Chapter 13: The hurricane passes over the island

Summary:

The hurricane will put extra strain on the police at Saint Marie station. They have to deal with a man seriously injured in strange circumstances along with their duty as officers to make sure everyone is safe. They will try to be up to the task.

Chapter Text

Since they arrived at their new, refurbished and cool new super-shack, Camille hasn't stopped practically jumping for joy and rubbing and kissing Richard at almost every turn.

Richard had managed to keep her at bay while they enjoyed the little party that the DI's parents, along with Catherine's invaluable and timely help, had hosted at the police station.

But, even so, she would not leave his side, and although in a quiet and calm manner, always making sure that the ring was seen and admired, she was still clinging to his arm most of the time.

The trouble started when the glasses of champagne began to accumulate in his DS's system. That drink of the gods was courtesy of Catherine, who phoned the bar and ordered two or three bottles delivered to the station.

Her daughter's engagement had to be celebrated properly!

Richard, still in charge of the station, decided to allow himself one glass, just enough to wet his lips. Champagne is too French for his taste.

When the appropriate time calculated by the DI had passed, he made sure that his parents would not be left alone in the station and took Camille back to the shack.

Giving strict orders to "release" their parents at eight o'clock the next morning. This way, no one could say that the law was not being observed at the Saint Marie Police Station. What their parents wanted to do in private, they could do at home!

Camille did not object to his plans, she simply took a bottle of champagne still unopened and left very happy.

She is overjoyed; Richard has asked her to marry him!

"Richard, I'm so happy!"

He looks at her and replies laconically with a big smile on his face:

"It has not escaped me at any time, my love. I will never forget this day. My parents, the Loa, your mother and you have done everything possible to make it so." At the look on her face, he becomes serious, managing to snatch Camille's hands by taking them between his own, and says to her:

"I feel very happy too. You make me feel like the most important and special man in the world. You are the first woman to achieve this. And you will always be the only woman for me. I love you very much, Camille."

Inexplicably, Camille bursts into tears and hugs him.

Richard decides to push the champagne away and hug her tightly in return.

"I think we need to rest, my love. We've had a lot of emotions today." He tells her. At least now he is sure that Camille's tears are tears of a good emotion. They are tears of happiness.

Camille and Richard wake up in awe when they see each other again in the bedroom in the old shack with the tree. The room begins to change noticeably and magically until they finally see each other again in their new comfortable, air-conditioned room. Although in this dream state they don't need it.

'Richard, do you think the Loa will want to congratulate us?' thinks Camille. She doesn't open her mouth to speak.

"I'm sure, honey." Richard does speak out loud to answer.

"This is a demonstration of what can happen in the future if it becomes necessary. There are great powers that, should the need arise; can be placed at your disposal. You can see how far the Loa world can take it, now that you are finally getting married."

It was the lizard - Loa who said that.

They seem to think the same as Maman about my future marriage to Richard. Camille meditate

"Camille, they can hear us." Richard reminds her.

"It's true." Erzulie's voice is heard across the room. "The love that binds you is very great and I wish you the greatest of blessings and all our protection."

"Thank you," the two detectives reply at the same time.

Then they are alone, the lizard Loa is gone and, although they cannot see her, they know that Erzulie has also left.

"I think I'm the one who feels so happy now that I want to kiss you and touch you endlessly, Camille."

"I won't be the one to say no to you,Richard, we're alone now!" manages to answer Camille.

"Exactly, Camille, you are perfectly correct"… and then he gets down to business.

Perhaps they are not as alone as they think, a very elegant bouquet of red orchids appears on top of Camille's dressing table.

Almost a month has passed. Arthur and Alice have decided that, since they are on the island and with their son's wedding imminent, it makes no sense for them to leave now. Alice loves preparing for the wedding with Catherine. Juliette has joined the group too.

Of course, Dwayne and Fidel self-appointed themselves as Richard's best men. Automatically.

And Camille, Arthur and Richard have decided that they are not needed for the preparations. Arthur trusts his wife completely and the detectives have to continue with the cases that come up and the routine work of the station.

Now Honoré's entire police team is at the station preparing for the arrival of hurricane "Irma" making sure that nothing will lost or broken.

Despite being engaged, the two detectives are arguing again because Richard thinks "Irma" is no big deal and Camille thinks the 1987 UK storm he brags about was nothing compared to the ones in the Caribbean. The UK storm didn't even have a name!

When the DI, after conveniently taking the hammer out of Camille's hand, blurts out the first name that comes to mind related to meteorology, Michael Fish, Fidel saves the day by reporting a terrible accident at the Weather Station.

Leo Downs, 26 years old. Very young. He has suffered a very serious blow. It could have been much more serious if Judy Hearst, Leo's Dean, hadn't found him in time to call the island hospital. Leo was airlifted by helicopter to Gaudeloupe with a guarded prognosis.

Richard thinks about it and says: "You can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions when you manage to get the victim alive to help clarify what has happened. At least I hope so, even if the prognosis is guarded".

"The dean of the university, Judy Hearst, anticipated her appointment with Downs. She apparently sensed a certain urgency in the conversation she had with him when setting up the appointment." Fidel explains.

In the place where was founded Leo Downs…

"It was really lucky for us that it happened before the hurricane hit the island. Very lucky..." Richard is amazed at all the disorder in the area. Now he understands the reason for the police presence as it is very clear to him that this scene was staged. Nothing would have been discovered until after the hurricane had passed, and by then Downs' then certain death would have seemed like a tragic accident.

