A Death in Smoking Paradise

"Nothing!"

"Oh, come on Mart, pull the other one, I have known you long enough!" she stated and looked at her hand and smiled as she then took a drag on her cigarette.

"There is nothing for you to worry about Marion?"

"Go on spoil me what have you seen on the CCTV for you to have got so worried all of a sudden? You were in there for hours."

"Nothing."

"Oh, yes Tanya said something earlier. Who are the police talking to now? I am guessing that you were sleeping with Chardonnay, weren't you?" Marion enquired.

Martin laughed and shook his head dismissively "Why would I do that?"

"I have no idea; you can fuck me any time you want." The naked Marion stated and made a point of putting down her drink and holding her breast in her hand.

"Well, then I wouldn't be sleeping with Char, would I?"

"But why else would you go over to Trudy so many times a month, I have to keep explaining to Tanya where you are!"

"I have told you before, it's just the boring insurance and stuff. Tanya is old enough not need my movements explained."

Marion necked the rest of her wine in one gulp and licked her lips of a couple of stray drips "Ok true, but you are over their fucking the blonde bimbo of Chardonnay, weren't you?

"Marion, god no, it's all the drink talking again, please."

She accusingly pointed her cigarette hand unsteadily at him the ash falling off on to the sofa as it wavered "Mart I'm not drunk, I've only had a couple or two this afternoon, any way I think I guess you've got one of those old cabins set up, I really hope it's not the one that Tanya uses for the guests is it, that would be embarrassing for the girl!"

"Marion, I can't go over on Tuesdays, she has the boat, and anyway I haven't got anything anywhere set up for anything, go on pour yourself another drink and light another cigarette and go and calm down. I am going back to the CCTV room, for some peace and quiet."

Marion gently coughed and her face showed her thoughts tumbling through her head as turned her head to the side, "You know Mart, all that talk of having me when ever, Tanya is out down at the pub chasing Dexter, you know...you could?" she asked and dragged on her cigarette and opened her legs wide on the sofa running her spare hand slowly down over her naked breasts and soft belly to hover just above her dark stubble covered pubis.

Martin smiled and paused for a second and watched his very drunk very naked wife lounging almost playing with herself begging him for sex on the sofa before he shook his head "No, I'm not in the mood, I am going back to the office." He specified as he started to walk off back down the corridor adjusting his trousers.

"Oh, oh, oh Mart..." Marion wined "...Mart maybe before you go, you couldn't you know help me up, my legs are little tired, just so I can get up and go to the toilet?" she called out at the back of her husband, he paused shook his head adjusted his crotch again and slowly turned to come back and help her.

***

"Hey Martha!" Tanya said waved and then flicked her cigarette above the ashtray on the balcony of the bar. "Fancy keeping me company for a drink?" she asked before dragging on her ever-present cigarette.

"Ohh, I would love to, but I am meant to be hanging out with Hannah this afternoon. Haven't you got your tourists to look after, or more dead bodies to find?" She grinned.

"Oh, hahahha! Fridays are their free day, my next mission is to get them sozzled at the beach bar tomorrow, so they book to come back again! But I am not sure they will have appreciated this week's excitement." she nervously grinned and then dragged on her cigarette.

"Lucky you!"

"I know, where is Hannah?"

"To be honest, I am not sure our cabin in empty she isn't home yet from today's exercise mission by Dexter...I was at work before she even got up."

"Oh, she spent the day with Dexter?" She enquired.

"Yeah, he is supposedly helping her get fit!"

"Hmmm" Tanya mused staring inquisitively at Martha "Maybe as you have finished working come on have one drink, and then you can go and find her."

Martha rolled her eyes, "oh go on, you've twisted my arm. I also want to know all the gossip regarding Chardonnay!" She winked.

"Okay, then come up for that drink and I will tell you all the goss' from the police!" Tanya smiled.

***

"Right Katya, just one last time...so we can be objective and have got this straight, you were with Martin in the cabin on your own, there was nobody else in the room with you?"

"Ja, for the fifteenth time, yes!"

"To clarify, you don't know the father of Chardonnays baby?"

"Nein!"

"Okay Katya thank you, Alice, I think we can let her go, she can't row all way the mainland- can she?" Davina asked looking enquiringly at Katya who shook her head. "Good, shall we go and find Martin?"

