Miguel pulled up and gave a tiny beep on the horn, admiring the American senorita as she locked her villa door and made her way up the steps to the road and into his little bus.

"Buenos dias, Senorita."

"Buenos dias, Miguel. Restaurante, por favor."

"Si, senorita." He put the cart in gear and headed off down the road. The air was crisp and almost sweet and Glenda closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the sensation. When she felt the cart slow down she opened her eyes and blinked in alarm.

"What are you doing? Don't stop here! No se aqui!" Glenda saw Gary waiting for the cart and she turned angry.

Miguel shrugged and pointed at Gary. This was a guest too. He needed a ride. Gary climbed in beside her and they glared at one another while Miguel sang out his cheery greetings.

"Just drive." She scolded Miguel.

"What the hell's your problem?"

"I wasn't fooled by that pitiful excuse last night, Gary. I saw you and that woman passing your eye signals."

"Hey, we agreed to try and find out about the finances, right? She is the only way in." They kept their voices low enough to avoid Miguel's attention.

"So why the secrecy with me if we're in agreement?"

"Because I wanted to avoid exactly what we're doing now." He sank back in the seat and glared at Miguel in the mirror.

"This whole idea was a big mistake." Glenda hissed.

"I might have known you'd throw up this jealousy card."

"Jealousy? Me? Of you and that- that . . . ?"

"See what I mean? You can't help bringing her into it."

"Bloody right. While you're mining your friend for information you seem to forget who it's for. Damn right I'm angry."

"Look, if anyone should be angry it's me; look at my face." He hoped to blame Shelia instead of the maid for his wound.

"I've seen enough of your face, thank you."

They both got out at Fonda Anita and waited until Miguel drove off. "Don't even think of joining me inside." She started up the steps to the dining room.

"Don't try and fluff me off, Glenda, you're in this as deep as I am." He did follow and they marched into the dining room in lockstep, reluctantly taking a table together. Anita presented menus and the breakfast specials, miffed at their lack of attention or appreciation. She sniffed audibly and swept away, indicating one of her waitresses to take over the table.

"I'm only in this because you wanted that woman to get next to Winston." She lowered her voice and looked angrily about.

"And you thought it was a fine idea at the time." He shot back.

"I had no idea you would- I didn't think you were going to . . ."

"Going to what, boff her? Jesus, Glenda you don't just ask people to do what we wanted and expect them to jump right on board, you have to finesse them into it."

"Well I gather you finessed her all right." She drank from her water glass and made a face. Her mouth twisted into an ugly sneer. "You bastard. You come on to me with all your oozy charm and promises and then you go off with her! Why isn't she with you today?"

"I don't know where she is." He heaved a sigh. "Look, I know what I said and what I did, okay? But the plan was to get him to talk about his deal with Shelia and when she showed up telling me she hadn't learned anything I got suspicious and I spent the night trying to confirm that fact. It wasn't what you think at all. I intended to come back to you but the opportunity just didn't present itself."

"I'll bet. You had a new opportunity." She waved him off when he started to speak. "I want my breakfast in peace before I see that ignorant policeman and then go down for some sun."

Gary swore under his breath and slapped his hand on the table just as the waitress arrived and they both ordered something to eat, fuming quietly.

********

Gary was supposed to have been ahead of her but she had beaten him back to the office and she simply shrugged when asked about his whereabouts. If this caused him a problem then that was just his tough luck. Glenda arranged her slacks and crossed her legs as she listened with impatience to the police captain's questions. When he finished she sat straight and stared him in the eye.

"I am tired of being dragged down here and asked the same inane questions every time you get the urge to ask them. I am a paying guest of this resort. I have no knowledge nor any part in the unfortunate death of Mister Graves and I wish to finish what is left of my vacation in peace."

"You may not approve, Senorita Weiss, but it is I, Captain Enrico Warez who will decide how this investigation proceeds." He wiped at his moustache and glowered at her. "You are here I am informed with a Senor Ordman?"

"As are many others it would appear," she said, snappishly.

"Ah but you also have a connection to Senorita Burrows, Senor Graves' associate."

"I went on one of her tours for God's sake. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Please do not invoke the deity, senorita." Glenda gaped at him.

"Senor Ordman also toured with Senorita Burrows."

"Is that what you call it?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing. Yes, we both took her tour. We were interested in learning about the facility for investment purposes."

"So, that would confirm my connection theory." Warez strutted back behind the desk.

"Pardon?" Exactly what connection was he referring to?

"To Senor Graves! Your interest in investing would mean you dealt with Senor Graves."

"Wrong, Captain. W- I never met Mr. Graves; I only dealt with Miss Burrows in person and that was limited."

Warez stroked his chin and toyed with the flap on his holster. "You all attended the party together."

