Glenda stood in the alcove of one of the boutique shops, her back against the wall and her ankles crossed. Hector nervously faced her, listening to every word with acute attention. The tone of their respective body language indicated to any watching that Hector Prince had placed himself squarely in an inescapable box. He shifted from foot to foot, hands flapping, head bobbing as he tried to counter Glenda's calm assault.

"I said all I could! I told them I was up to your villa to fix the lock and later to check on you-both nights!"

"You told Warez that I asked to have you check on me. He is suspicious that it was to provide me with an alibi." She poked him in the chest with a sharp fingernail. "I assured him that it was you who offered to check back after you repaired the lock and that regardless of the reason, we independently supported one another's story. The problem you now have is to make sure you do NOT say or do anything else that could upset that story. Unless Warez gets a confession from Charles, things are still up in the air."

"I don't see any way out for him. His tale about making an arrest falls apart when he shot at Astrid, unless he intends to lump her in with them as a gang of thieves." Hector fumbled in his shirt for a cigarillo.

Glenda pushed off the wall and stared at him. Charles could actually use that excuse if he thought about it but she didn't think Warez would bite. She bit her lip hard and pulled a face as Hector lit up and blew a cloud of smelly smoke about their heads.

"Just remember what I said, Hector, I have alternatives . . . you don't."

******

Gary faced Warez with genuine fear. He knew Glenda had done nothing to help him and now that Astrid had been arrested as part of the murder plot-God, how could he have been so stupid? His alibi with her wouldn't be worth squat. Warez cleared his throat and leaned forward, gloating.

"It would seem that your alibi for the night of Senorita Burrow's death has," he shrugged elaborately, "how you say . . . gone down the sewer."

"She's lying."

"Really? And is she also lying when she says you were having an affair with Senorita Burrows?"

"It wasn't an aff- it was just- it was . . ." Gary stared bleakly at the grim, satisfied smile facing him. "So what." He finally stated, without much conviction.

"The what, Senor Ordman, is that the maid not only denied being with you that night but she says she saw Senorita Burrows enter your room just before morning."

"She's lying." Gary closed his eyes. He should never have trusted the bitch. He felt his words backing up like a blocked drain in his throat.

"And what was Senor Graves' behaviour?"

"I don't know I wasn't there." She uh- she met him on the beach about something and when she got back . . ." Gary felt his tongue flutter and he saw the eyebrows of the police captain elevate with interest.

"Got back, senor?" The captain leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the desk. "Please go on, Senor Ordman, I would like to hear the whole story."

******

Warez tapped his notepad with his pen and made a contemplative face. One of his men had uncovered the oar that was used in the killings, in the foliage not far from where Shelia Burrows was murdered. Fingerprints were faint and smeared but he could still use them as a threat.

He had confirmation that Ordman was with Burrows for almost the entire night and not the maid. He had Ordman's story that Burrows had received a call from Graves and left to meet him on the beach . . . where he was killed. She then returned to Ordman's room and left shortly after; the maid confirmed this last part. He drummed another tattoo on the pad and frowned. Why did Ordman feel the need for the maid's help?

********

Charles swore, he had been suspicious of something going on and had used the ruse of attending seminars to instead hide out in the maid's room while investigating those suspicions. This the maid did not confirm. She says he recruited her to spy on the Burrows woman with the promise of money . . . lots of money that he would get from a hiding place he had discovered.

Along with proof that Burrows had been in Ordman's room, Senorita Estrada provided evidence of a hidden safe under the villa floor of Senor Graves by way of a small map she found in the Burrows woman's room. The fact that she had obtained this evidence in a criminal fashion could be overlooked if it led to a successful conviction.

Warez reluctantly acknowledged that Estrada and the man Hunt were behaving more like police than criminals. If he was honest with himself, it was apparent that his earlier hopes about Hunt were no longer valid. Timing placed Burrows with Graves when he was killed. She could have done it for the money. But then who killed her? Ordman? He could have known; maybe she told him about the safe. Charles? The maid said he knew about the safe and he lied about attending the seminars. He could have killed them both.