"Yes, Ma'am Ryan should be finished with her rowing boat now too."

"Excellent. Thank you again Katya, I would normally lock you up in the night, but seeing as we are here, I will reiterate please stay on the island, but as we now have your boat, and the cruise boat doesn't come in until Sunday, you can't go anywhere.

***

"I still wake up in sweats as I am dreaming staring at the dead Chardonnay, I just want to block..." Tanya stopped mid flow and broke the conversation, and both turned waved and called down at Hannah as alone she stomped along the path in front of the bar. Her head was down, and she was kicking the red dust up with the tip of her flip-flops as she walked.

"Oh shit, what's gone wrong?" Martha murmured to Tanya. "Hey Han, are you okay?" She called down.

Hannah lifted her head and scowled at the two of them, her cheeks and eyes were red from tears. "I'm okay, she sobbed." As she dragged on her left-over cigarette before flicking it across the road as a small stream of smoke was exhaled from her lips.

"Do you want to come up for a drink?" Martha called down.

"No, I want to go home!" Hannah almost scowled.

"What home-home?" Martha asked.

Hannah snorted, "Yeah, I am going to fucking swim all the way home, I am going back to the fucking cabin; you can join me if you want."

Martha took a quick drag on her cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray in the middle of their table as she exhaled a thin cone out of her mouth "I better go, sorry Tan to leave you alone." She stated as the wisps of her exhale continued to escape her lungs.

"You better go; something clearly has gone wrong with her and Dexter this afternoon." Tanya twisted her bottom lip in concern as Martha, gulped her drink down as not to leave it.

"Yes, what has that bastard Dexter done with her? She was alone with him all day!" Martha stated as she picked up her pack and lighter tucking the pack into her sarong, and pushed her chair back and apologetically smiled at Tanya before getting up and quickly walking through the pub and down the steps to hug Hannah. They both looked up at Tanya before waving and heading off with crying Hannah securely locked in Martha's arms towards their cabin.

As they disappeared out of sight the late afternoon sun came out from behind a small cloud in the sky, Tanya swirled her gin and tonic around the remnants of the ice cubes clinking before she gulped a mouthful and swallowed as she extracted a fresh cigarette and placing the filter between her lips and using the almost butt of a cigarette to chain light it. She exhaled and stubbed out the spent cigarette as Katya walked briskly in her exercise gear up the hill from the police station.

Tanya waved and called down, "Hey Katya, you okay, come up? fancy a drink?" she asked holding up the nearly empty glass as Katya dragged on her cigarette.

Katya shook her head and looked down at the floor and continued walking up the hill towards her cabin.

"Oh, come on Katya, please!" Tanya begged as she watched the police buggy wheels spinning with the three police officers in it heading up the road in the opposite direction towards her house.

Tanya looked pensively down as Katya dragged hard on her cigarette as she stormed up the road, her exhale forced out her nose leading to a trail of smoke behind her as she continued to blank Tanya as she went.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders and finished her drink off, and as she was about to get up to get another drink and as she pushed on the arms of the chair to get up, she could see further down the road, Dexter confidently loping along the path.

As he got closer Tanya called out across the road "Hey Dexter, do you fancy a drink?"

"Err, if you are sure?" He asked looking up at Tanya on the balcony.

"Well do you want a drink?" She smiled sweetly.

"Are you sure you want to have a drink with me?" Dexter called up, trying to gauge the situation.

"Yes, I may have already had one or two, so...yes, another G+T if you are going via the bar!" She grinned holding the empty glass up and then flicked her cigarette and dragged on it as Dexter made his way to the entrance to the bar, gently running up the steps, clearing his throat as he went and headed inside and towards the bar.

A few minutes later he appeared with a bottle of beer and a gin and tonic and before he could sit and get comfortable Tanya turned and pointed her cigarette at him.

She screwed her face up as she rose her voice slightly "Go on Dexter...what did you do to poor Hannah, she was as miserable as sin?" Tanya interrogated.

Dexter laughed and put both hands up defensively "Tanya, unquestionably nothing!" he smiled rearranged his shorts and sat down and pulled a cigarette out of Tanya's pack.

Tanya nodded "Eh, oh, good, are you sure, she was in tears when she walked past?" She spoke more calmly as she tried to take in what he was saying and then flicked moved her lighter over to him.

