Is This Suitcase Taken? Read online

  When she arrived at the dining room, she noted several early risers. Carrie Porter and Rick Dawson were at the buffet filling their plates. Sandra and Shane Dickinson were enjoying their breakfast. They talked of the wedding with other guests. Carrie and Rick smiled at their enthusiasm. Sandra asked how they liked the Hawaiian theme. With amused smiles, they told her they had not attended but heard it was quite beautiful.

  The night before, Carrie had been relieved when Rick finally showed up. He told her his phone had gone dead and he didn’t get her messages until he charged it again. He promised to spend the entire day next with her. Sandra and Shane offered their own suggestions for sights and shops to visit.

  Brenda greeted them all and sat down for a few minutes with her guests. She stayed long enough to ask if they needed anything before she joined Phyllis in the housekeeper’s former apartment in the bed and breakfast.

  “I think everyone is going out today, Phyllis. There will be plenty of time until early afternoon to get rooms in order for them. Sandra and Shane will be the only two here for lunch. We can join them if you’d like.”

  Their usual morning chat was interrupted when Brenda’s cell rang. It was Mac.

  “We’ve identified the body, Brenda. Unfortunately, it was one of our guests. Patrick Anderson. I think I mentioned the body was inside a large suitcase. Well, it is more like an over-sized footlocker. Did you see anyone come in with something like that?”

  “No, but I can ask Allie what she saw. Michael carries a lot of the luggage up for the guests on arrival and departure days, so I could ask him. I think he’s out of town this weekend, however,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about that. Just ask Allie when you get time. I know you’re busy with a full house, but when you get a minute, come down and I’ll fill you in on the details we have so far. We’ll need to question some of the guests for sure, establish a timeline.”

  Phyllis noted Brenda’s face and presumed the caller was Mac with news of the dead body. Brenda hung up and relayed what her husband told her. “I’ll go to the kitchen first and see if Chef Pierre needs anything. If you have time, Phyllis, check to see if he needs anything today. Lunch will be a small gathering, but I expect everyone will be here for dinner tonight from the list I saw.”

  In a few short hours, they learned Patrick’s parents were traveling overseas and could not be contacted for several days. Detective Bryce Jones worked to track down a distant cousin and his wife who lived in Terre Haute, Indiana. Mac and his two officers searched for clues in the large trunk while continually being interrupted with other business at hand. The weekend proved an active one as several domestic issues were reported from around town.

  At lunchtime, Brenda greeted her two guests, and she and Phyllis sat down with them. Servers served each of them, and Chef Pierre’s rotisserie chicken salad with grapes and walnuts hit the spot with the diners.

  “I envy your father and Morgan, Brenda,” Sandra said. “I know how much they will enjoy Hawaii. We were there several years ago and have wanted to go back ever since.”

  Brenda was relieved to talk about Hawaii. So far, these guests had no idea someone they’d met at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast the day before had been dropped off at the Sweetfern Harbor police station, dead. She was anxious to get back down to the investigation with her husband. At the same time, Brenda enjoyed carrying on her hostess duties as if nothing was amiss.

  After lunch, she joined Allie at the front desk. Her young receptionist’s head was buried in a textbook. She looked up when Brenda approached.

  “I’ve got one more test this week,” Allie said. “That should be the last until after Christmas, and I’ll be so glad.”

  They discussed Allie’s college ambitions. She had aced all of her exams this year so far and Brenda had no doubt she would do the same with this one. They went over the guest roster together and Allie pointed out several special requests a few guests had mentioned.

  “No one has asked for anything we can’t provide, thankfully. I don’t like it when someone arrives and expects special services like a high-end hotel in Europe or some place.”

  Brenda laughed. “If they do, let’s see if we can match that concept. Who has asked for special attention?”