Leo Downs should have died. Of course, the poor boy is in a serious condition and can't tell them anything. Yet. But now he has a chance.

Camille is the one who interrogates Mrs. Hearst and she tells him that she was there because Downs had to tell her something, something important. She still doesn't know what. Although she does know that it was something that affected the whole department and was serious, since he wanted to talk to her anyway. It was peremptory, urgent.

'Serious enough for someone to try to kill him' Camille thinks.

Then she meets Richard and Fidel and Dwayne at the weather station. They are looking for any clues that might be of use in the matter at hand.

The first thing the DI has taken on is to seek police protection for the victim. He has asked the Commissioner to ensure that there is always a police presence at the hospital, Richard never wants Leo Downs to be left alone. If he survives, he can give very relevant information and explain a lot.

At the station, after Fidel leaves to run the errand Richard has asked him to do, looking for prints on a rubber duck among other things, Professor King shows up, concerned about everything that has happened.

There he is questioned by the Inspector. Curiously, Richard sees many parallels with young Downs. Leo reminds him a lot of himself before he arrived on the island. He is also an only child, like him. The difference is that Leo's father died a year and a half ago. The Inspector is glad that the young man is at least fighting for his life.

Otherwise, the whole thing seems very intellectual. He can handle that well.

Camille is questioning the other three suspects. Of all of them, Amber reminds her very much of herself. Amber was in love, or at least interested in Leo. But he didn't seem to pay much attention to her.

Camille thinks that, if it wasn't for the Loa, she wouldn't have met Richard as quickly and clearly as she actually did. People like Richard and Leo are very reserved, they come to think that no one understands them.

The Sergeant sighs, she has been very lucky. It motivates her to fight for Leo.

So, back at the station, Richard and his team begin their investigations to find out what happened while continuing the preparations for the arrival of the hurricane.

Fidel is going through the police manual. Dwayne suffers just seeing him with that book, but for Richard it brings back many pleasant memories. He can't help but take it from Fidel and leaf through it under Dwayne's incredulous gaze.

"Richard!"

It's Arthur, along with his wife Alice, calling out to them from the station door.

"Dad! What are you doing here, shouldn't you be preparing for the hurricane?"

Camille continues to go about her work while watching them in amusement. She is of the opinion that they are unlikely to leave the island anymore. She suspects that Saint Marie is a trap for the Pooles. They come but they don't leave.

"Don't make me laugh, son! A little wind and rain is nothing to what we lived through in '87, remember?"

Richard looks at Camille with a big I-told-you-so! grin on his face as Alice and Camille look at each other seconds later with complicity.

"Dangerous or not, I'm glad to be with you, Richard. I would feel terrible knowing that so many hurricanes pass through the Caribbean putting you in almost constant danger. Of course I would worry about you too, my dear." Alice looks at Camille and continues speaking. "At least I have you in sight and the worry is not the same."

Richard walks over to his mother and gives her a hug.

"We'll be fine. I promise. Now Camille and I have to follow up on a case at the station. So do me a favour," he says, looking at his father, "and leave now to give you time to get ready for the storm, okay?"

"I'll look after him, Alice." Says Camille, putting a hand on Richard's arm.

Richard's mother lets out a sigh and says with relief:

"Now I have peace of mind."

When they are outside the building, Alice comments to her husband:

"It's also a pity that, after the renovation of the shack, the hurricane is coming over the island. I hope the house will still be standing..."

Richard looks at Camille under the amused gaze of Fidel and Dwayne.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." They both comment at the same time.

Back to the case and, to avoid thinking about Alice's comment, Richard turns his attention to checking whether any of Leo and Professor King's three other companions could have had time to return and attack the victim. There are four weather stations on the island. So it is Richard, Camille, Fidel and Dwayne who make the journey themselves to check the timing.

But that just goes to show that, from the looks of it, none of the suspects would not have had the time.

For the rest, time is running out. Richard and Camille search Leo Downs' home and try to make more progress on the case, but the hurricane is not going to be long in coming, however much the DI insists on continuing the enquiries.

They see Professor King again, Leo's flatmate... but there comes a point when Richard has to pause due to the weather.

He feels uneasy, he has the feeling that Leo has narrowly escaped, that he is all his mother has left. He identifies with Leo. Richard knows he has been lucky: he has a new relationship with his parents that he didn't have before, he is about to marry an impressive woman in every way who loves him deeply, he has gained friends and family in a paradise and his work gives him satisfaction that it didn't give him before.

He wants Leo Down to have that and, if not, the chance to find it.

But that doesn't stop him, because of his stubbornness, from ending up trapped with Camille at the Weather Station...

Just the two of them, that's no problem, of course. But the hurricane is hitting hard and they don't know if they're safe in there.

Notes:

I Googled Michael Fish, he was the longest serving meteorologist on TV, 1974-2004, so Richard didn't exactly make up the name* Sweepeaspatchs notes.

Hard for Richard to imagine such a thing. He can't help but pull data out of his vast brain. Great research work of Sweepeaspatch! Thanks.

Here I wanted to give Leo Downs the chance to live to tell the tale - he is so much like Richard, that the DI can't help but think that Leo might also have the chance to find happiness as he has found it himself!