Death in a Beach Chair Read Free Page B

building right in front of our cottage; he might be there.” Kathleen sat up a bit straighter and looked around. “There he is. He’s arranging the seats by the pool. I wonder if we could reserve the four chaises in front of your cottage. Maybe put books on them or something?”
    Jerry glanced over at the seats his wife was talking about. A line of about a dozen wooden lounges stood on the patio between the cottages and the seawall that lined the beach. As they watched, a young man wiped the night’s dew from them and laid out heavy canvas pads and towels. “Aren’t those seats a bit exposed?”
    “Exposed?” Kathleen said.
    “To the sun,” Jerry explained. “I don’t want to get a burn. I was thinking of lying by the pool—under an umbrella—or maybe napping inside.”
    “Inside? Jerry, we’re on an island in the Caribbean. No one stays inside unless it’s raining!”
    “You’re the one who keeps telling me that I look sleepy.”
    “You do look sleepy,” Kathleen agreed, looking guilty. “But we’re on vacation . . . and I thought . . . oh, I don’t know what I thought.”
    Susan and Jed, simultaneously recognizing a marital argument in its formative stages, chimed in.
    “I know just how Jerry feels. A long nap is on my schedule today, as well,” Jed spoke up.
    “We need to remember to cover ourselves with sunscreen before we go out on the water, too,” Susan reminded Kathleen, hoping to change the subject and return to the relaxed conversation of a few minutes ago. “And are there life vests? In Maine we always wear life vests.”
    “You know, I think that I did see someone wearing a life vest yesterday. We’ll ask James. We don’t have to go out very far, you know. The reef is only a hundred feet or so beyond the gazebo.”
    “Reef?”
    “Yes, there’s a gorgeous coral reef right out there. James told me all about it yesterday afternoon. That’s why I want to go out this morning. He said that the tide will be higher later in the day and it will be harder to see the fish and all.”
    “Oh, Kath! A coral reef! I had no idea! I thought we were just going kayaking for the exercise. How wonderful! When is the best time to go? Now? Or should we wait for a bit?”
    “I think an hour after eating is usually suggested,” Jerry reminded them. “That gorgeous blue expanse is the ocean, you know.”
    “An hour. What can we do for an hour?” Susan wailed.
    “There’s a really nice gift shop right next to our cabin,” Kathleen pointed out.
    Susan smiled. “Perfect! Lead the way.” The women got up and set out for one of their favorite activities. But Susan, turning back to remind Jed where she had stashed the sunscreen when she was unpacking last night, was stunned to see the expression on Jerry’s face.
    He had turned around so his back was to his friend and colleague and was staring out to sea looking completely miserable.

 
    THREE
    Susan used a touring kayak to cruise around the islands in Maine in the summer and she was accustomed to its smooth glide through the water, but the lightweight plastic kayak Compass Bay provided was another story. It bounced over the surf like seaweed bobbing on the waves. She found she could lean out and look into the water without fear of tipping over. There were colorful fish all around, but the biggest thrill was floating over the fabulous coral reef, which was clearly visible through the water. “This is incredible,” she said.
    Kathleen was paddling by her side. “It is, isn’t it? James takes out groups of scuba divers every few days. They swim around and through the reefs. I wasn’t planning to sign up, but now that I see this . . .”
    “I’ll go. And I know Jed won’t want to miss this.”
    “I wish I could say the same for Jerry. Do you know, I think he really was planning on going back to our room to rest when we were on our way out here? I couldn’t believe it! I’m beginning to think there might be something seriously wrong with