Catherine's Cross (40 page)

By late afternoon, she had seen most of the operators, but some of the yachting services were on cruises. She gave Mr. Sermet one last address and they went back up into the hills high above the sea.

When they reached their final destination Jenks looked at Seth and said, “This is where we're spending the night.”

“Wow, this is beautiful!”

“Most of the hotels were full, so I booked this. It was one of the few places available on short notice.”

“You'll have to allow me to help you with the cost.”

“No—this is on me. I appreciate your coming with me.”

They were staying in a boutique hotel, Guerlin's, which was a white stucco Mediterranean-style building with open-air porches and white drapes that billowed in the wind. The hotel reminded Jenks of Mr. Augustin's villa. The view over the sea was breathtaking.

Jenks thanked Mr. Sermet for his assistance and paid the fare, while making arrangements for him to spend several hours with them the next day.

Before he left, he looked keenly into Jenks's eyes and said, “I know why you are here. Detective Mason has explained about what happened to your sister. Tonight, I will see if I can find out anything else. I get together with many friends on Saturday evening, and I will ask around. Most of my friends drive taxis. Perhaps someone knows something that can be of help to you.”

“Mr. Sermet . . .”

“No worries, I will be very discreet. Do you have an extra photograph of Mr. Hiller?”

“Yes, I do.”

Jenks removed the photograph from her purse and handed it to him. He glanced at it and then put it in his shirt pocket.

“Thank you. I'll see you in the morning at eight?”

He shook his head. “I'm afraid on a Sunday morning you will find that most people are not at work that early—many are in church. I think nine o'clock would be more reasonable.”

“All right.”

“Please enjoy your evening.”

“Thank you for your help today.”

“Yes, ma'am. Until tomorrow.” He waved as he departed the driveway in front of the hotel.

When they reached their room, Seth looked around the chamber and whistled softly. “This is going to set you back a few dollars.”

“Yes, I know, but it's worth it to find Frank Hiller.”

The room had high ceilings, was decorated in white, and had a patio. Jenks opened the French doors to the outside and a strong breeze filled the room. With the setting sun, the temperature had diminished, making the breeze very comfortable. Seth hobbled over to the bed and sat down on the side. He lay back on the mattress and winced as he stretched out completely.

“How are you feeling?”

“Sore.”

“I'm sorry.” She got him Advil and a glass of water.

“Thank you, Jenks. I'm going to rest for a while.” He took the medication, drank the water, and then handed Jenks the empty glass. He looked exhausted as he lay back on the pillows, closing his eyes.

Jenks walked out onto the patio and looked out over the sea. A magnificent sailboat gliding across the water caught her eye, and she focused on the sleek beauty of the watercraft. The spinnaker was set out and the sailboat pitched to one side as it skimmed across the sapphire-blue waters.

“Beautiful,” she murmured.

When she walked back inside the room, Seth was lightly snoring. He didn't usually snore, but she concluded his fatigue was causing this condition.

At eight o'clock, she woke him, and he was at first startled but relaxed as he looked into her eyes.

“I didn't remember where I was for a moment,” he said, taking a deep breath.

“How are you feeling?”

“A bit stiff.”

“Dinner is served on the patio.”

“My goodness, you've gone all out.”

Jenks gave him her hand and helped him into an upright position. He shuffled out to the patio, which was illuminated by torches and candlelight.

Lifting the silver covers that protected their dinners, she said, “Lobster is on the menu. Can I offer you a glass of Pinot Grigio?

“Yes, ma'am.” She handed him a glass and then took a sip of her own. “I apologize, but I already started on the wine.”

“Everything looks great.”

“I think the staff did a wonderful job of setting up the patio. They wanted to know if we were on our honeymoon.”

Seth's lips turned up into a smile. “That would be my dream come true.”

Jenks felt herself blush. “Is that a marriage proposal?”

“Yes, it is, but forgive me for not getting down on my knee. I think it might hurt too much.”

Excitement surged through her entire body. “I want to hear you say it again. Ask me properly.”

He took her hand in his. “Jenks, I love you dearly, and I would be honored to be your husband. Would you please consent to being my wife?”

She didn't have to think about his proposal. “Yes, I would love to be your wife.”

With those spoken words, she went to him and crouched down on her knees wrapping her arms around him. He kissed her on the neck and then she gazed into his eyes.

“The lights are dim out here, but I can still tell your eyes are turning green, Miss Ellington. What have you got in mind?”

“I'll tell you after dinner,” she said in a whisper.

At nine the next morning, Mr. Sermet was waiting for them outside Guerlin's. A warm tropical breeze was coming off the ocean and the wind caught Jenks's hair and blew it around her face. She immediately tied it back.

As Jenks and Seth approached the open-air taxi, Mr. Sermet opened the door for them and Seth gingerly climbed into a middle seat.