"Who?"

"You. Senor Ordman and Senorita Burrows!" He punched the desk top and winced.

"I went alone. I saw Gar- Mr. Ordman there and I saw Miss Burrows but we never spoke."

"It is very interesting that none of you were seen at the party after the incident with Senor Hunt."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Warez frowned.

She wrinkled her nose in disbelief." What does this have to do with anything? I don't even know the man . . . Hunt and I went on a tour with Miss Burrows and I have spoken on the telephone with Graves once. Period."

Warez stroked his moustache and made some notes. "You will remain available for further interviews, senorita."

"Balls." Glenda stood and left the office. Warez cringed at her profanity.

When Miller and Billy entered the lobby, Warez stood from behind his desk and began slapping his crop against his back in annoyance.

"I am busy conducting interviews at this moment, I have no time for distractions."

"You might want to sit down and listen to this distraction, Captain."

They delivered their story to an increasingly rigid Warez who finally released his body enough to thump down on his chair. He definitely was not pleased to hear that another body had been discovered on the resort grounds and that Miller had once again been involved.

His superiors would be gathering to discuss the progress and now he would have to explain another murder while he and his men were on site. He dispatched his men immediately to cordon off the area and determine the identity of the victim. Even more frustrating was the fact that he had just finished with the Weiss woman and would now have to do that interview all over. Meanwhile, he brightened, he had his favourite suspect seated right across from him.

"But I wasn't involved," Miller insisted. "We were out walking and we found her. End of story."

"I must insist that you do not leave the grounds, Senor Hunt, until a thorough investigation has taken place."

"I'm on a flight at the end of the week, I can't stay longer than that."

Warez strutted around the desk and stood before Miller, his swagger stick slapping noisily against his thigh. "You will stay as long as I require, senor. And you will surrender your passport to my Sergeant immediately."

"It's already with the resort personnel." Miller said with disgust. "I have a job I have to get to you know. My employer can't just give me unlimited time off."

The stick landed with a crack and Warez limped back behind the desk. "I will say when you leave, Senor Hunt. End of story!"

Carlos did his best to put Miller at ease but the attempt rang hollow and he brushed off the effort, leaving Billy to deal with Warez and her father. He left in a huff and jogged down to the pool bar where Billy promised to meet him after her separate interview.

Mendoza was all sympathy and hastily manufactured drinks, his piano key smile flexing between sympathy and encouragement. The bar phone rang and Mendoza picked it up, listening silently and hanging up again. "Senorita Billy says she will be only a short time longer and asks that you wait."

When Billy was interviewed she said what they had agreed on, that they were together when the woman's body was discovered and no mention of the man Miller thought he'd seen. Warez was suspicious but also reluctant to press the issue since she was the daughter of Carlos Estrada and already connected to his other killing. Things were very confusing and his investigation was not making the progress he wanted . . . and his leg was smarting.

********

Perspiration had spoiled the blouse and her slacks were unacceptably wrinkled so Glenda had returned to her room to change into beachwear after her interview with Warez. The phone rang and she was surprised to hear Hector eagerly submitting a very interesting report. He obviously enjoyed her carrot and stick approach to their relationship.

She called for a ride and was now passing time standing by one of the resort store windows when Gary jogged down the walkway and caught up to her. He steeled himself and put on a pleasant face.

"How did it go?"

"The man's an ass." She started walking toward the beach. "He was pissed that you didn't show up when you were supposed to. I'm surprised he hasn't had you arrested."

"I'm gonna go, I just didn't want to go in the mood you left me in."

She stopped and gave him an amused smile. "I left you in a mood?"

"Yeah, about Shelia."

"Shelia, really. You mean how your plan of seduction netted you absolutely zero?"

"C'mon, Glenda, it was a shot. I had to try. It might have thrown some light on things."

"You're right, it did."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I managed to get enlightened in a different way recently." She walked away from him and across the patio, beach robe billowing behind.

"Hey! What's wrong? What do you mean?"

She stopped and turned on him. "I mean I heard about your little escapades with the maid."

Gary blanched and his mouth dried. "Huh? What are you talking about?" His colour faded markedly.

"Please don't give me the innocent bit. You just closed the door, Gary. I was almost considering listening to an explanation but when you start with a stupid lie well, just forget it." She headed around the pool to the bar.

The young man that had caused the problem with Graves was seated at one end and she chose the opposite. Gary followed close behind. They took a pair of stools at the end of the bar and continued arguing.

Miller recognized her as one of the people being interviewed about Graves. He waved his hand and sipped the more conventional drink Mendoza had served, glancing about the patio at the guests lounging in various stages of undress. He saw the family with the two horrid children and when he gave the father a wave he received a savage glower in return. Up yours, pal.