He drew big circles around the names of Gary Ordman and Charles. These were the most likely.

Captain Warez tilted back in the chair and thought about the money. It would be a tidy amount to place in his account when this was over but was it a tidy enough amount to provoke two murders? The maid had been apprehended on the beach coming from the Dive Shop area. If she was running away she could have gone straight through the resort tennis club area much quicker. Perhaps a little cat and mouse with our suspicious maid is in order, he mused.

He opened his phone and called for his assistant to release the maid but keep a very close watch without her knowing. That part was crucial. He hung up and fingered his crop, lowering his upper lip into his mouth. Charles Ortiz was his killer . . . he was certain. He would see how his theory with the maid went and then he would apply all the necessary pressure for a confession.

******

A number of guests who had children with them had cut their vacation short in light of the killings and the police presence, which had cast a pall over the resort. Miller found a perverse pleasure in seeing the family from hell arguing about a refund as they loaded their own bags into the back of a taxi. He gave the little boy a small wave and a hearty view of his tongue then turned away before the father could react to his son's wail.

"You're such a child, Miller." Billy took his arm and they strolled across the drive and over to the shops.

"It's my most endearing feature."

"You think so?"

"Well I'm open to any contradictions you may have."

"I don't." She let go of his arm and stopped to admire something in the clothing shop. His face fell. "Do you like that blouse?"

"Would it matter?"

"Oh-h-h, it's pout time." She strolled further along, forcing him to catch up or follow.

"I mentioned a day or so ago that I was falling in love with you; does that hold any meaning for you or even ring a bell?" He rounded on her and stood in her path.

"It has meaning, Miller but it doesn't ring a bell . . . of any kind." Her face was open and serious.

He nodded. "I see. At least I think I do."

He was about to say more but he caught sight of Helen coming down the walk and he tapped Billy's arm. She came up and laid a hand on her arm, smiling.

"Billy, your father would like to see you in his office."

"Is anything wrong?"

"She smiled again. "I think it's to do with Captain Warez."

Miller shuffled his feet and stepped back. "I'll catch you later . . . maybe lunch . . . a late lunch?"

"Sure. I'll call you later." She answered. He stood and watched both women walk away with a primitive male appreciation for both.

Carlos thanked Helen and waited until she closed the door before speaking to his daughter. "The captain informed me that you provided pieces of evidence for his case."

She knew what was coming and prepared herself for a parental scolding. "Yes."

"Billy- I-e-e-e, chiwawa! I would have thought by now that you would have outgrown that silly behaviour. I don't have these problems with your sisters!"

"What problems exactly?"

Carlos stopped mid pace and did a double take. "What problems? You have been breaking into guest's rooms and- and taking things, just like when you were a child."

"I was helping the police."

A hand came up like a stop sign and Carlos shook his head side to side. "No! Do not think that is an excuse." He huffed around some more and then stopped, leaning on his desk with his head down.

"Carlos, I am sorry if I upset you but in this case I felt it necessary to defend someone . . ." Her words faded as his head came up slowly. His mouth twitched and his eyes blinked rapidly.

"Senor Hunt?" He stood as tall as he could and clasped his hands in front of him. "Senor Hunt is the person you were defending?"

"Carlos-"

"Billy, I have never interfered with your social life other than on a professional basis and I'm not going to start now. All I have to say on this matter is please, for my sake and yours, choose wisely."

"You don't think this would be a wise choice, which it isn't by the way - a choice I mean. I like Miller and he really is a good guy and there's nothing super serious going on. But he doesn't deserve the treatment he's had since coming here."

"I caught the emphasis, Billy." Carlos raised an eyebrow. "However, all that aside, I am here to tell you that Captain Warez is testing a gambit on a theory he's devised and it entails allowing Astrid to be released from custody. I'm not privy to all details but I have been asked to warn you not to do any more meddling or interfering; he wants to see where this theory leads."

"Ungrateful lout," she pulled a face.

"Billy . . . do this for me, please?"

"I'm not planning anything. I want the whole mess over as much as you."

"Fine then. We agree."

Yes, father. We agree."