Chapter Management
Chapter 1: Richard and Camille want to be invisible
Alice Elizabeth Poole watches Catherine and Camille finish decorating the bar for Erzulie's party.
It has been more than ten days since DI Richard Poole's parents arrived on the island unexpectedly surprising their son and they in turn were pleasantly surprised to find what they had suspected, their son seemed a fully grown man integrated into the community, with friends and... one very good friend, a lady friend.
Arthur James Poole, retired from police work, an independent consultant with very important friends at the top of the Police in the UK was also surprised and proud.
"If my son wasn't dating you," said Mrs. Poole, pointing to Camille, "I think I'd find him a nice girl from here, from the island. Because it's nicer here than in the UK... Nobody understood him there. And he's a good man! So much for those silly girls..."
Camille smiles warmly at her. Its clear that she loves her son very much. She has never mentioned grandchildren. Not at that moment.
"Mrs. Poole - "
"Alice, dear. Alice. I think in the present circumstances you must call me by my first name. I know we did not behave well to him in the past, my dear. We know that. Arthur and I. That's why I'm glad to see he's happy. You seem to appreciate Richard for all he's worth. Don't let him slip away. "
"Alice, if I ever catch any woman after Richard, I'd kill her. I am of course talking about a hypothetical situation. The truth is that Richard has never given me any problems in this regard." Camille doesn't forget that, although Megan Talbot went after Richard, he put that praying mantis in her place without any problem.
Mrs. Poole smiles in amazement.
"Really?"
"Almost certainly!" replies Camille with a seemingly friendly expression, but with seriousness in her gaze.
Catherine laughs heartily.
"Honey, you're a Detective Sergeant with honours! Don't mess it up... And you'd put Richard in a spot."
"On that note, Richard had better be JUST an innocent victim in the clutches of that hypothetical woman. If the stupid English roses and the rest of the women on the island failed to appreciate what was right under their noses, that's their problem."
"Gee, I'm glad-"
The sound of a horn is heard in the street. It's Richard, who doesn't dare get out of the Land Rover at the sight of his mother, Catherine and Camille engaged in a conversation that, he's sure, would only get him into trouble. He already knows what they are celebrating these days on the island, Camille explained it to him quite well. It is enough that his father, his father! remarked in passing that he wouldn't mind having a grandchild to spoil.
"I must go! Something's happened, otherwise he wouldn't have come early. Goodbye!" Camille picks up her little purse and gives Mrs. Poole and her mother a kiss. Richard waves goodbye to them from the car.
Alice turns to Catherine.
"I didn't want to say anything in front of your daughter, Catherine, but her dress code is very curious. It caught my husband's eye. I'm afraid my son had no choice but to fall at her feet..."
Catherine smiles. One day, perhaps, she can explain to the DI's parents that Richard and Camille already loved each other before they met on the island. Hard to explain, better to wait for another time, if such a time ever came...
"The rules here are more relaxed, Alice. It's too hot! Besides, I can assure you it took a while for the two of them to realize they loved each other."
"In any case, I'm happy for my son. He's happy at last. He thinks we didn't realize. But the truth is that even we had given up on him. He seemed to have resigned himself to living alone and so did we. Surely you wouldn't have given up on Camille."
"Of course I wouldn't! If she wasn't dating him right now, I assure you she'd have more than one blind date set up by me. More every day until she came to her senses."
"Before Richard left Croydon for this island to solve that unfortunate crime, Arthur and I knew the kind of partners Richard had to put up with. My husband was on the point of making a formal complaint to our son's superior. And, believe me, Arthur would have been heard in high places. Because that complaint would have reached them. Heads would have rolled."
"But he feared Richard's reaction, didn't he?" asked Catherine sympathetically.
"He thought our son would be humiliated. You know, that his parents are still protecting him at his age would serve to make his life even more impossible. To feel really humiliated. Even though that unhappy life led to the life he enjoys now."
""It's a pity. I think a little bit of a dressing down would have done them a lot of good in Croydon."
"That's true, Catherine. That's why, in order to apply a new regulation experimentally, my husband finaly spoke to the superior of that brainless Croydon man, proposing that a new regulation be applied in that Station, which, I inform you now, was postponed because it was too restrictive on the actions of the agents. They'll change it in the end, of course, but for a few months they're going to live in hell."
Catherine looks at her in amazement. After all, they are his parents. But, from the way her daughter feels about the man, she thinks Richard arouses very strong feelings in the people around him. She doesn't know if she would ever go that far in her daughter's professional life. Camille wouldn't like it! Although perhaps...
Catherine insists:
"Do you mean to tell me that they are finally taking bullying seriously and are going to try out a series of measures to prevent it?
"At the moment it's an experimental reform with not very specific measures. You understand that they have to check that these anti-harassment measures don't undermine the rights of individual officers. You know. The cure would be worse than the disease. That's why it's temporary. But..." Alice informs Catherine.
"But ... for the time being will serve as a lesson to those undesirables, won't it?"
