I paced the lodge’s common area after breakfast. The staff were cleaning up the remnants of another large and delicious breakfast. They did so, moving around Jack, who drank another cup of coffee. The coffee cups were dainty and beautiful but very small compared to the oversized mug I used at home for my daily dose of caffeine to start the day. At the bar, I couldn’t outdrink him (and survive). But at breakfast, I could give him a run for his money.
I thought about challenging him to a drinking contest. I needed something to do but I might never sleep again.
Geri returned and yelled for Jack. “Let’s go!”
He looked around. “Go where?”
She noticed me and resumed her typical loving tone. “For our massages, darling.” She walked over and kissed him on his cheek. She watched me as she did it. It was unsettling. She took his hand. “Our appointment’s in ten minutes. Let’s go.”
“Let me go back to the room and change.”
“Change into what? You’ll be naked,” she cooed. I tried not to cringe. Or vomit.
He finished his coffee and pushed his chair away. “Why?”
“You’ve complained about your back for days. Today was the worst. And you’re stressed.”
“If I were stressed, wouldn’t I know it?”
“Well, you don’t sleep with you. I do. You’re tossing and turning. Mumbling in your sleep.”
Perhaps guilt was keeping him up at night.
I waited until they were on the path and then left my spot along the railing.
I paced my walk so as not to run and draw attention to myself.
I followed Geri and Jack, holding hands, until the first cutoff after the last suite, Dr. Higgins’ suite. Geri was grasping Jack’s hand as if he’d float away. It had a tenseness to it that didn’t say love. A woman was waiting for them. “Welcome, who’s first?”
“First?” Geri asked. “I booked a couples massage.” She leaned in toward Jack. “I thought it be romantic.”
“I thought it was for my bad back.”
“Oh yeah…that too,” she admitted.
“Oh, I’m sorry for any miscommunication. I’m the only massage therapist on staff today.”
Geri nodded. “Then take him first. I’ll be waiting by the pool.” She kissed Jack on the cheek. “Enjoy it and please relax. Get out all that tension!”
I ran back to our room. Charlotte was getting out of the plunge pool.
“Charlotte, does every country have patient confidentiality laws?”
“I think so. I don’t know for sure.” She pointed to one of the towels rolled on the patio’s table. “I’d look it up but—”
“It’s temporary. They’re working on it. It’ll be fixed shortly,” I answered.
She furrowed her eyes. “That’s exactly what the front desk told me.” She pointed to the towels again.
“It’s the party line regarding the lack of Wi-Fi.” I threw her a towel. “Anyway, back to my question. Do all medical professionals abide by confidentiality rules?”
“Well, they should, but not everyone follows the rules.”
“Do you think someone like a massage therapist has confidentiality rules?”
“In the US, yes.”
“So someone could confess a murder to a massage therapist?”
“I don’t like where this is going. Why are you asking—”
“Gotta go,” I yelled as I ran back out of the room.
I walked as if headed to the pool. The massage therapist was coming out of the gym and headed down the path to the cabana. I followed her. If caught, I’d just say I didn’t know where I was going. Made a wrong turn is all. I was just exploring the lovely lodge. How could I know this was the private cabana for massages?
“Are you ready, sir?” she asked as she entered the cabana.
Jack must have already been feeling better, and answered, “Better question, are you ready for me?”
I tried not to gag.
Like the underwear, this was not something I needed to see. I squatted down along the outside of the cabana. I only needed to hear this.
“You have a lot of tension in your shoulders.”
“I have a stressful job.”
“But you are on vacation, that tension should be gone.”
“Sometimes it stays.” He sighed. “A lot of the time it stays.”
I waited and there was nothing more. After a few minutes of silence, I became bored and wondered how long I should stay. I didn’t know how long his massage would be and had no idea if any other staff would come down this way. I got up, stretched my legs, and left. I walked nonchalantly, my excuse ready if anyone asked what I was doing. “Just walking. Just looking.”
I walked to the pool and sat a few lounge chairs down from Geri. She had her hat over her face and appeared to be sleeping. I did the same. With my sunglasses on, no one would tell if my eyes were open or closed. If I remained still, they’d think I was sleeping.
About thirty minutes later, Jack returned. “Your turn, Geri.”
“Did it help?”
“Help what?” he asked, as he lay down on a lounge.
“The massage. Did it help? Do you think you’ll sleep better tonight?”
“I told you, it’s the pills. Those malaria pills are giving me crazy dreams. I feel like I’m running all night.”
“I think you are. You just keep moving. No wonder you’re tired.”
“I’m tired because we get a wake-up call at five in the morning.”
She got up and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re tired because you work too hard.”
She left for her massage.
I waited what I thought was an acceptable amount of time and got up to leave. I needed to confirm his story with my medical consultant. Who knew Charlotte would be so helpful on this trip?
Jack appeared to be sleeping as I passed. But they had probably thought the same of me for the last hour.
Charlotte was lying on the lounge on the patio, reading a medical book, when I returned.
“Do malaria pills give people weird dreams?”
“Oh yes. Vivid dreams are one of the side effects.” She put her sunglasses down. “Are you having them?” She bolted up, eyes wide, and asked, “Do you think that’s why you’re looking into this supposed murder?”
“What?”
“With that overactive imagination of yours, I was a little afraid the pills would give you crazy dreams.”
I plopped down on the other lounge. “No, I haven’t had any but the one with the hyenas chasing me. I didn’t even know that was a side effect.”
“Yes, vivid dreams as well as more standard prescription side effects like nausea, diarrhea, etc. Didn’t you read it in the pamphlet when you got it from the pharmacy?”
I looked up at her. She had to be kidding.
“Of course you didn’t.”
It didn’t alibi Jack out for the murder, but it might explain his disrupted sleep.