Chapter 10 – Back to the Scene of the Crime

Meanwhile Jack and Florence were back in Herve's office at the community centre.

'What time did you arrive at the community centre on Saturday?' Jack began.

'At four o'clock' Herve replied.

'Would you like to explain to us why the centre was opened much earlier than usual on this occasion? I understand you wouldn't normally open until around six'

'Why is this an issue?' Herve questioned.

'Just answer the question' Jack insisted.

'OK, well this was not a performance we have every day. We needed to make an impression on our guest from abroad so had to make sure we had everything in place for her arrival'

'Such as?'

'All the sound equipment in place, the dressing room in order, the bar stocked up…'

'And you don't do this for local artists or other events'

Well yes, but we had to make an extra special effort on this occasion since there has been talk of a festival being established'

'And Claire was also here early?'

'For her sins, yes'

'What do you mean by that?' asked Florence.

'Well, she hates the hard work she has to do. She has always fancied herself as a singer or actress and went to many auditions when she was a student but I guess she just hasn't got what it takes. She is always jealous of those who are successful in achieving such dreams and resents having to be the humble barmaid and serving them'

'So what are you saying? That Claire might have committed murder out of jealousy?' asked Jack.

'You never know with the younger generation these days'

'We recall you told us you had email contact with Mrs Munro prior to her coming to Sainte-Marie' said Florence. 'Could we please see that?'

'There's nothing to see, just us organising the gig and me giving her directions to the centre and instructions to meet the Mayor at her bar' Herve tried to assure them.

'Well, we'd like to see the correspondence anyway. It's procedure in a case like this' Jack pressed.

'Well alright, shall I forward the trail to you?'

'You can lend us your laptop' said Florence, looking at the machine he was using.

'But I need it to do my accounts and correspond with arts companies!' Herve protested.

'We'll return it as quickly as possible' Jack assured him, and Herve reluctantly handed over the laptop. 'OK thank you for your time Mr Picard. We just need to have another look at the crime scene'

'By all means. I'll be here catching up on some filing while you have the laptop'

Jack walked over to the spot where Heather had lain on the floor and attempted to act out the scene where she fell and landed in the position she was in.

'She must have drunk the poison and vomited into the bin before staggering over to the other side of the room to escape our killer. They must have come round to her other side and hit her with…whatever object caused the head injury. Then she must have slipped to her right and fallen into the position she was found in'

'Very good' Florence admired her superior. 'So what has happened to the object that was used? And where is the drinking vessel containing the poison?'

'That's what we need to find out! Dwayne and J P did a thorough search of this room and the rest of the centre but found nothing'

'Then they must have been taken somewhere else?'

'Exactly, but where? Surely someone would have seen an object covered in blood being moved? This is a complete mystery!'

'Herve seemed reluctant to give us his laptop. Do you think he is hiding something?'

'Quite possibly. We'll get the computer searched and find out' Jack's phone rang at that point 'It's J P. I wonder how he and Dwayne got on at the harbour? Hello?'

After the call Jack and Florence returned to Herve's office.

'Well I think we're done in here for now' announced Jack 'but we need to have a chat with Claire. Can you tell us where to find her?'

'Sure, here's her address' Herve wrote it down on a post-it note.

'Thank you, we'll be in touch if we need to follow up on any more leads' said Florence as they both left the room again.

'OK let's take this laptop back to the station and get one of the boys to search it while we head over to Claire's family's home' Jack decided.

Dwayne sat with Darlene in a small café a few miles along the coast from the police station. There were only a handful of other diners in other corners so they had a good bit of space to themselves.

'I'm glad you were able to take some time out for lunch Dwayne' said Darlene, gazing into his eyes.

'Well I am always entitled to at least half an hour' he assured her.