"Unquestionably."
At the Seymour Plantation crime scene...
"Sir, this is Roger Seymour, 71 years old." It's Fidel reporting to DI Poole and Sergeant Bordey.
Fidel is taking photos and Dwayne is processing the otherwise obvious crime scene. A huge machete sticks out of the poor man's back.
Camille comments that it must have been someone who knew the place very well, almost certainly an insider.
Performance is perfect on the part of the officers, as usual, but Richard finds a few pieces of broken glass that are almost certainly from a torch.
What's a torch doing at such a crime scene, in broad daylight?
Richard also hears the story about 50 slaves inexplicably disappearing without a trace, masters behaving like demons (sadly common at the time) by appearing out of thin air and he decides to take a look at those mysteries too. He likes the story, very much, and it is also the history of his almost fiancée's people.
But he has to put this matter aside for the time being, as all the inhabitants of the plantation plus the family doctor are already waiting to be questioned.
Also, are the Loa poking their noses into their lives again? Because Camille has seen a little girl, the daughter of one of the plantation workers, literally evaporate into thin air. Curious.
It turns out to be Dr. Johnson who greets them with a handshake. He is the one who called the police.
To Richard's question as to why he was at the plantation to eat and not to see a patient, the doctor replies:
"Roger Seymour called us all together to make an important announcement."
"What was it about, do you know?" asks Camille.
The doctor shakes his head.
The atmosphere on the verandah of the house is full of tension - the new lover of the owner of the house taking the place of the murdered man's wife. And the ex-wife having to continue living outside the family home still on the plantation having to endure such an embarrassing situation every day. Richard wonders how there hasn't been a murder before. But that's none of his business.
Of course, they don't get much out of the interrogation of the astonishingly young Kim Neville, the victim's current partner, Alex, the victim's nephew, Louis, a labourer whom the victim was apparently quite fond of, and Nicole, the victim's ex-wife. However, the ex-wife will have to be questioned later. She was feeling unwell.
When Richard asks if anyone knew what Seymour's announcement was, Kim Neville replies that the deceased was going to announce his marriage to her. The doctor, who had taken refuge in his glass of wine perhaps to avoid answering something that was none of his business, can't help but choke at Miss Neville's statement. He must feel very uncomfortable.
But Richard and Camille cannot continue the interrogation, even though they were ready to call it a day. Fidel comes forward with a discovery. Before they can talk to the Sergeant, Alex, in an aside, explains that Nicole and Roger, his aunt and uncle, took him in when he was 11, which was when his parents died. They were his family and he feels that Kim Neville broke up that family.
Camille and Richard look into each other's eyes with apparent professionalism. But the truth is that Richard understands her feelings on the subject very well. The man who had abandoned Camille and Catherine when his girlfriend was eight years old had died several weeks earlier.
When Alex leaves, Fidel shows them what Dwayne is guarding. Roger Seymour tried to write something in his blood at the crime scene.
Thanks to the Luminal spray and the ultraviolet hand-light they manage to see the letters J O H.
"Dr. Johnson?" asks Camille.
Richard stares at her thoughtfully.
Later, when they question the doctor in his office, they discover that Roger Seymour had an incurable brain tumor. At best, he had six months to live. Why kill him?
Once back at the station, the entire team does a debriefing with the latest investigation data and Richard and Camille head back to the plantation to question Nicole Seymour, the murdered man's ex-wife.
Despite the photos Nicole and her nephew Alex have obtained of Kim meeting with another as yet unidentified man, the revelation of the former Mrs. Seymour's drinking problem, plus her late arrival to the lunch, Nicole remains the prime suspect. Opportunity. She is the only one, so far, who seems to have had plenty of time to kill Roger.
Back at the station to drop off the vehicle, Richard and Camille, commenting on the case in the meantime, head to one of the market stalls. Rather, Camille follows Richard. And there they meet Catherine and Alice, the DI's mother.
"I'm glad to see you're close friends, Mom." Richard comments to his mother.
Camille smiles. She knows he can't help but feel uncomfortable.
"Well, I'm happy for your mother, Richard. Do you know I'm getting to know more and more about you?" she tells him.
That's not true, not at all. But Camille likes to tease him. Of course, only she has that freedom.
Normally he'd be terribly embarrassed but he's engrossed in the bookstall. The slave business has him very intrigued. And perhaps it will serve to take his mind off the case and refresh his mind.
And forget that his parents are staying at the hotel on the island, taking an interest in everything he does.
"Where's Dad?" asks Richard.
"Oh, your father's meeting an old friend who's leaving the island tomorrow, dear. They're reminiscing about old times. And I wasn't looking forward to hearing his little stories again. I adore your father, son, but there are times when he can't stop talking, especially when the subject absorbs him completely."
Camille and Catherine look at the DI with an even wider smile. They know all too well Richard's ability to talk for hours. If they let him, of course.
"Of course tomorrow's the big day, sweetheart. You'll get to see more of your dad tomorrow."