“Good morning. I hope you are both well today,” he said in his deep island brogue.

“We're fine, and I hope you are.”

“Oh yes, ma'am.”

Curiosity was driving Jenks mad. “Were you able to find anything out last night?”

“I'm not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“I showed Mr. Hiller's photo to a number of my friends. One of them thought he may have taken a man who resembled Mr. Hiller down to the wharf. He said that the man had dark hair—he was not a blond.” Mr. Sermet held up Frank Hiller's photo as he said this.

“Do you know where he took him?”

“Yes, to the Red Hook ferry. First, we'll go there.”

“Thank you,” Jenks said as she climbed into the taxi.

After Mr. Sermet climbed into the driver's seat, he turned around and said, “My friend, Albert, dropped this man off at the Red Hook terminal. A scheduled ferry runs between St. Thomas and St. John at that location. We'll talk to the captain.”

When they arrived at the terminal, the ferry was parked at the wharf and passengers were going on board. Mr. Sermet opened the door for Jenks and Seth.

“Come, I will go down to the ferry with you.”

A tall black man in naval attire was in charge of the operation and Mr. Sermet walked in his direction. When the man saw him, he grinned, and they shook hands. Mr. Sermet waved to Jenks and Seth to come forward and he said, “Lawrence, this is Miss Ellington, and her friend, Mr. Mason.”

Jenks noticed that he did not introduce Seth as Detective Mason and she extended her right hand for a shake. Seth followed suit.

“Lawrence, Miss Ellington would like to know if you remember seeing this man.” Mr. Sermet held up Frank Hiller's photograph and Lawrence took the photo in his hand. He studied it for a few moments and then shook his head. “I can't say that I recall seeing him.” Lawrence called to two other employees and showed them the photograph. They both shook their heads as they studied the picture. He started to hand it back and then said, “Wait.”

He went on board the ferry and after a few minutes he returned with a young woman also dressed in naval attire.

“This is Tyra. She thinks she may have seen this man.”

She stepped forward and said, “It would have been a few months ago, but I remember I thought him very handsome, tall, you know—well built. The man I remember had dark hair, but his face . . . it could be the man.”

“Where did he go?”

“He was on the ferry to Cruz Bay.”

“Do you have any idea where he was going after that?”

“No, ma'am. I'm sorry, but I do not.”

“When we get to Cruz Bay, I'll introduce you to Gunnar Lund. He's the harbor master. Just wait for me at the rear of the ferry when we dock,” Lawrence said.

She thanked Mr. Sermet for his help and paid him for the fare. He gazed into her eyes and said, “Call me if you need further assistance. I am very sorry about your sister. I hope I have helped you in some way.”

“You have—thank you.”

Before he departed, he shook Seth's hand and then looked keenly at the two of them. “Be very careful.” With these words, he turned and walked back to his taxi.

The trip to Cruz Bay was brief. Jenks admired the clear, sapphire-blue waters and the volcanic islands of the British and US Virgin Islands. When they arrived at St. John, the ferry pulled to the wharf. After several moments, the passengers disembarked the boat. Jenks and Seth waited in the aft portion of the ferry for Captain Lawrence to finish his duties.

“Our plane leaves at four-thirty, so we can only stay here a short while,” said Jenks.

“We could stay longer if we need to.”

“No, I don't want you to miss classes because of this.”

“I've already spoken to my professors and explained that I had police matters to handle and may miss some of my classes. They told me I could make up any missed work.”

“Yes—they've been very helpful, but let's hope we can find something out today.”

Within a few moments Captain Lawrence joined Jenks and Seth. “Let' go see Gunnar Lund. I'll show you the way.”

They descended the ramp from the ferry to the dock. Lawrence noticed that Seth was limping and using a cane for support and slowed down his gate. Pointing to Seth's leg he said, “I'm sorry. I will walk slower.”

He led them inside a building that was adjacent to a pier. There were numerous oil-stained engine parts on the floor, and the air smelled heavily of grease and saltwater.

“Gunnar, are you here?” Captain Lawrence called out.

“Yes, back here. Be right with you,” a voice responded from the rear of the building.

Within a moment, a man with deeply tanned skin and large blue eyes emerged from a back room. He was as tall as Seth and rugged looking.

“Lawrence, how are you today?” Gunnar asked.

“I am very well, and I hope you are.”

They looked at one another while Gunnar rubbed his hands on a grease-streaked blue cloth.

“What can I help you with?”

“This young lady is looking for the man in this photograph.” He motioned for Jenks to show it to him.

“No, I don't want to touch it. I'll get grease on it. Just hold it up for me.”

He gazed into Jenks's eyes and said, “What'd he do?”

Jenks drew a deep breath and replied, “He murdered my sister.”