A Death in Smoking Paradise

"Funny you should ask." As Davina looked up to the door and nodded and then Ryan walked in carrying cotton bud and pot.

"Sorry Martin, just a couple of swipes...Thank you." Ryan said as he dropped the bud into the plastic container and turned the lid a couple of times as he headed to the door.

"Err, there is no way that I am the father!"

"Well thank you, Martin, just precautionary check, we are also sure that you are not, but we need to check these things. Oh Martin, I have just one more question."

Martin nodded.

"Just how well did you know Chardonnay?"

Martin relaxed as he exhaled his chest of air. "Well technically I was her boss, she was an employee of SPIL looking after the population's hair. I had suggested we gave everyone here a buzz cut for free, but the ladies in my household and on the committee disagreed, so we charged for haircuts and beauty treatments, everything else on the island is provided."

"Thank you, Martin, but how well did you know her?"

"She does, I mean did my hair?" He ran his spare hand through it.

"Yes Martin, but how well did you know her?"

Martin snorted, "I didn't know her like that!"

"Thanks again Martin, if I have any other questions..."

***

"Surprize Darling I am home!" Mike shouted as he opened the front door carrying a bunch of flowers.

"Oh Mike," Carrie-Anne said with smoke of her latest exhale pouring out of her mouth. "You are home early?

"Yes, as I have some of my leave left over-, they let me go early! I don't have to go in again!"

"But what I am going to do with the flowers? I have packed the vase in box, err, let me think box twenty-two I think, but it's okay, I have a spreadsheet, and it will tell me which one it is in!"

"Oops!" He grinned sheepishly. "There is a reason why I let you do the packing." He leaned in for a kiss.

"This is brilliant news, now you are home you can help me sort the rest of the stuff out before get on the boat at the weekend." Carrie-Ann smiled sweetly as she placed the flowers in the sink and then turned around and pulled a fresh cigarette out of the pack in front of her and with a couple of short drags chain lit it.

"I thought it might be better that I am here on Thursday to help load all of this into the truck or container." Mike suggested as he leaned across and extracted a cigarette for himself, and then picked up the lighter and got it lit.

"Yeah, there is actually some bad news from the island, not about us, but about Chardonnay, you know the nice hairdresser, well Marion emailed in her usual confusing and what I assume to be drunk misspelt self..." she stated as she flicked her cigarette and dragged again whilst Mike stood there waiting "...saying that she has died. She was only 32!"

"Christ, I genuinely hope it wasn't...you know?" Mike asked looking at his cigarette burning between his fingers.

Carrie-Ann smiled at her husband "No! Marion said something about an overdose."

"Phew, all of sudden you start worrying about these things." Mike said looking sullen down at his cigarette between his fingers before placing it between his lips.

"As Tanya said many times when we were out there, we have just got to enjoy ourselves and not worry. Talking of not worrying..." She smiled, "...as you are home early..." gently dragged on her cigarette and slowly exhaled out her nose as she sauntered over Mike standing between the boxes in the living room, she untied her dressing gown, placed her cigarette in her lips and dropped the cardigan which was over her shoulders to the floor and slowly ran her hands up and down his chest undoing his shirt buttons as she smiled wickedly as she moaned, then squealed and, dragged on her dangled cigarette raising it up at 45 degrees as Mike clutched her bare buttocks in his fingers and pulled her closer as she exhaled through her nose the smoke filled the small space between them.

***

Hannah walked slowly back up the beach water dripping off her naked body as her fat stomach and breasts bounced juddered with ever step. She stopped and watched the small crowd of equally naked people around her laughing, drinking, and smoking on the sun loungers. She smiled and bent down her messy blonde hair and large naked breasts hung down dripping water on her towel before she grabbed it from her seat and then wrapped around her chest before leaning further over and instinctively and without pausing to think extracted a cigarette and placing it between her wet lips. She flung her head back to get the wet hair away from her face and to stop it dripping on her cigarette and then bent down again to pick up her lighter she looked up as there was someone there creating a shadow by her feed, as her head slowly and hesitantly rose up there was the very naked, rather sexy and muscular figure standing there with a lighter in his hand with a waiting flame protruding from the top.