"Very much so, just went for a walk and a swim like yesterday... and nothing happened!" Dexter coughed "But the nothing happening might explain the tears!" He confirmed and leaned forward and lit his cigarette.

"I've just seen her seriously crying?" Tanya asked before sipping her drink.

"Like I said, I did nothing, and that is why she is upset!" Dexter stated as Tanya turned leaned in her cigarette as she dragged.

Tanya exhaled and smiled thoughtfully and slowly leaned across into Dexter's personal space the drifts of her exhale still slowly coming out of her mouth "I'm glad nothing happened with her that is potentially very good for me..." she smiled as the smoke drifted out her nose, "so mister Dexter...are you going to kiss me again this evening like you did this morning?" She asked as she let go of her drink on the table and put her now ice-cold hand high up on his thigh.

Dexter winced, shivered to the touch, smiled, looked around, nodded, and leaned in too.

***

"Calm down Hannah, what is a matter?" Martha asked as Hannah sat looking dejected on her sofa-cum-bed and drew heavily on her freshly cigarette before exhaling and crying again.

"The fucker refused to fucking kiss me, we had flirted all day we were this close" she used her fingers in pincer movement to indicate how close they were, "oh Martha I am just too fat and ugly!" She loudly cried out again before dragging on her cigarette.

Martha shook her head in solidarity "Han, you are my gorgeous sister! Shall I open the wine?" She asked as Hannah snuffled her tears back up her nose and nodded her head. "You don't need him at all. We have got the whole weekend together and we will have a good night of dancing as I will get the music on and we can drink and dance ourselves silly with no men to ruin it?" Martha tried to cajole Hannah to be moderately more cheerful.

Hannah looked up and semi- smiled as Martha started dancing on the spot with her tongue out to no music making a fool of herself. "Yeah, we will!" she stated and ran her thumb across her nose and then placed the cigarette back between her lips.

***

"Hello, anyone in?" Alice asked as she opened the unlocked door and led Ryan and Davina into the quiet house, as they reached the lounge Alice smiled at the sprawled-out figure on the white sofa "Oh hello Marion!" Alice remarked as she looked down at naked and tanned women mid drag.

"Oh, hello offices," She smiled loosely "if you are after my Tanya, she is out chasing young cock, and if you are after the fucking bastard, he in the computer room probably wanking at some younger tits than mine. It's just little old me here!" She slurred with the smoke drifting out of her mouth and flung her arm in the direction of the CCTV room.

"Erm, are you okay Marion?" Alice asked with genuine concern.

"Yeah," she slurred, "never been fucking better!" She continued and then pulled her hand that was dangling beside the sofa up so she could drag on her cigarette. As she started her exhale she spoke "I don't know what that fucker has been up to, good luck!" she shrugged her shoulders and continued her exhale before instantly dragging again.

"Honesty, if, you are sure?" Alice replied with genuine concern and started to make a move towards her.

Ryan interjected "Thank you, Marion." He stated with raised his eyebrows and grabbed Alice's shoulder as if to say, 'not now' and then led them off towards the CCTV room Marion giggled and half-heartedly and lazily waved her hand in the air to say goodbye before reaching across to her wine glass.

***

"Mike, hello Mike, is that better for you?" Carrie-Anne asked as she pulled the hem of her red skirt up, so she was flashing more of her white thighs teasing at her naked crotch.

"Err, of course," he grinned as he looked back towards her and focused on her crotch "but we are in public?" He smiled and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Well darling..." she paused as she dragged yet again on yet another of her cigarettes "... it was like the old days; I can tell that you are ogling the smoking young blonde over there."

"Was I? Sorry, maybe it's the beer; I didn't mean not to look at you." He grovelled.

Carrie-Ann chuckled, "Darling, other than people watching what else is there to do, we have been together long enough for me know your eyeing type, she has got blonde hair, a very short skirt and, compared to me huge, in my opinion, fake tits." She laughed at herself before dragging again, as she exhaled, she stated "I bet if we got close enough, her eyebrows will be painted on too darling, you don't want such a fake woman, would you?" She rhetorically asked and teasingly moved her legs even wider apart to keep Mikes focus.

"Sorry Caz, I didn't mean it." Mike stated taking stock of the situation and looked across and studied the girl opposite in more detail. "Plus, she has all those tattoos down her arm, you know the ones that make it look like she is wearing a long-sleeved blue top, I don't like that!" he attempted to smile.

