Chapter 5 – Alibis

Three quarters of an hour later, Jack and Florence were back at the community centre with all five suspects, who were seated around two tables in the main hall where the concert had taken place.

'Thank you all for coming' began Jack. 'For those who don't know already, I'm Detective Inspector Jack Mooney and this is Detective Sergeant Florence Cassell. I know last night was very distressing for you all, but as you were the only other people in the community centre at the time of Mrs Heather Munro's death I am sure you will understand it is standard procedure that we ask you some questions'

'Is this going to take long?' asked Patrick, standing up agitatedly. 'We've got a concert to get ready for'.

'This is a murder investigation!' Jack reminded him, looking him sternly in the eye. 'It will take as long as it takes!'

Patrick got the message and sat down again. He and Gemma raised their eyes at each other behind Jack's back and Herve shifted restlessly in his chair. Claire was still in a state of shock and a small tear fell from her eye. George, who seemed more composed, handed her a spare handkerchief.

'Can I start by asking you each your name for the record, if and how you were acquainted with the victim, and where you were between twelve thirty and one this morning?' asked Florence with her notepad in hand. She turned to Herve first.

'Herve Picard' he began. 'I met Mrs Munro in person for the first time last night when Mayor Bordey brought her to the centre to prepare for her concert. I was so busy organising the staff that I didn't get to talk to her much. At the time she…died I had just told Claire to lock up and gone to my office to put the takings and ticket stubs into the safe. I stayed there a while to do a quick count'

'You said you met Mrs Munro in person for the first time last night' pointed out Jack 'Does that mean you had communicated before?'

'She contacted me by email a few months ago asking if she could perform on the island. We communicated this way to organise last night's concert' Herve explained.

'OK' said Florence, writing down this last detail. 'And you?' she looked at Claire less seriously.

'C-Claire Rostant' she began nervously. 'I-I didn't know her at all until Herve introduced me to her before the concert. She ordered water…'

'OK and where were you at the time of death?' Florence gently interrupted.

'Behind the bar, washing the last of the glasses. This man was talking to me' she indicated George.

'That's right, we spoke for a while and would surely have had some idea if the other was guilty' confirmed George.

'OK so who are you for the record?' continued Jack as Florence continued writing.

'George Lambert. I met Heather, Mrs Munro, yesterday when we both got off the airport bus. We formed a brief acquaintance when we ended up eating together at Catherine's bar but that was it. As Claire told you I was in the bar next door at the time of her death'

'OK thank you Mr Lambert' said Florence. And you sir?'

'Patrick Buchanan' answered Patrick. 'My wife and I met Mrs Munro last year on a folk festival tour in Germany. We were on the same bill in several cities so we got to know her a little. I was a bit drunk last night but I think I had just come out of the gents when we heard the young lady scream'

'You heard the victim scream?' enquired Jack.

'No I meant this young lady' he gestured at Claire. 'When she found the victim'

'And finally you, ma'am' continued Florence.

'Gemma Buchanan. Same story as Patrick as to how I knew Mrs Munro. I was still in here at the time of death, enjoying my last drink and posting pictures of our tour on Facebook'

'Tour?' Florence probed.

'We're musicians like Mrs Munro. We are also touring the Caribbean'

'And had you bumped into Heather at all during this tour before yesterday?' asked Jack.

'No, we must have been on different islands'

'Did anyone hear anything suspicious…any screams from the victim? A loud thud when she fell?' asked Florence.

They all shook their heads. 'No' said George 'but I do remember noticing that the background music seemed to get louder at around the time of death!'

'Really? Much louder?'

'I think the volume went up gradually' agreed Claire. 'I didn't really notice it until George pointed it out'

'So where was the music being played from?' Jack asked Herve.

'There's a CD player attached to the sound system' Herve explained.

'OK, sounds like someone didn't want the others to hear something. Who knows where this CD player is and how to work it?'

'Myself, Claire and the sound engineers. But it is quite easy to use so anyone who worked out where it was could have adjusted the volume'

'OK and did any of you see anyone touching it at the time the music got louder?' enquired Florence.

'I didn't notice, too busy on my phone!' smirked Gemma. 'Too drunk to work something like that myself!' Everyone else shook their head.

'May we have a look at it?' asked Florence.

'Of course. I'll show you' said Herve, getting up and walking over to the sound desk. He lifted a panel to reveal a CD deck.

'Does this come out?' asked Jack.

'Yes' said Herve.

'OK in that case we will have to take it and send it to the lab in Guadeloupe. We'll require all your fingerprints too. One of my officers that is working in the dressing room will be out shortly to take them and the CD player'. Excuse me for a minute.

Half an hour later Dwayne and J P had finished taking fingerprints and the CD player had been placed in a large evidence bag.

'OK that will be all for now' concluded Jack, and Patrick and Gemma heaved a quiet sigh of relief. 'But we may wish to ask some more questions during the course of our investigation. You will not be permitted to leave the island until the investigation is concluded.

'We're due to travel on to Guadeloupe on Thursday' said Gemma. 'Will it be over by then?'

'As I said to your husband, Mrs Buchanan, this will take as long as it takes!' Jack told her assertively. She shrugged her shoulders and the five suspects filed out of the community centre.

Jack turned to Florence 'What do you think?'

'Well, Claire and George seemed genuine and co-operative. Herve seemed restless but also co-operated with us. The attitude of the Buchanans seems strange though. Considering they knew the victim they don't seem at all shocked or upset. That looks suspicious'

'I agree. We'll look into them first as our main suspects. J P, Dwayne, did you find anything significant in the dressing room?'

'No Chief, just the victim's drinking bottle in her bag but I don't smell anything in it apart from stale water' Dwayne filled him in.

'You didn't see anything with blood on it that could have been used to inflict the head wound?'

'No sir' J P lowered his head.

'OK, don't worry J P. Let's get back to the station and see what we can find out about the suspects' Jack ushered them out of the building.