"Hey, here, hope this helps you?" He asked as she smiled around the cigarette and leant forward slightly and nervously took the light sheltering the cigarette from the beach breeze with a very quick draw whilst desperately holding her towel up with her spare hand. "Hey, I'm Dexter nice to meet you, how are you doing?" Dexter confidently introduced himself and offered his hand and Hannah quickly swapped her hands over trying to maintain her modesty to shake his hand.

"Hi," she said nervously with her exhale, "and thank you, I'm Hannah" trying to keep her head up and not look at his very naked crotch.

"Great to meet you again, I spent a summer here a few years ago, so just thought I would come back, meet some regulars and have a bit of a mooch around."

"Oh, yes, I think I saw you on the boat last weekend?" Hannah awkwardly took a drag on her cigarette.

"Yes, I sort of tried to stay hidden for the journey." He winked and then smiled.

"Oh, interestingly so was I." She stated with a half-smile.

"Stowaways together" he grinned "Err, so what are you doing on the island?" Dexter asked changing the topic.

Hannah snorted a laugh, flicked her cigarette beside her and twisted her mouth as she thought for a second "Escaping basically, mainly my mother and then my life, sorry I shouldn't whinge at you; I've only just met you."

Dexter smiled "We all have reasons for escaping." He stated factually teasing her for more.

"We do, it was part of my plan hoping coming out here, the sun get a bit of tan." and she stretched her arms out "by getting out of the house, also try and lose some weight from not snacking and maybe get a little fitter!" she smiled and then dragged on her cigarette.

"Oh wow, that's great to hear. But I am not sure coming to an island populated with heavy chain-smokers is normally a source for getting fitter? But Hannah you are more than welcome to join me for my morning run tomorrow if you want?" Dexter asked and bent down and raised his eyebrow apologetically as he extracted a cigarette from her pack.

She frowned back and highlighting her frame at him with her hand as he placed the cigarette between his lips and then used his lighter to get the cigarette alight. "Err, don't think running is my thing."

"Yet!" Dexter replied with his exhale and dragged again.

Hannah raised her eyebrow and cocked her head to the side as memories danced across her face, "Oh hang on I remember you from last night, after dropping me back a little bit drunk to my cabin didn't you go off home with Tanya?" Then as she waited for the response she dragged again on her cigarette whilst keeping her eyes on Dexter.

Dexter smiled, "I was gentlemanly and helped her get home too we were both pissed as a fart; she was, okay, I was too, way far too drunk, and there were no funny intentions!" Dexter stated as he smiled at the memory of Tanya teasingly stroking his knee and upper reaches of his thigh with one hand as she slowly and very unsteadily drove them back to the house. She was focusing on him, rather than the road. They had to stop twice before she crashed. As on most bends he was shutting his eyes thinking she was going to crash, especially as they came up the drive. She almost hit the house as she parked up. He smiled at the thought of then him helping her up when she fell out of the buggy into a giggling mess on the floor, to them undressing and kissing as they made their way down the hallway. It was fun all up to just before she just passed out flat on her back on top of the bed in the time he went to her bathroom. He shook his head and refocused as Hannah started talking again.

"But hang on; I am not going to spend my fleeting moment in time on the on the island playing second fiddle to Tanya! I may be toats amazing!" She smiled flirtatiously and sweetly at Dexter, "but I know I can't compete with her!" Hannah defensively jibbed back and took a long drag on her cigarette to compensate.

Dexter put his hand up in the air "Woo, calm down Hannah, just smoke your cigarette, all I asked was if you wanted to come with me for my run tomorrow morning. Nothing else, and it's almost guaranteed that Tanya certainly wouldn't be there!"

Hannah's shoulders dropped "Oh, okay, you make a good point." She conceded and flicked her growing ash again and subsequently dragged on the cigarette between her fingers.

"Great, shall I meet you outside the bar at seven thirty tomorrow morning?" Dexter asked.

"Pardon?" Hannah snorted, huffed, and placed her arms across her chest defensively, the smoke pouring off the end of the cigarette rising and blowing back front of her face, she swiftly moved her hands.

"Okay let's make it eight, I don't want it too late, otherwise it will be getting too hot and sticky, and that's no fun at all." Dexter semi winked at his attempt at humour.

