Part 3 of 4

This story of how her family lost their inheritance has haunted Susan Freesia Park all her life. Looking into other similar cases led to her childhood interest with crime. Which led to her subsequent fascination with murder. Her life-time membership with the 'Texas Institute of Criminal Profiling' as well as the 'Scotland Yard Irregulars' and several other groups only honed her expertise until she felt at least as capable as any ordinary police person to solve a crime. But it was the Leon Hamilton case right here on Sainte-Marie that led to her new-found fascination with a certain police person in particular!

Precisely 15 minutes after the arrival of the first afternoon ferry, Richard and Camille hear the rapid pitter-patter of light feet charging up the station stairs.

Richard shoots to his feet, caught off-guard for once, "Oh, god, she's here already. What do I do? What do I say? Where do I…?" He doesn't any farther.

Camille rounds his desk and neatly shovels him in through the nearest cell-room door, "Here, wait until she's seated at my desk then sneak out the back door and get down to Maman's where you should be safe until I come collect you." He looks like he's going to take umbrage at her words but now the hurried steps are almost on the veranda so he ducks his head and scoots.

So it is that when Miss Susan Parks darkens the station door, her arms full of files and maps and all sorts of family jurisprudence, she is greeted with the professional smile of Mrs. Poole and not Mr. Poole himself. Bummer.

A bit later

Richard is just contemplating ordering a second pot of tea to go with his dry biscuits (specially ordered by Catherine and zealously doled out depending on whether or not her son-in-law has aggravated her that day or not) when his wife throws herself into the empty chair beside him. He bolts to his feet, "Here now! She didn't follow you, did she? I'm not going to be 'Coo-eeed' at again, am I?" He darts glances all about.

Camille groans and grabs his arm, dragging him back down into his chair while simultaneously snagging one of his precious biscuits and taking a bite. Before he can take breath to chastise her, she spits it back out with a grimace, "Ouuu, how can you eat these things?" Then she grabs his teacup and chugs a drink then slams back into her chair with swimming eyes and pooched out cheeks.

"Don't you DARE!" he warns and watches her shift about before managing a choking swallow. It isn't lost upon him that her Maman is right there with a beer that Camille snatches up and glugs with insulting speed. As Catherine saunters away and Camille drains the bottle,he covers his eyes and grouses, "OK, the French insult the English yet again." He drops his hand, glares at her, "Happy now?"

Camille slaps down the empty bottle with a sassy little smile, "Always, dear husband, always." She leans forward, pushing the biscuit with the bite-mark back across the table at him. He sighs and puts it back on his plate. "Now, let me tell you what happened after you so cravenly scarpered from the station!"

He swells up with indignation and almost starts to say something in his self defense then sees the confident look in her eyes and deflates. Best not dig himself in any deeper, yes? Yes. He sighs, "OK."

Camille nods, "The Park family has the original deeds and diaries and newspaper articles and letters and hand-drawn maps that match up with your file and currant maps of that time, give or take a fence or two. We went over it very carefully. I think any judge would decide in their favour."

Richard nods, happy for them, "Well, that's good, that's very good." He hesitates and she gives him a narrow glance. "And, um, how did Miss Park herself seem? Her usual chirpy self?"

Camille grunts, "If you are asking if she missed seeing you then the answer is yes. She was quite disappointed that I was the officer in charge until I casually mentioned our marriage and how happy we are and what a wonderful husband you are and how we are going to be starting a family any day now."

Richard looks relieved at all this and nods along until those final 6 words then his nod fades and he just stares at her. She smiles back and waits for it. His mouth works silently for several seconds then he stutters, "Family? A family? As in you and me and… and…?"

She pats his pale hand and chuffs, "Yes, you and me and! I've been meaning to speak to you about it but we've been so busy that I kept forgetting to bring it up."

"I see," he coughs, "a topic for another time then." He sits up straight and intones, "And what about the other phone call? Did you speak to… to… her?"

Camille rolls her eyes, "Oh, yeah! We spoke alright! Well, mostly I spoke, trying to outline the situation but mostly she was rabbiting on about you and it wasn't until I said 'married' about 4 times that she finally heard me. Then she stopped talking at all."

Richard's hands are twisting atop the table, "I told you we should have invited her."

Camille's hands clench atop the table, "What? Invite a woman who would happily poison me at my own wedding and kidnap the groom and hold him in durance vile? I'm not sure but I just bet there's a dungeon somewhere beneath that house and there's a door there with your name on it!"

As they argued the point, Catherine was suddenly at their elbow, startling them both. "Incoming," the elegant French woman murmurs, darting a look out onto the street. Richard has just enough time to dive below the table while Camille smooths the table cloth over his back and Catherine takes up a defensive position before rushed footsteps are heard and Suzy Parks beetles in.

"There you are," she says with satisfaction, eyeing the room before concentrating on Camille. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm catching the next ferry home now that everything is in the hands of that most excellent officer…" Her cheerful litany runs down at the baleful looks she's getting from both women before she revs up again, "… which is YOU, of course! Of course it's you since I didn't see your… your… inspector anywhere in town. Not that I was looking! Not that I searched the streets or anything."

Catherine and Camille share an exasperated glance before turning on the smiles. Camille may or may not have made a kicking motion beneath the table. It's hard to tell with that tablecloth in the way.

"Anyway," Suzy finishes, "I'm off now. I can't wait to tell my grandparents. It's like a dream come true."

"Yes," Camille muses, "I get that feeling all the time now. It's very nice."

This time it is Catherine who kicks Camille under the table before she steps forward, takes Suz's arm and steers her out the door, "Yes, well, we will be sure to tell the Inspector all about it when he returns from wherever he is… um… not hiding. Good luck, Miss Parks."

Suz puzzles this over briefly then shrugs and bustles off, happy to be the bearer of glad tidings to the elderly couple who raised her.

END – part 3