9

After leaving Sammy, I squelched across the muddy caravan park, dodging puddles and random debris. My injured wrist throbbed, but the pain meds I’d swallowed this morning had dulled the intensity. They’d also dulled my senses. Not ideal when I was about to go undercover for Con Ryder, but I figured a doped-up Maggie was better than an addled-with-pain Maggie.

When I reached Theresa’s caravan, I knocked lightly on the door. No response. I waited for a full thirty seconds before knocking again, this time harder.

The door swung open. Theresa loomed in the doorframe, a cigarette clenched between her teeth. I’d expected to find her still in her night attire, but she was in full makeup and dressed in a floral shirt, floaty skirt, and neat patent leather sandals. Her body blocked my view into the caravan, but the smell of old grease and cigarette smoke wafting out didn’t encourage me to try her food.

“What do you want?” she snarled. “Come to do me more bodily harm?”

“As you can see from my sling, the person harmed was me. But yesterday’s fall isn’t why I’m here.” I withdrew the crumpled envelope from my coat pocket and handed it to her. “I came to return your letter.”

She snatched the envelope out of my grasp and glowered at me. “I suppose you read it.”

I didn’t bother to deny the accusation. “You need to show this to the police. You can’t ignore a death threat.”

“All the letters say the same thing, more or less.” Theresa rolled her eyes. “I’m always going to die in forty-eight hours or seventy-two hours or whatever. As you see, I’m still kicking.”

“The postmark on that letter is from Wednesday. If the forty-eight-hours threat was valid from the day of postage, that means it’s up today.”

“Or the forty-eight hours started from the moment I collected the letter yesterday.” Theresa grunted. “The sender doesn’t get specific.”

“You can’t let this person get away with making death threats.”

“Why do you think I wanted to hire you?” Her jaw tightened, and her knuckles tensed. “When I find out who’s responsible, I’ll make them regret ever learning my name.”

“I understand your anger,” I said, “but vigilante justice isn’t the answer.”

Her raspy laugh ended in a coughing fit. “I’ve no time for the police. They look down on folks like me. Treat us like vermin. Same goes for the Traveller community, circus workers, and anyone else not living a settled life.”

She wasn’t wrong. I’d heard the comments made by islanders, and not just by those who feared their livelihoods were threatened by the seasonal food trucks. “I guess you know I’m dating Sergeant Liam Reynolds, head of police here on Whisper Island. I can assure you Liam’s a good man and a good cop. He’ll treat you fairly.”

She shrugged. “I’ve met Sergeant Reynolds. He seems a decent enough bloke, but I’m still not going to the station. I prefer to take care of matters on my terms.”

I sighed. This was an argument I wouldn’t win. “I can’t force you, Theresa. Just think about it, okay?”

Her answer was a snort. “If going to the Guards is the best advice you can give me, I’m glad I didn’t hire you. Now get off my doorstep and leave me in peace.”

Before I had time to respond, Theresa slammed the door in my face. I stood there for a moment, stunned at my abrupt dismissal. Charming. Still, I’d done my due diligence. I’d returned her letter, and I’d tried to make her see reason. There was nothing left for me to do at Happy Campers caravan park.

I made my way back to the cab, mulling over the encounter. I had an uneasy sensation in the pit of my stomach. However, that might’ve been due to my pain medication, and not a nagging sixth sense about the letter. Theresa Crawley was the type of woman who attracted enemies. She was rude, abrasive, and probably not above physical violence. If she said similar threats had been made against her in the past, she was likely correct in her assumption that this latest threat was equally baseless.

Squaring my shoulders, I resolved to shelve the Theresa situation, at least for the weekend. With three long days stretching before me, and my brain power compromised by fatigue and pain, I had to concentrate on the matter I’d been hired to investigate.

I reached the cab and slid onto the passenger seat. Jim gunned the engine, and we were speeding through the gates of the caravan park while I was still fastening my seat belt. We hurtled down the dirt track that led to the main road, narrowly avoiding a collision with a second cab weaving its way up to the caravan park.

“It’s all go this morning,” Jim remarked. “We don’t usually get rides to Happy Campers. Those folks keep to themselves. I suppose it’s this film business. Seems everyone and their granny wants to be an extra.”

“Mmm,” I murmured, regretting my decision to sit in the front. Jim was a nice guy, but he was a talker. Exhausted and uncaffeinated, I wasn’t feeling sociable. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, hoping Jim would get the message.

He didn’t. “Did you hear about the fight between the council and the film company? The film crowd wanted Dolphin Island closed to the public for the duration of the shoot.” The cab driver chuckled. “Can you fathom that? Closing down a national park during peak tourist season? As you can imagine, the suggestion didn’t fly. The council has already bent over backward, catering to their demands.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I kept my eyes shut, but Jim droned on.

“And no one’s thrilled by the compromise. The first nice weekend we get this summer, and the number of visitors to the island is capped at no more than fifty at a time. I hope you booked your ticket?”

I let out a sigh and opened my eyes. Jim wouldn’t draw breath until I got out of the car. “Yeah. I used the ferry company’s new phone app.” According to the contract Harper had emailed me this morning, Con would cover my travel expenses in addition to my fee.

Jim shot me a curious glance. “I suppose you’re heading out to the island for the shoot. What with your sister being the star and all.”

“That’s about the size of it.”

A line of cars snaked toward the harbor. I glanced at my watch. We were cutting it close for me to catch the ferry.

“I go out to Dolphin Island a couple of times a year with my grandkids,” the driver said. “Lovely place. I’ve always liked the bird sanctuary. Not the Poison Garden, though. That place always gave me the creeps.”

“Hmm…” I murmured, wishing Jim came with a mute switch.

“I haven’t been out to the island since they renovated the castle, though,” he continued. “I’ll wait until that film crowd clears out.”

We inched up the line, getting closer to the ferry terminal. Come on. Hurry up.

The Renault Clio in front of us surged forward. Just as Jim hit the gas, another taxi overtook us, inserting itself into the narrow gap between our car and the one in front.

Swearing, Jim slammed on the brakes. “Would you look at that? I’ll be having words with Tom Russell later. That’s his car. Ironic seeing him right after driving to Happy Campers. That man’s constantly up and down to the place.”

Jim’s chatter floated over my head. The tension of cutting it so close to catch the boat had my fingers tingling with anxiety.

“I bet Tom’s fare wants to make the eight o’clock ferry,” Jim continued. “Just like you.”

“At this rate, I’ll only make the ferry if I get out and run.” Pulling cash out of my wallet, I shoved a note at him. “Keep the change.”

Jim looked dubiously at the note in his hand. “Are you sure?”

“If you help me lift my bag out of the trunk, yeah.”

The driver stalled the engine and leaped out to retrieve my bag. “Good luck with the film shoot. Rather you than me.”

“We must be the only two people on Whisper Island with no interest in the shoot,” I said. “Everyone else is obsessed.”

Jim eyed me curiously. “Why are you going, then?”

“I’m performing my sisterly duty.” I grabbed the handle of my case. “Thanks for the ride, Jim. Have a great weekend.”

Pulling my wheelie suitcase behind me with my left hand, I sprinted down the pier to the ferry ramp. After flashing my phone screen at the man checking passengers’ tickets, I boarded the ferry. Thirty seconds later, we were on the move. As the pier and ferry terminal faded into the distance, I inhaled the salty sea air. Next stop, Dolphin Island, and a new mystery to solve.