"Darling," she smiled, "you are forgiven, this time, but on looking again don't you think looks sad?" She said thoughtfully and then picked up her wine glass and took a sip before returning her cigarette to her lips.

Mike smiled to himself, "I would have thought with her painted-on eyebrows she would be in a constant state of shock!" He grinned and flicked his cigarette before taking his own drag.

"Darling, don't be cruel!" Carrie-Ann replied, "I genuinely think she looks miserable, look she is literally chainlighting into her next cigarette." She stated as they both watched the girl sitting alone at the table two across with her hair pulled tightly in the high ponytail, dressed in a short pink dress as if she was going out for the night, but it was only five in the afternoon, place the unlit cigarette between her clearly well made up dress matching pink lips and use her current cigarette to light it. Before stubbing the heavily pink lipstick coated filter in the ashtray before going back taking a second deep drag and casually letting the exhale drift out of the corner of her mouth as she refocused and continued swiping on her phone.

"Darling you can't say anything about chainlighting, you do it when happy or sad!" Mike grinned. "Maybe her boyfriend is just around the corner, and she is pissed off that he has left her alone?"

"Okay, maybe, it's a not a good idea for you to march over there and been all in inquisitive but Mike, more importantly for us, my wine glass is about to be empty, and I very much think I need another drink!" Carrie-Ann stated picking up her wine glass and taking the last third down her gullet.

"I wouldn't drink too much Caz; we need to get up in the morning and go on a moving boat!" Mike grinned before manicuring his cigarette and taking a quick drag.

"I will be fine, it's still early and I am happier than her!" She stated as she glanced across at the young blonde girl dragging on her cigarette.

Mike shook his head and then waved towards the building and the waitress with his fingers in the air highlighting the need for two new drinks.

***

Ryan put his hand on the door knob to open the door to the CCTV room as Alice gently coughed and took a step back and briefly lit up the semi darkness of the hallway as she concentrated on lighting her cigarette as Davina and Ryan slowly looked in to the bright room with banks of computers to see Martin sitting there running one hand concerned through his dark brown hair as the other had cigarette burning between its fingers as he was looking intently at one of the screens.

"Hello Martin, how are you doing?" Ryan enquired as Martin slowly turned his head to face the officers.

"Evening officers, I have sort of been expecting you." He briefly grimaced and put his head in the direction of screens as to suggest he had been following them, he then focused back on the officers and smiled. He took a quick drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray in front of him as he exhaled through his nose.

"Sorry Martin to barge in on you, but we do have a few more questions." Davina replied as she stood alongside Ryan, looking down at Martin. "We can do it here, or we can bring you down to the station. It's up to you."

"We can do it here; I have nothing to hide. Plus, I will need to look after Marion later" he clicked on the computer and looked at the CCTV image of her sprawled out on the sofa "she won't be feeling too well." He tried to smile warmly.

"Well in that case..." Davina paused and coughed and glanced over her shoulder as Alice silently came and stood alongside her with the trail of her lit cigarette smoke travelling up from her fingers to Davina's nose. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath "Martin, as you gave us permission to openly discuss it, how long have you been in a relationship with both Chardonnay and Katya?"

It was Martin's turn to laugh, "I have not in a relationship with either of them, especially not Chardonnay!" He spun around to face the officers in the black leather chair he was sitting in and confidently put his hand on his knees and looked up at them.

"Martin, Katya has admitted that you have been seeing her, and not for a pedicure." Davina replied.

Martin paused and looked inquisitively at the three officers standing in front of him. "Well that just isn't true; she must be making it up. I would never sleep with my staff, its ridiculous idea!"

"Thank you, Martin, but we have found the cabin with their belongings in it, and I have personally seen the pictures that you have taken of them both on your lap top Martin, things are not looking particularly good from our point of view here."

"Have you found anything of mine in this supposedly used cabin?" Martin asked back.

Davina glanced across at the cigarette pack on the desk and then slowly looked across at Alice and Ryan before gently shaking her head and refocusing on the task in front of her. "Martin on your laptop there are pictures of both Katya and Chardonnay in various stages of undress more often than not spread eagle on the same mattress, cigarette in their mouths and their eyes looking very wantonly at the photographer, whilst their fingers get to work between their rather moist thighs?"