"The big day?" asks Richard.
"Sure. It's Erzulie's festival." Catherine answers this time. "Your parents want to soak up this island. Unlike you. Besides, you two are sure to have something special lined up for tomorrow night."
Even Camille blushes but Richard remains cool.
"I'm afraid we still have a case to solve. We'll see." Is Richard's terse reply. "Besides, I'm going on a different kind of date tonight. While Camille helps you decorate the bar, I'm going to focus on the history of the island with my new book. You won't be able to say I don't want to soak the island in then!"
Alice looks at Catherine and asks:
"Is he always like this with you?"
"Yes. And I don't understand it. Because I'm always so nice to him. I make him the best tea, just for him."
"I couldn't taste it for a week" Richard says with spite in his voice.
Camille lets out a laugh and grabs Richard by the arm on the way to the Land Rover.
"Let's go, Richard, I'll take you to the shack and then back to the bar."
"L'amour!" Catherine says with a beaming smile as she watches the couple leave. Her daughter is happy and that's all that matters.
Alice thinks so too, but about her son, and in English!
That night Richard is about to go to bed but not to sleep. In this heat it's impossible. But he knows it won't last long. He hopes it won't take too long to start renovating the shack. He is talking to Fidel on the phone who is with Dwayne in the Kaz. Technically they are on duty.
"It's OK. The station is operational, though hopefully well closed at the moment and you are clear that being on duty, there's no drinking."
The DI always reminds Sergeant Best of this even though he knows perfectly well that Fidel never drinks on duty.
"Oh, yes, of course. You know that's all right, sir. Dwayne knows that too.
"In a few minutes we'll make a police patrol of the area, Chief. And this time we'll stop by the plantation, in case anything new comes up."
It's Dwayne who, stealing the phone from his partner, tells Richard.
"Perfect. If there's any news, whatever it is, don't hesitate to call me. I'll be reading. Good night."
Richard, with his pajamas already on, sits down in the chair near the entrance leading to the veranda and gets ready to read a little before going to sleep.
"You've fallen asleep again, Richard. One day you're going to have serious problems with your neck." Camille tells him gently.
Richard, noticing the sudden drop in temperature, knows that he is already outside of reality.
He gets up and the first thing he does is kiss Camille freely. Since his parents arrived and became such good friends with Catherine and Juliette, he and Camille feel are feeling the pressure.
"Camille, I wasn't expecting you tonight. My worst nightmare has come true. I have my girlfriend's mother and my parents snooping into my private life and exposing all my secrets to the highest bidder."
He gets Camille to follow him to the bed and there they both sit down, leaning against the headboard for comfort.
She laughs.
"That's not true, silly. Your parents feel guilty. And your mother just wanted to show that they support you in everything and care about everything in your life. If you'd heard how they talked about the two of us while we were decorating the bar, you'd understand that I feel a bit overwhelmed too. Although it's because they love us, Richard! Do you have any idea with what hatred your mother spoke of your 'mates' in Croydon? She hates them as much as I do."
Deliberately, Camille doesn't inform him of the surprise her father has prepared for the Croydon agents.
"Too much," Richard mutters.
"I noticed what you were reading. I didn't know you'd been so interested in the escape of slaves from the plantation. Though I forget you're interested in practically everything."
"Why do you say they feel guilty?"
"They think they should have been more attentive to you, talked to you more, things like that."
"That's nonsense. I know they love me. Rather, I feel slightly overwhelmed.. I even thank God and the Loa that my father was entertained by that friend of his."
Camille looks at him making sure he is serious.
Richard goes on to say:
"If my life hadn't gone the way it did, I most likely wouldn't have met you. And for that miracle, I wouldn't go back to change a single thing. And... at this moment I just want to hold you in my arms, with no witnesses and no family around!
"Didn't you say you weren't expecting me tonight?"
They are already lying and cuddling on the bed. He lifts his head from her neck and kissing her earlobe replies:
"To rectify is wise. And I'm very wise, as you know. Besides, I think it would be nice if in payment for our services to this island, I wouldn't mind if our friends the Loa gave us some extra time so that we could fully enjoy these hours and at the same time give me time to 'soak up' the history of the island and finish the book."
She looks at him and replies mischievously:
"Fair enough. I hate coming here just to talk. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, Richard. I don't know if the case will allow us to properly celebrate Erzulie. Just in case, I don't mind bringing the celebration forward one night. "
He is already taking off Camille's remaining clothes, but asks her:
"What if we celebrate tomorrow as well as right now - will the Loa have a problem with that?"
When Camille looks at him, Richard reads her mind and can't help but blush. The last thing he can whisper before he loses himself in her arms is:
"As for me, I don't mind celebrating Erzulie two days in a row."
Notes:
I hope you enjoy it. Before I came up with the final version I made more than one change because there was something I didn't quite like. Hence the delay. I understand that there will still be a few details left. Anyway, thanks for being there!
Thanks, as always to Sweepeaspatch, for her huge support!