  “Carrie Porter asked for a first aid kit, which I gave her. It’s a good thing we keep things like that ready. She’s a nurse, so I suppose she felt helpless without it. Then there was Patrick Anderson, who asked for a blank journal to write in. That was last night before I left for home. He was offended he didn’t get one in his room.” Allie rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Brenda…I just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. He’s hopelessly rude. I saw Alexandra speaking with Rick Dawson and his girlfriend Carrie, but none of them have asked for anything.”

  Brenda reminded her to be patient with everyone. She didn’t feel it was the time to tell Allie that Patrick Anderson would not be bothering her again. Brenda decided to go into Patrick’s room and look for his recently acquired journal. For the sake of a witness, she asked Phyllis to go upstairs with her to his room.

  “What are we looking for?” Phyllis asked. She closed the door behind them. Brenda handed her a pair of latex gloves.

  “Look for a journal or anything in Patrick’s handwriting.”

  Brenda called Mac to tell him what they were doing.

  “That’s a good idea, Brenda. I’m sending two plainclothes officers over there. Meet them at the back door. They’ll do a thorough search of his room that may tell us why someone wanted to kill the man.”

  After the call, Phyllis offered to wait on the back patio for the officers and bring them upstairs. Brenda continued to open drawers and had no luck in finding the journal Allie gave Patrick the night before. She decided he may have left it somewhere and hadn’t had time to write in it before his unfortunate death. She realized that the wedding celebration could have easily muffled unusual noises coming from the guest rooms. Mac told her Patrick drowned, but so far, no other information was ready from the coroner.

  Brenda shuffled through an overnight bag and with a flood of relief she recognized the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast’s logo on a small journal stashed underneath a sweater. She flipped it open. Patrick had written a short paragraph in it.

  What a surprise. Not just Alexandra here, but others from my past. It leaves me almost speechless. It’s a good thing I love the water since that’s where I plan to spend most of my time while I’m here. I thought I would have much more privacy here, instead everything seems to have followed me. Much to my regret, I may have to check out sooner than I planned. Swam two miles today in under an hour, a personal record…

  Brenda put the journal down, more interested in the revelation about Alexandra than about Patrick’s swimming records. She tried to envision the timid Alexandra Cornell being involved in a drowning – not just any drowning, but one of a man who was obviously a strong swimmer. Alexandra was slender-framed, a meek woman, and had given no indication of knowing anyone when she checked in. Alexandra’s lack of self-confidence was something else to consider; was it all a façade? It troubled Brenda to think that Patrick had recognized not only Alexandra but unnamed other people from his past. However, there were no more details, as he had only written one page in the journal.

  “I know one thing for sure. Alexandra could never have transported a body in a large suitcase anywhere,” Brenda muttered as a soft knock indicated the two plainclothes officers had arrived.

  She slipped the journal into an evidence bag and told one of the officers to make note of the find and continue looking for anything else. Phyllis stood at the doorway and then excused herself. She had no intention of interfering in a crime scene and worriedly headed downstairs to make sure no one started asking questions about strangers poking around in a guest’s room.

  Brenda told the officers she wanted to take the journal with her and discuss it with Mac. Both men agreed. They sealed it up and logged the find and then handed it over. She hurried t
o the cottage and called Mac to explain the find and read Patrick’s words to him.

  Mac did not know what to make of it. “The only connection Alexandra may have is knowing he was here. We’ll have to ask her to elaborate on their past. But I agree, there is no way she could have carried it out alone. She comes across as someone who is afraid of her own shadow,” Mac mused. Brenda agreed with Mac.

  That evening when guests appeared for dinner, Brenda noted Sandra and Shane glancing around.

  “I haven’t seen that fellow Patrick all day,” Shane said. “I’m beginning to miss his outspoken conversation style.” He chuckled. “I like it when people speak their minds. It’s refreshing these days.”

  Brenda smiled but did not reply. So far, none of her guests appeared aware that Patrick wasn’t going to come to dinner again.

  “He’s probably either in a gym somewhere or running along the beach,” Rick said. “That seems to be his greatest interest.”

  Alexandra kept her eyes downward. She picked at her salad with her fork until finally nabbing a bite on the end of the tines. It took a while for her to chew and swallow it before deciding to take a second stab at it.

