Thirty-three

WE’D been allowed to leave sometime after midnight, on the condition that we show up at the police station first thing the following morning. When we walked in a little after eight, Chief Harding leaned against the front counter, waiting for us.

“You know I could arrest you for obstruction of justice.” He took a sip of coffee. “I’m sure I could come up with a number of other charges, like trespassing, without giving it much thought.”

“You were getting ready to arrest the wrong person,” I said. “In fact, the only reason there was justice at all is because of what I did. How do you call that obstruction?”

Connor closed his eyes behind his palm while he rubbed his temples. “Penny, let’s see if we can come up with a solution.” He moved closer and said in a soft voice, “The goal is to go home, remember?”

Chief Harding crossed his arms. “We were hot on their heels before you pulled that little stunt last night. It might have taken a bit longer, if you’d let us handle it, but Jim might still be alive.”

“Maybe, but I might have been dead, so I’ll just consider it a win.”

“You wouldn’t have been attacked if you hadn’t been on the train!”

“Wrong. I would have been attacked, just somewhere else!” I was tired, still in shock and needed caffeine so badly even the police station coffee he was drinking smelled good. “Look, you heard Bill last night. You have a confession. Don’t you think it’s time to just let us go?”

Antonia spoke for the first time since we’d arrived. “Chief Harding, if I may interject, wouldn’t it in fact be the best thing for all if we were to leave town? The reality is that no one outside this room knows exactly what happened last night. It could easily be recorded that you were wise enough to act on the suspicious note left for a hotel guest. That decision led you to discover that another hotel guest,” she tipped her head toward me, “Penny here, was being held against her wishes. Your quick thinking prevented what might very well have been a third murder from occurring.”

“What rubbish.” I spoke under my breath. Antonia shot me a look.

“Of course,” she continued, “if you need us to return in the future to testify, we’ll be more than happy to comply and confirm this perfectly, hmm, plausible version of last evening’s events.”

Chief Harding moved his gaze across the three of us as he absently smoothed his moustache. Finally he pushed himself up off the counter. “If you agree to return if necessary, I don’t see any reason for you to remain here. In the meantime, looks like you folks should get going.”

*   *   *

A short time later we were back at the hotel. Antonia was still outside and I pulled Connor into a corner of the lobby.

“I just wanted to make sure we were good, since, you know, you sounded a little testy at the police station.”

He nodded. “Sure. I just thought at that moment our best course of action was to get out of there, not point out all of the mistakes that he’d made as an officer of the law.”

I sniffed. “Fair enough. I just like it better when we present a united front. You know, I have your back, you have mine, that kind of thing.”

Connor smiled and my heart did a little whirly dance. “Yes, Penny. I’ll always have your back.”

My cheeks felt hot but before I managed to embarrass myself Antonia joined us. “What a relief that that’s behind us,” Antonia said. “All I want to do is grab Chantal and our bags and start for home.”

“That might be delayed a bit, although I’m sure you won’t mind,” I said as Olympio pushed through the hotel’s front doors. His smile was subdued.

“I called and the hotel said you had not checked out, which is very fortunate for me.”

“I would have called you to say good-bye,” Antonia said. “You didn’t need to come down here.”

“And forfeit a chance to see you again? I miss you already, my friend.”

Antonia tipped her head in accord. “Next time I would love to host you as a guest at my winery.”

“I will hold you to that and will visit soon. In the meantime, I have some good news to share. Barb has decided to leave Seth. She is moving into one of the cottages on my property this afternoon.”

“That’s wonderful,” Antonia said. “She’s lucky to have you.”

Olympio shrugged. “She was once a very happy woman. I think, with time, she will be again.”

I saw Big Dave across the lobby and excused myself.

“I didn’t get a chance to thank you last night,” I said when I reached him. “It was a good thing you insisted the police follow up with a visit to the train. You saved my life.”

Big Dave shook his head. “You found out what happened to Tara. I reckon we’re even.”

“Where’s Vance?”

Big Dave grimaced. “Waiting in the car out front. He offered to give me a ride to the airport. How in hell I’m supposed to fit in that thing, with all our luggage, is beyond me, but it seemed like an offer of goodwill on his part, and I didn’t want to turn it down.”

“You’re a good man. I knew it the moment I met you.”

“Good thing I didn’t let you down. Bye, Penny.”

I gave a small wave as he turned toward the main entrance.

There was one last person I wanted to see before I left, and I spotted him a few moments later. George was crossing the lobby with the next suitcase, the next guest behind him. I caught his eye, nodded my thanks and touched the side of my nose before departing.