Chapter 9 – The Harbour

While the west side of Honore harbour was alive with the yachts belonging to wealthy residents and tourists, and bustling with ferries, fishing boats and small commercial vessels, the east side was secluded and run down. Tourists were not advised to walk along here alone. There was a row of large, uniform business units beyond which was what looked like a shanty town, where some of the less fortunate Honore residents lived. The motorbike pulled up outside the third industrial unit along and Dwayne and JP dismounted and switched their helmets for their police caps. The local woman behind the counter of Caribchem Inc stood up as the two police officers entered the building.

'What can I do for you officers?' she asked.

'We are investigating a murder case and would like to ask you a few questions about the supply of chemicals containing phenol' Dwayne advised.

'I see. What would you like to know?'

'Could you please tell us if you sold any such chemicals to any of these individuals in the last few days?' JP asked laying down photographs of the four remaining suspects on the counter'

'No I don't think so' she said 'But we don't normally make sales to individuals. We almost exclusively supply laboratories and teaching facilities such as schools and the college. I certainly haven't made any individual sales in the last two weeks. I'll check with my business partner though. Anthony!' she called and a greying man came through from the store room.

'Officers!' he greeted, surprised to see the police.

'You didn't sell any chemicals to individuals in the last few days did you?' enquired the woman.

'No, I have just taken bulk orders from our regular industrial and government customers' Anthony assured them.

'Do you supply the Honore Community centre?' asked Dwayne.

'No' the woman assured them

'OK thank you for your time ma'am, sir' concluded J P and the two of them left the unit.

'Hmm they seemed genuine and honest' commented J P.

'Yes I would have to agree with you' said Dwayne. Let's move on to the Harbour Cleaning Company'

The two officers walked the fifty or so yards to the last unit on the block. Dwayne turned to J P

'You know, I think we make a great team'

'Yes, I suppose we do' said J P, wondering where Dwayne was going with this.

'So I was just thinking, if I do form a band and become big and go off touring…'

'Yes, that would be the end of our partnership and I'd miss you' J P doubted this would ever happen.

'Yes, so I was thinking you could be our roadie'

'Roadie?'

'Yes, all bands have a roadie. You would come on tour with us and help carry our instruments and equipment'

'I see. Well thank you for the job offer but it's not quite how I see my career going!'

'I guess you want to stay in the police. Do you think you will do your sergeant's exams soon and then become a detective like Fidel?'

'I don't know, I always assumed I would be promoted one day!'

'Well, good on you I guess!'

'But you're happy where you are?'

'We can't all get the good things' he laughed and changed the subject as they arrived at the second warehouse on their agenda. 'Time to see if we have any more luck with these guys. It's a little more shady here though!'

J P looked into the unit and saw two tough-looking, scruffily dressed men, with chains, tattoos and piercings, looking at them and whispering. They went in with their heads held high to show these men they meant business.

'Officer Myers and friend. What do you want today?' said the overweight man behind the counter. His companion stood on the other side, leaning on the part of the counter that lifted up to let staff in and out, as if there was something behind the counter that he didn't want the police to see.

J P's eyes widened as he realised Dwayne was well acquainted with these characters.

'We're investigating a case' Dwayne explained. 'I don't need to see what is going on behind your counter, just as long as you answer our questions honestly. You understand?'

'I suppose we can work with you on that basis' the man leaning on the counter agreed, remaining in the defensive position. Dwayne looked at J P who professionally took out the photographs of the murder suspects without showing any sign of feeling intimidated by the shop workers.

'Can you please tell us if either of you have served any of these people in the last few days?' he asked them, getting straight to the point.

'Yes, I think I have' said the man behind the counter, pointing to the photograph of Claire.

'OK and can you remember what she bought?'

'Now what was it again?' he scratched his head for thirty seconds or so. 'Oh yes, I believe it was a pack of microfiber cloths, bleach and a big bottle of disinfectant'

'Excellent. May we see bottles of the same bleach and disinfectant?'

'Sure' the other man went over to a shelf and picked up a bottle of bleach before going into the back store-room to fetch the detergent which was not on display. J P looked at the ingredients on the bleach bottle

'Disinfectant, sodium hypochlorite, less than five percent chlorine based bleaching agent, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, soap, perfume'

'Anything in that?' Dwayne asked quietly.

'Perfume as Sergeant Cassell said, but seems to be a low concentration. Disinfectant too but again not strong enough to cause death so quickly'

'OK what does the detergent bottle say?'

'Let's see…Disinfectant and perfume again, various acids but no mention of carbolic or phenol. Not sure if it's what we're looking for, but on the other had why would Claire be buying an industrial quantity of detergent?'

'And was that definitely all the young woman bought' Dwayne asked the men again.

'Yes. But she went straight over to the pharmacy across the road after she left. Talked to the curly haired lady behind the counter for some time'

'Of course, carbolic acid is also used medically. I wonder…' Dwayne winked at J P.

'Well, thank you for your help gentlemen, but please remember that I could come back any time in case you are up to anything illegal' Dwayne reminded them.

'Of course officer. Good day' the man on the shop floor concluded the conversation and Dwayne and J P left.

'Are those guys known criminals?' J P asked Dwayne.

'Let's just say I've visited them once or twice' Dwayne replied. 'Now, let's have a chat with this chemist'.

The two of them crossed the road and found themselves face to face with the woman the men at the Harbour Cleaning Company had spoken about.

'How can I help you?' she asked them.

'I understand this young woman came in a few days ago and you spoke to her for some time?' J P asked her, showing her the photo of Claire.

'Yes, I do remember' the woman confirmed. 'She had a complex query I assisted with'

'And what would that have been?' asked Dwayne.

'I can't tell you, patient confidentiality' the woman insisted.

'I see, even if a serious crime may have been committed?' J P pressed.

'I don't think that's possible'

'Did you sell her carbolic acid?' Dwayne asked directly.

'No comment' the woman persisted.

'Well we may need to come back if this turns out to be important' J P said as they left.

'Right, let's go back to the station' said Dwayne. 'I'll let you call the Inspector on the way'

'Sure' said J P and they headed back to where they had left the motorbike.