  Brenda and Mac engaged guests in conversation. “Are you enjoying the town, Daniel?” Brenda asked. She didn’t miss Alexandra’s look. The young woman’s eyes darted over to drink in Daniel’s words.

  Daniel didn’t look directly at Brenda as he spoke. He took a drink of iced tea. “This is a beautiful town. I’ve enjoyed the antique shop in particular. But Morning Sun Coffee is the place to be. It’s better than the news. All the gossip passes through there.”

  “What’s the latest?” Sandra asked.

  “Shane mentioned Patrick, right? Well, I think he could be the person everyone around Sweetfern Harbor is talking about.” Daniel looked uncomfortable when he said it.

  No one spoke until Brenda said, “What makes you say that?”

  Daniel shrugged. “Nothing in particular. I just picked up that someone was dead and they’re trying to find out why or how. With Patrick not showing up, I just came to the inevitable conclusion. Maybe he’s the one they’re talking about.”

  “What about it, Detective Rivers?” Shane said, “Could he be right?” There were a few gasps, and everyone turned to look at Mac. Daniel cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking embarrassed.

  Brenda and Mac glanced at each other. They did not know how many guests already knew that Mac was a detective, but now the secret was out.

  “We don’t know much at this point,” Mac said. “But enough about work. Who’s ready for dessert? I hear the new chef has baked up a fresh blueberry pie.”

  Brenda excused herself to fetch the dessert from the sideboard as the servers from the kitchen cleared everyone’s dinner plates. In the bustle of the end of dinner, she did not miss that Alexandra and Daniel exchanged a strange glance, and Daniel’s brow furrowed in anger before he left the table, leaving his pie untouched.

  3

  Summons

  Brenda and Mac decided to gather guests together the next morning before they scattered for the day. It was time to announce Patrick Anderson’s untimely death. For now, all information regarding where he was found would be kept secret.

  Several guests stopped to greet Allie in the front reception area before going into the dining room.

  “We plan to head down to the beach first thing after breakfast. Jonathan Wright offered us a sailing trip out in the harbor this morning,” Carrie said. “We decided to take him up on it.” She latched onto Rick’s arm. Allie smiled and told them to have a good time as they entered the dining room.

  Once everyone had filled their plates from the buffet, Brenda and Mac joined them. They remained standing, and Mac called for attention.

  “Since the news is beginning to get out, we wish to announce that an investigation is underway into the death of guest Patrick Anderson, who was found dead,” Mac said with a steady and commanding voice. “We will be taking statements this morning and I encourage anyone with information to come forward immediately.”

  “So, he is the drowned person they found,” Shane Dickinson said in a shocked whisper.

  “But he knew how to swim,” Alexandra blurted out. Everyone’s head jerked in her direction. She fumbled with her hands and rested them in her lap. “I mean…he swam. In the ocean, I mean.”

  No one spoke at first. Alexandra began to tremble with nervousness at all the attention. Carrie patted her on the shoulder. “I know it’s very upsetting, my dear, but these things happen. Even expert swimmers can have accidents. The sea is a dangerous place.”

  Brenda discreetly asked Phyllis to ensure the guests did not talk amongst each other too much in the dining room, then waited with Mac at the front desk for the guests to emerge from the dining room. Each one would give a statement. Rick Dawson smiled crookedly when Mac asked if they could speak in the nearby alcove.

  “No pressure. It is just routine procedure,” Mac said. They sat down on the two small wingback armchairs situated in the alcove by a small table. “When did you last see Patrick?”

  Rick sat back in his chair for a moment. “I suppose that would be…before the wedding sometime. I headed out with Carrie. We didn’t attend the wedding. I saw him around a couple times.”

  “Did you speak to him?” Mac asked. Rick indicated he did not speak more than a few words. “What did you think of Patrick?”