'How is the case going?'
'We're still following up on a number of leads but it's only a matter of time before the chief cracks it!'
'Yes he's an amazing detective isn't he?'
'Yes he is. Hey...no! I should have known!' Dwayne wailed.
'What do you mean' Darlene demanded, leaning over towards him.
'You still have the hots for him!'
'No I don't!' She almost screamed.
'You sure?'
'Yes Dwayne! You know, I'm the happiest I have been in the last fifteen years since we started dating! Why can't you see it?!'
'R-really?!'
'Yes. Please believe me? And tell me you feel the same?' Her eyes were wide and pleading.
'Oh Darlene, you don't know what this means to me! I really am happy when I'm with you, and of course I believe you!'

And with that they left their table and shared a kiss while overlooking the sea.

The Defender drew up outside a small wooden semi-detached house just outside the centre of Honore. The exterior was painted red with creeping vines going up and a row of plant pots at the bottom. The canope over the door was painted white. Jack knocked on the door, which was answered by Claire's father, a slightly overweight middle aged man who looked at the Detectives with a nervous look on his face.

'What can I do for you?' he asked.

'We'd like to speak to Claire Rostant, your daughter?' Jack advised him.

'Of course' Mr Rostant replied reluctantly, ushering Jack and Florence into the front room where Claire was sitting with her mother. Claire tensed up when she saw them.

'Is there somewhere we can talk, Miss Rostant?' Jack asked her.

'In the conservatory' Claire answered, and Jack and Florence followed her through double doors.

'Can I get you something to drink?' Mrs Rostant asked. 'Lemonade?'

'That sounds good, it's rather hot today' agreed Jack gratefully.

'Yes please' said Florence.

Five minutes later Jack got down to business with Claire, having quenched his thirst.

'So Miss Rostant, Claire?'

'Yes' she answered.

'How long have you worked at the Community Centre?'

'Um…since January this year'

'And do you like your job?'

'Yes, most of the time. Why?'

'It's just that Mr Picard doesn't seem to think you do, at least that it is not what you saw yourself doing when you were a student. Would that be correct?'

'I guess'

'So what were you hoping to do?'

'Well I have always wanted to be a singer. I hoped someone would sign me. That or acting'

'But it hasn't worked out for you?'

'No, I mean not yet. Why?'

'You feel jealous of the success of other singers and actors, don't you?' Florence cut to the chase.

'Maybe a little bit' Claire bit her lip.

'And you were very jealous of Heather Munro and how popular she was with the audience!'

'What are you saying?' Claire was becoming very anxious.

'Did you get so overcome with jealousy that you killed Heather?' Jack asked her outright.

'No!' Claire screamed at them. 'I may have envied her but I would never do that!'

'Really? So why were you buying bleach and disinfectant in industrial quantities from the Harbour Cleaning Company?' asked Jack

'Eh? What has that got to do with this?' Claire looked genuinely confused.

'These items contain phenol, otherwise known as carbolic acid. This is what was used to poison Heather Munro'

'Oh. Gosh! I was buying these items for the Community Centre, helping out Herve. They were for the cleaners to use. You can ask Herve if you don't believe me'

'Alright. But why were you then seen in the nearby pharmacy buying medical carbolic acid?'

'Buying what?'

'You were seen in the pharmacy after your visit to the cleaning supplies store and the pharmacist would not confirm or deny that you had purchased carbolic acid' Florence clarified.

'Oh. No, I wasn't buying carbolic acid. I was getting medicines for my mother. She has just recovered from a bout of tropical fever. You are welcome to ask her and I am sure she will tell Sylvie, the pharmacist that it is alright for her to confirm what I was buying in these circumstances. She does take patient confidentiality very seriously'

'OK I understand' said Jack. 'But just one more thing. The lab confirmed that the last set of prints to appear on the CD player that the music in the centre was playing from were yours. Can you explain that?'

'Of course. I was in the main hall collecting empty glasses at the end of the performance and was asked by Herve to put the music on since the sound engineer had left his station without doing it. That was the last time I touched it. Honestly!'

'So how do you think the music managed to get louder?' asked Florence.

'I honestly have no idea'

'Did you see or hear anything that you think we should be aware of?'

'Not really, except…'

'Except what?' asked Jack.

