jasmine. Since the affair with Vidar had been disclosed, she'd had minimal contact with her. Every time she saw Jasmine, she was reminded of what she'd done to her own sister. It was hard enough to relate to her workwise. Had it been up to Miranda, she would have fired her, so she never had to see her at the hotel again. Unfortunately, she didn't have that option. William, who wasn't even Jasmine's father, had made them cooperate if they wanted their share of the inheritance. If only the share hadn't been so large, it wouldn't have tempted Jasmine. But William had a considerable fortune from selling the other hotels he owned before he died. This must be enticing to Jasmine, who'd never owned more than a couple of nail polish bottles. Miranda felt her loathing for her sister simmer. She'd tried to make the best of the situation since they were family, but it was nearly impossible. She had to try harder.

  ***

  The first thing Miranda did when she arrived at the hotel on Sunday morning, was to call Isabella and then find Celine. She'd changed her mind during the night and knew they had to be informed. Thus, Miranda told them what little she knew, and was happy she'd prepared them when the police chief showed up at the hotel an hour later to question those who'd been present the disastrous evening. She'd planned a meeting with their employees to inform them, but the police chief beat her to it. Alfred took her in for a talk before she had time to make tea. Thankfully, he was alone, without the young policemen who'd assisted him the previous day. She noticed Gabriel was heading for his office and Alfred stopped to greet him. Then they went to her office and sat on the sofa.

  "Do you have news?" she asked when the interview started.

  He shook his big head. "Not yet, but hopefully we'll know more later today. The interviews will be of great help."

  She offered coffee, but he refused.

  "We removed the deceased early this morning before anyone was up." Alfred coughed. "Where were you on Friday evening?"

  "I was at home with my children, until I got a call from reception. Mrs. Wilhelmsen, the leader of the large conference we're hosting at the hotel this weekend, wanted to take some of the participants to the saunas in the beach house, but couldn't get in. They had trouble with the keycard not working. So I called Gabriel Knutsen, and I drove with him to the hotel to investigate. We were at his office checking the keycard system on his computer when we heard the noise from the explosion. We went into my office and noticed smoke and flames coming from the beach house. Gabriel called the fire department, but they'd already been notified. Then we ran downstairs and waited for the fire truck."

  Alfred nodded and took notes. "Are any of the hotel guests missing?"

  "Not that I know of. I would've been informed."

  "Wouldn't it be natural to call the janitor at the hotel when there were issues with the keys? Why wasn't he contacted
?" Alfred asked.

  Miranda felt herself grow hot from the unpleasant question and touched her cheeks unconsciously. She informed him about the last weeks' circumstances and that Vidar had recently moved out. Miranda had nothing to hide, but it was embarrassing to tell him about her husband's escapades. She'd rather forget about it and move on with her life, but it didn't seem like she'd ever get the chance.

  After several follow-up questions, Alfred went to question Gabriel. She made a cup of green tea. What a start to the day. She was already exhausted by the strain of being questioned, and the day had just begun. The sleepless night made her nod off, and she was awakened by Gabriel's hand on her cheek.

  "My night wasn't the best, either." He joined her. "How did your questioning go?"

  "Okay. I told it like it is, about Vidar and everything. Alfred brought it up by asking about the janitor. I'm not accustomed to lying, and I don't have anything to hide." She drank the rest of her, by now, cold tea. "What about you?"

  "He asked about this and that. Wanted to know if I'd seen anything suspicious."

  "I wonder who else he'll question."

  "Rebecca, Oscar and Mrs. Wilhelmsen, I assume. And Celine. She was working that evening, too, even if she'd gone home when it happened," he said.

  "Gosh, I hope he doesn't involve Kitty and Elvira. They have a view of the beach house and might have seen something crucial."

  "Hard to tell, but we must expect it. The most important thing is for the case to be solved as quickly as possible." Gabriel looked at her solemnly.

  "You're right." She sighed, heavily.

  "They're hoping for a breakthrough sometime today. The police are working on the case from the office in Solvik, he told me. The others are going out in the boat again, to continue the investigation. A diver will examine the seafloor."

  "Ah, teamwork." She smiled lamely. "Good thing it's Sunday, so no one expects me to be efficient."

  "Where are the children?" Gabriel filled a bowl with toads for her. She had revealed where she kept her never-ending supply of them.

  "They'll probably sleep for a few more hours, but none of them had plans today. I wrote a note to let them know where I am, so they'll call me if they're bored. But they've got plenty to do if they open their school books."

  Miranda went to fetch sparkling water from the fridge. "Look, they're out in the boat already. It must be the diver. At least it's not the police chief this time."

  "What do they expect to find at the bottom of the sea?"

  "Maybe they want to make sure there were only two people in the beach house? Could someone have fallen through the burned floor?" She got goosebumps. Dead people. Who could it be? She picked up a shawl from the chair.

  "Possibly. Would you like my jacket?" he offered.

  She shook her head. "It's all so confusing. What's taking so long?"

  "Things take time." Gabriel stood behind her and put his arms around her shoulders. They were watching the diver, who finally hoisted himself into the boat. The two policemen concluded their search, and they headed for the pier.

  Gabriel let go of her, and she felt cold. His arms were safe, and she wished they could stay like that a while longer.

  "What do we do now? Wait here until Alfred calls, or check with Celine and the others who were questioned?" She walked toward the door.

  "I think you just answered that question yourself."

  "Yes, it's the right thing to do. Will you join me?"

  "It's up to you."

  "Then come."

  They went to the conference department first and talked to Celine. She was fine, but Mrs. Wilhelmsen had been distraught at being interviewed by a uniformed policeman. Celine had comforted her as best she could and offered her a glass of red wine, which had been finished quickly. The older woman was in a meeting now, so Miranda didn't get the chance to talk to her.