  A full-blown grimace filled Rick’s face. “I won’t lie. I didn’t like the man at all. He was annoying, and his rudeness grated on me.” He leaned back, long legs sprawled on the carpet between them. “Not the kind of man you make friends with, if you catch my drift.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, thinking. “Shame he drowned. I saw him swimming down at the beach on my way down to the main street on my first day. He clearly knew what he was doing out on the water.”

  While he spoke, Mac glanced several times at Rick’s hands and forearms. No scratches or marks of any kind were visible. The detective excused him and walked out with Rick. He motioned for Daniel Swift to join him.

  Daniel seemed annoyed to have to even answer questions.

  “Look, I’m sorry he’s dead, but I don’t know anything. I avoided him as much as possible,” Daniel said. “He was obnoxious, to say the least. But surely you know that, you met him as a guest. I didn’t see him after that first day, either. I drove out to a golf range up the highway, but it was closed, so I went to a sports bar for the night, hoping to wait out the wedding reception here at the bed and breakfast. I’m sorry, Detective, I wish I could tell you more. He was awful. Maybe Mr. Dickinson liked talking with people like that, but he turned me off almost instantly.” The handsome car salesman seemed genuinely disturbed by the idea of someone so unlikeable, and Mac was favorably impressed by Daniel’s attitude.

  Mac had a few more minor questions and then told Daniel he could go about his day.

  Brenda aimed for Alexandra Cornell. The woman’s hands trembled ever so slightly, and Brenda noted moisture dotting her forehead. The sitting room was empty. They sat across from one another in the paisley Queen Anne chairs. Brenda opted to begin with social questions to try to put the obviously nervous woman at ease.

  “I get the impression you know Daniel Swift. Are you two friends?”

  Her eyes darted from side to side before settling on Brenda’s face. “I knew him in college. We dated. We were very much in love. I have to say I was…happy to see him here this weekend. He’s as handsome as ever.”

  “Have you stayed in touch since then?”

  “I wish it were so, but…” Alexandra looked uncomfortable. “Not exactly.”

  Brenda took aim with a pointed jest: “Sounds like you still carry a torch for him,” she teased. “Does your boyfriend know about him?”

  “I don’t have a – I’m single. I suppose you could say…I never fell out of love with Daniel. He’s been married twice already, and both ended in divorce. I mean, so I’ve heard,” the woman blushe
d. “It’s a sign. He hasn’t realized yet. I was the right one all along.”

  Brenda’s adrenaline perked up. This was the most she had heard Alexandra say in one sitting. It was also the first time she saw a distinct physical beauty about the woman, now that she relaxed a little. Her body was taut and lithe when she sat straight in her chair without hunching over.

  It was time to get serious. “What about Patrick Anderson? How did you know him?”

  Alexandra looked down again and twisted her fingers again. “I don’t. I mean, I didn’t. I just watched him swimming a couple times. It was hard to take your eyes off him. He was an expert. I still don’t see how he could have drowned. Do you think he got a cramp? Or maybe he got tangled in something?” Alexandra’s eyes seemed desperate for answers.

  “I can’t share any details,” Brenda said. “We’re just trying to discover if there are any witnesses. When’s the last time you saw him?”

  “Not since before the wedding, obviously. He never came, and neither did Daniel.” Alexandra sighed and then stood up quickly. “I want to get down to the shops if it’s all right with you. I’m sorry I can’t help. I certainly didn’t see anything happen, if that’s what you’re trying to get at.” She looked slightly angry now and Brenda moved to reassure her.

  “No, Alexandra. We are asking everyone these same questions. Thank you for your time. Enjoy your day downtown.”

  Brenda told Mac she was going to walk into town to talk to Jonathan Wright. “He may have some information. He might be able to tell us more about Patrick Anderson’s time on the water, what habits he had, if he mentioned any plans. Jonathan’s always down at the beach or the docks.”

  “When he isn’t hanging around Molly at the coffee shop,” Mac commented and they both laughed. Jon’s longstanding love for Molly was well-known as Jonathan often found excuses to head to Morning Sun Coffee for extended mid-morning breaks. Mac told her he would see her later.