'It's just…well Herve seemed to be a bit more tense than usual that night. He is usually quite relaxed and lets all the staff get on with their jobs, but on Saturday night he was being a bit more…controlling than usual, like he needed to be sure exactly what was happening all the time'

'And you don't think this was just a special effort being made for a performer from abroad and the possibility of more international performances in the future?'

'No…maybe…I don't know'

'And how is your relationship with Mr Picard generally?' asked Florence.

'Generally OK when I do what I'm told. But if I make any suggestions or show initiative he is never happy about it and just exerts his authority, if you know what I mean'

'So quite a stern and arrogant boss then?'

'Yes. He is proud to be a nephew of a politician from the sixties who was very much like that from what my dad has told me. Jacques Henri or something?'

'I see. OK Claire, that will be all for today, but we may need to come back if anything else comes up' Jack concluded.

'I understand' said Claire, with a mixture of relief and anxiety.

Jack and Florence briefly discussed their encounter with Claire when back in the jeep.

'Well she seems genuinely anxious around us, but do you think it is just timidity at authority figures, or do you think she may be hiding something?' Jack asked Florence.

'I don't know. If you think about the crime scene it did look a bit…amateur in that it was a very poor attempt to make Heather's death look like a tragic accident. Kind of what you'd expect from a young girl'

'Good point. Although that could be just what the murderer wants us to think!'

'I suppose. What about Herve and his unusual behaviour at the concert? Could that also be suspicious?'

'Quite possibly. He sounds a bit OCD as well as arrogant. Could he have been planning something on Saturday?'

'OCD?'

'Obsessive compulsive disorder, when someone checks something or performs a routine repeatedly and cannot control their activity for very long'

'Ah, yes, we call it trouble obsessionnel compulsif. Gosh, I've written so many notes about this murder it's going to take a month to review them!' exclaimed Florence a few minutes later when they were back in the Defender.

'I know, there's so much to take in' agreed Jack.

When Dwayne arrived back at the station Jack and Florence were still out interviewing and J P was down in the basement looking for a very old case file, hence he was working alone. Still buzzing after he and Darlene had declared their love for each other, he danced around the room singing 'She Loves Me Now' by UB40, imagining a big band playing along in the background. As he came to a crescendo, he was quickly brought back down to earth by a deep cough, followed by 'Ahem, Officer Myers?' in a familiar drawl. He stopped singing at once and turned round, immediately cringing in embarrassment as he saw the Commissioner standing at the door, looking at him with his ever serious face. Behind him, Fidel could not contain his laughter.

'Um…that was very… entertaining Officer!' began the Commissioner.

'Um…thanks?' Dwayne for once was lost for words.

'Anyway, where is Inspector Mooney?'

'Um…he's out with Sergeant Cassell interviewing one of the suspects'

'I hope he won't be long 'cos we have a problem'

'Patrick and Gemma Buchanan haven't been seen at their hotel since early this morning. Apparently they headed towards the harbour' explained Fidel.

'So they may have left the island?' gasped Dwayne.

'Exactly our problem' confirmed the Commissioner. 'I need you and Officer Hooper to search the east side of the harbour and Inspector Mooney and Sergeant Cassell the west. Sergeant Best and I will board the two ferries that are due to leave this afternoon and do a full search among the passengers'

'So…in the meantime, I take it the love life is on the right track?' laughed Fidel.

'I'm not going to be able to live that down, am I?'

'Did I miss something?' J P appeared with a pile of files.

'Just the performance of the year!' Fidel informed him. Dwayne drooped his head.

'Oh, practicing for your role within the band?' asked J P.

'Band? Really?' laughed Fidel.

'He's thinking of starting one!' said J P.

'Well, if you give the performance you gave us when we arrived you will certainly be talked about!' said Fidel.

At that point Jack and Florence returned.

'OK, sorry to break up the discussion but it's time to get back to work!' announced the Commissioner and immediately filled the whole team in on the situation.

'Don't tell me it's them after all!' exclaimed Jack.

'They're definitely running away from something. Could it just be the plagiarism or are they guilty of something much worse?' wondered Florence.

'Well, let's find them before they get away with it!' said the Commissioner and the three pairs set off for their allocated area of the harbour.