  "You're very good at handling our guests. I'll see you later," Miranda said.

  They were heading for the lobby to speak with the bartender when the police chief approached.

  "May we talk?" His shiny forehead was wrinkled, and she didn't like what she saw.

  "Yes, let's go to my office." They took the elevator and walked through the corridor. Miranda unlocked the door and let them in.

  "Do you know anything more?" It was no time for polite chitchat now. She looked at Alfred's glistening face. Shouldn't police officers be in tiptop shape? How would he manage to pursue a burglar? He breathed heavily even when walking downhill.

  "Er, yes. We brought the two bodies to the hospital this morning. Is it possible for you to accompany me and identify them? We believe they might have a connection to the hotel," Alfred said.

  She groaned loudly. "How terrible. Who are they?"

  "We'd like to hear your opinion first, if it's all right with you. We don't have any reliable identification yet."

  But it wasn't all right, not in the least. Could she refuse?

  Alfred dried his forehead with the back of his hand. "But I've got to warn you. It's a hideous sight. Can you take it?"

  Miranda looked uncertainly at Gabriel. "Do I have a choice?"

  "I'll come with you."

  "Thanks."

  They went to the garage, and Alfred drove off. Miranda got into Gabriel's car and closed her eyes.

  "What's on your mind?" He took her hand, squeezing it tenderly. She squeezed back.

  "Nothing at all, but I have a splitting headache. I refuse to think about what sight awaits us. Let's get it over with," she said.

  They drove to the hospital in silence and parked outside. Hesitantly, she followed Gabriel, dreading what lay ahead.

  The same policemen she'd met earlier were also present. None of them spoke. They looked gravely at her, and she felt that something was very wrong. Halfheartedly, she listened to Alfred. He guided them to an adjoining room and prepared them for the sight awaiting them. A body lay on a long table, and she felt herself stiffen. A white sheet covered the body, and Alfred calmly went over and lifted the end where the head was. Miranda felt nauseous and close to throwing up. She registered Gabriel's arm around her shoulder, protecting her.

  "This is a man," Alfred whispered as if the dead could hear him.

  Miranda screamed and dashed to the door. The policemen watched her helplessly. There was a "Restroom" sign on a door, and she tore it open, threw herself over the lavatory bowl and vomited.

  Sure, it was a man. Her man! Vidar. The gruesome sight was flickering before her eyes and refused to disappear. His face was severely burned, his hair scorched, but there was no doubt as to who it was.

  She started crying and couldn't stop. What on earth had he been doing in the beach house? And with whom? Well, he was free to do as he pleased now. But why couldn't he have found another place other than where she was? Her crying stopped abruptly, and she felt her heart beating wildly. She suddenly realized who the other person was. Oh no, how awful! How could this happen? Not only had she lost her husband but also her sister, Jasmine! How come she hadn't thought of that? Miranda hadn't seen her sister for days, having done all she could to avoid her. She should have called Jasmine and informed her about the explosion. Then they would have known that Jasmine was missing. She got up, but the tears started anew.

  "Miranda. I'm so sorry you had to see this." She turned around in the restroom and felt Gabriel's strong arms embrace her. "Come, let's go."

  "But we're not finished." She felt exhausted, but knew her job wasn't over yet.

  "Yes, we are. I've taken care of it."

  Relieved, she followed him out to his car and slumped down on the seat. Gabriel drove to his place and parked in the driveway. "Come inside. You can't go home to your children until you've calmed down. And the hotel is no alternative."

  Miranda did as she was told and apathetically followed him upstairs to the third floor, where he rented an apartment.

  "Would you like anything?" he asked when they sat in the living room.

  She nodde
d while blowing her nose. "A toothbrush."

  "Of course. I didn't think of that. I've got a new one here somewhere. Let me find it." Gabriel returned with an unopened package a moment later and tore it open. "The toothpaste's in the bathroom. To the right in the hall."

  Miranda staggered to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She immediately felt better. She tried to breathe calmly and gain control of her emotions. "It's the worst experience I've ever had," she said.

  He watched her gravely. "It was ghastly. I should've gone in first, to spare you from this pain. I can't forgive myself for that."

  "No, Gabriel. I had to see it with my own eyes that it was Vidar."

  "I get it." He fetched sparkling water and filled their glasses.

  "I have to go home and tell the children. And then I should go to the hotel to talk to my mother. She needs to be informed first."

  "Your mother? You always talk with Kitty."

  "Yes, you're right. But Elvira needs to know what's happened to Jasmine. I can't tell Kitty about it first. Mother would be insulted. Besides, Neil is there too, for the time being. And now that they've just met..."

  "Jasmine? What's she got to do with this? I don't follow you... Unless you're thinking of the baby?" Gabriel glanced at her.

  Amazed, she looked at him and became uncertain. "Wasn't it Jasmine you identified?"

  "No. How could you think that?" Terrified, he stared at her.

  "It wouldn't be the first time they were together."

  "True enough. But it was Olivia!"

  "Olivia?" She noticed how the taut muscles in her upper body released their grip. She started crying again, this time because it wasn't her sister who'd lost her life. Jasmine had done many stupid things, but she loved her nevertheless. "I thought the affair with Olivia ended long ago, when I fired her. So much for trusting him."

  He grimaced. "You've got a tough time ahead of you. I wish there was something I could do to help you."

  "Thanks. You've already helped me a lot by accompanying me to the hospital. But now I need to go home." She stood. "I'll walk, it's not far. I need to clear my head before I tell the children."