Justin strolled towards him. ‘Have you seen James?’ Matlock asked.
Justin rolled his eyes. ‘He’s still in his pit. Rather the worse for wear after the disco, I’m afraid,’ he said, jumping aboard. ‘Come on, cast off. I’m crewing for you today. The regulars have demanded a day off. I suspect they’ve got hangovers too.’
Matlock untied a mooring line, disappointed. ‘Wretched boy. Spoiled, pampered idiot. I wash my hands of him.’
Justin signalled to the boat-boy to start the engines. ‘We’re going into deep water this morning and if you get a big catch,’ he laughed, splaying his hands out, ‘I’ll help you reel it in!’
Matlock pointed to the jetty. ‘Looks like a mass exodus. Sightseeing, are they?’
‘Yes, and hitting the tourist shops.’
‘Thank God I’m not roped into that.’
‘Yes. We’ll have much more fun... fishing.’
Angela headed for her son’s room. She paused, gazing down at the jetty as everyone climbed aboard the cruiser. Then she went on her way to James. She pushed open the door to his room. It was in immaculate order. The maids had cleaned it and changed the linen.
‘James?’ she called. This was so unlike her son. His own room at home, even with maids, was in constant turmoil. Angela opened the wardrobe. His clothes were all neatly pressed and on their individual hangers. Even the drawers were tidy. She turned guiltily as Max tapped and peered in from outside. He was a little out of breath as he had run back from the jetty to see his parents off. He had been disappointed to discover he had missed them, and was more than a little confused as to why his mother had not even called in to his suite.
‘Hi,’ he said shyly.
‘Hello, Max. I just dropped in to see James.’
‘Is he feeling better?’
‘Better?’ she said, puzzled.
Max came further into the room and he, too, looked around in surprise. ‘Well, I saw him last night and—’
‘And?’ she said quickly. ‘Had he been drinking?’
‘A bit. He wasn’t feeling too good.’
‘Then where is he?’ she said, now showing her worry.
‘I have no idea, but he came home late. They went clubbing.’
Angela gave a soft laugh. ‘Of course, he’ll be with his father. He was going on a special fishing trip this morning.’
‘Oh, that may be it,’ Max said, but he doubted it. He excused himself and left, checking the time. It was not too long to wait.
He decided he would go for a walk — anything to take his mind off Laura.
Dahlia looked up with surprise as Laura walked into the laundry room. ‘Have you heard how he is?’ she asked.
‘Who?’ Laura asked, as she crossed to where her clothes were drying.
‘They took James Matlock to hospital,’ Dahlia said, watching her intently.
‘Justin didn’t tell me.’
Dahlia continued folding towels. Laura seemed unconcerned by the news and, to Dahlia’s surprise, gathered all her lingerie into a basket.
‘Where is my tissue paper, Dahlia?’
‘I had it ironed. It’s in that drawer.’ She pointed.
Laura placed it carefully on top of her basket. ‘You’re not planning on leaving, are you?’ Dahlia asked.
‘No, I’m not.’ Laura was about to walk out, but then she turned. Her eyes were chilling. ‘When do you expect Sir William?’
Dahlia licked her lips. ‘Perhaps some time today.’
Laura gave an odd, secretive smile. ‘Good.’ And she was gone.
Dahlia found Kurt in the gym, working out alone. ‘You have any news about James Matlock?’
‘They took him into intensive care and said they’d keep Justin informed of his progress. I think he’ll be okay... Didn’t look too good, though.’
‘What drugs had he taken?’ Dahlia asked, placing pristine white towels in the racks.
‘Christ only knows, and in that club they sell shit. They’ve been handing round Ecstasy tabs like they were M&Ms.’
‘His parents haven’t been told,’ Dahlia said, with a hint of disapproval. Her bleeper went off. ‘I’ve got to go. See you later.’
‘You won’t, I’m quitting,’ said Kurt. ‘Be gone by this afternoon.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know exactly what’s going on here but something is, and it’s not smelling good to me. You know Justin’s given all the boys two days off, plus the kitchen staff? I reckon whatever’s going to happen will happen soon.’
Dahlia hurried out. She began to feel the same trepidation as Kurt, but she had kids — she needed her wage packet. Her bleeper went off and she hurried back to the laundry room.
Dahlia closed the laundry-room door, went to the phone and called William. He was at the airport. If he had been there an hour earlier he would have passed his erstwhile guests, but now the airport was virtually empty. ‘I need to be picked up,’ he said. ‘Is everything all right over there?’
Dahlia took a nervous look around. She knew Justin was out, but was worried that Laura might walk in and catch her. William listened as Dahlia listed those who had left. He asked about Humphrey Matlock. ‘Out fishing, sir.’
She hesitated before she told him about James.
William told her he would go straight to the hospital and check on James. ‘Where’s his mother?’ he asked. When William discovered that she had not been told, he bellowed down the phone so loud that Dahlia had to hold the receiver away from her ear. She then told him that half of the staff had been given two days off, including some of the boat-boys and several of the kitchen and domestic staff. ‘On whose orders?’
‘Justin’s,’ she said. Then, after another lengthy pause and feeling even guiltier, she hinted that something odd was going on but she was not quite sure what. ‘I may be wrong, but I think Laura is planning to leave.’
‘Is Justin going too?’ William interrupted. ‘Where is he now?’
‘Oh, I think he’s out with Sir Humphrey on the fishing-boat.’ Dahlia listened as William barked instructions down the line, repeated that she must carry out everything he told her to do, without question.
William slapped off his mobile, and remained standing with the phone for a few moments. Then he did what he should have done earlier: he called the coastguard.
Chapter twenty
At around nine, Dahlia found Angela Matlock sitting by the pool in the shade. As usual she was working on her cross stitch. ‘Excuse me interrupting you, madam, but I have an urgent message for you. Your son is in hospital on Tortola. He’s very sick.’
‘What?’ Angela stood up and her cross stitch fell to the ground.
‘I have arranged for you to be taken there directly,’ Dahlia said.
Angela’s face drained of colour. ‘Has anyone told my husband?’
‘He’s still out on the fishing-boat, madam. I’m afraid I can’t contact him from here. We have tried their radio, but it appears to be switched off.’
Matlock had a cigar clamped between his teeth. It was still early, but he had a glass of iced Pernod which he lifted in a toast to Justin. ‘This is one of the best times I’ve had in years,’ he said expansively, then gave a deep rumbling laugh. ‘No bloody women on board for starters!’ He drank thirstily. ‘No son either.’ He refilled his glass. ‘I don’t know what to do about him. He’s had every opportunity handed to him on a plate: the best education money can buy, a doting mother, and myself obviously. I’m fond of the lad, but you know... I hope this will go no further.’
Justin lit a cigarette. ‘That’s what fishing trips are for. Male bonding they call it, don’t they?’ He tilted his head to look up to the sky, and squinted against the glare of the sun.