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I wanted to find out what Trina, the woman who ran the gift shop, knew about the origin of my book. How had it ended up on the free beach reads table? Did housekeeping find it in her room? Was it left on the beach or in one of the bars? I would imagine if the killer knew it existed, he would have destroyed it as possible evidence.
Someone tore a page from the book. That person could have killed Diana and then taken the evidence.
I walked into the gift shop and froze. Amber Jones was talking to Trina in a raised voice.
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
I bristled at the tone. The four years I was in college, I’d worked at a local bookstore and detested entitled, bitchy customers who talked down to me or anyone else on staff. When had general politeness disappeared from our culture?
“Housekeeping said they bring books left behind toyou.” She waved her finger in Trina’s face to punctuateyou.
Trina cleared her throat. “Ms. Jones, yes, books that have been left by guests are put on that table.” She gestured toward theBeach Reads!sign. “But we don’t inventory them, and I don’t know where—”
“That’s unacceptable. I spoke to the head of housekeeping and they don’t keep records either! This resort is a completemess.”
“I can contact Mr. Dubois. I’m sure he can help—”
“No onehas been able to help.”
Amber turned around and almost walked right into me as she left. No apology. She looked at me as if it was my fault she wasn’t looking where she was going.
Trina smiled at me, but her eyes were teary. “May I help you, Ms. Crawford?”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
I glanced at where Amber had gone. She strode down the wide tiled corridor heading south, toward the road that led to the dock. Then she stopped and pulled out her phone and appeared to be texting someone.
I rethought my plan. Was Amber looking for Diana’s book? Did she know that Diana had been writing in it? If Amber knew about the book and understood its value, then she must have known about Diana’s blackmail schemes.
Why hadn’t I thought of that connection this morning? If Diana Harden was blackmailing people on the island, and Amber was her girlfriend as Brie surmised, it made sense that Amber would know what Diana was up to.
Did that make Amber an accomplice? Was she, too, in danger? And where did Parker Briggs fit into their scheme?
“Do you need something?” Trina said.
“Yes, sorry, I just came back from a hike. I’m a bit ditzy.” I smiled, hoping it looked natural as I began to piece together small details. “I wanted to buy presents for my assistant and my grandmother, but I might not have room in my luggage. Do you ship?”
“Yes, we package up anything you want here, and it goes out the next day. Are you still looking, or do you know what you’d like?”
“Looking,” I said. I wanted to buy gifts, but it wasn’t the primary thing on my mind right now. I was keeping one eye on Amber and trying to figure out how to get information out of Trina.
Be bold, I told myself.Channel Elle Woods.
“Have you heard anything about what happened to Diana Harden?” I asked as I casually flipped through a colorful book about the history of St. Claire. At the surprised look on her face, I quickly said, “I know she was killed, and, well, I guess I’m a little scared.” I put a hint of worry in my voice, hoping that disguised my excitement. “I saw her on the beach. I talked to Tristan and he was very nice, but didn’t have anything new to share. Trust me, my imagination is probably far wilder than what really happened.”
Trina glanced behind me, then to the side, then leaned forward until her face was only inches from mine. “She was strangled,” she whispered. “And she was wearing the same dress she left the island in. So they think she was killed on St. John.”
“And floated here? That seems like a long way.” I didn’t buy it. Common sense said she was killed on the island or near the shore.
“My roommate who is in housekeeping? Well, she heard from the ferry captain that Ms. Harden told him not to come get her, that she’d take a water taxi back because she didn’t know how long she’d be. The police talked to the water taxi drivers. No one brought her back, but there are private boats, too. So we think that Ms. Harden hired someone and got herself killed.”
“But why would someone kill a guest if they were complete strangers?” I thought of several reasons. A serial killer. A rapist. An accident that was covered up.
Trina whispered, “I know she’s dead, and I feel bad about that, but she was rude. Extremely demanding and treated staff like we were servants. I mean,” she added quickly, “we are happy to serve all the guests here, whatever you need.”
“I know what you mean. I used to work retail.”