Hannah thought for a few seconds and then placed the cigarette between her lips and dragged on it, exhaling slowly out. "Deal, I will meet you at the bar at 830 tomorrow." Hannah then gulped for air and panicked at the negotiations of what she had agreed.

"Oh, go on, great see you tomorrow." Dexter smiled and then turned and gently jogged up the beach waving his hand as he went, Hannah tugged her towel closer to her body as she watched his naked white but rather firm buttocks as they went up the beach.

'What the fuck am I going to wear for running' was Hannah's first thoughts as she watched Dexter nakedly jogged away from her across the beach.

***

"Officers" Davina looked at Ryan and Alice behind their desks. "That was a very interesting day, thank you for your hard work."

"No problem, Ma'am." Alice and Ryan parroted together.

"Ryan, can you take the DNA pots up to the lab, and see if they can do anything with them to compare it with the baby?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alice," she stated and looked at her watch and smiled. "I think it's time for a drink?" She asked as she opened her Marlboro lights pack on the table in front of her.

"Err, Yes Ma'am."

"Oh, before you go Ryan, can you or Alice, err take your own swab, could you, you know..." Davina raised her voice an octave at the end almost defensively, and pulled her cigarette out of the pack as Alice glared questioningly at Ryan.

"Yes Ma'am." Ryan replied and opened the cabinet and got another pot out and blew the dust off the lid before Alice grabbed the pot from him and with a growl opened the lid and then angrily stuffed the cotton bud in his mouth.

***

Davina and Alice were sitting on the veranda of the bar with their drinks in hand waiting for Ryan to get back.

"Alice sorry to be rather nosey, but hell I am a detective, and I can be rather interfering, and it is actually none of my interest, but are you and Ryan out here as, you know, as a couple?" Davina asked before swirling her white wine around and taking a sip.

"No, everyone assumes, we are, even I think we are sometimes. We live in each other's pockets and in the same house, but it must be said most of the time we try to sleep in separate bedrooms." Alice grinned as she offered her pack to Davina who wryly smiled and as her fingers pincered around the filter and she extracted a cigarette.

"So, what's the story of him and Chardonnay?" She asked as she reached forward and picked up the red SPIL lighter and then sheltered the cigarette with both hands and took a quick drag before settling back in the chair and exhaling.

"I think she chased him for a bit, I think he saw her as a bit of fun, if my vag was, I mean is," she gulped, "an initially a no-go area, Chardonnay was the islands typical giggly jiggly big titted blonde who probably liked a man in uniform." She mused and then dragged on her own cigarette.

"But he hasn't been with her recently?" Davina probed further.

"No, he, err, most recently he has been very much close to me!" She winked and flicked her cigarette on the arm rest of the chair her letting the ash fall to the floor.

"But you are not a couple?"

Alice snorted, laughed, and shook her head. "No, well, err no, we could not be defined as a couple...we are definitely not a couple." She looked sternly at Davina as Ryan parked the buggy down below and after shouting up and waving energetically, smiled before heading up to the bar.

"Alice, can you do me a favour tomorrow morning?" Davina asked before thoughtfully dragging on her cigarette.

"Yes Ma'am"

"Find out who exactly Chardonnay was, check her financial records, past lovers, social media, I need to know exactly who this girl is?" Davina asked as the smoke of her exhale twisted and tumbled out of her mouth.

"Yes Ma'am.

"I have got an interesting night with Martin's laptop!" She winked and patted her bag beside her before picking up her glass and drinking some of her wine. "There is nothing like a bit of porn!" She smiled.

***

"What are we going to have for dinner?" Carrie-Ann purred with her head on Mikes shoulder as she twisted his dark chest hair between her fingers before stretching over to the coffee table and extracting two cigarettes and picking up her lighter.

"I really don't mind, have we got any clean plates?" He replied before she shuffled up slightly more up right and lit both cigarettes between her lips and passed on to Mike as she exhaled through her nose as she settled back down on his chest.

"Darling, I'm not sure stupid I haven't packed everything!" She said before inhaling again and laying her head on his chest and letting her smoke drift slowly out.

"So, we can have a takeaway?"

"Yes, darling we can" and she slowly dragged again. "You can get dressed to get it, and then afterwards I can pack the plates," she grinned and then exhaled.

"We are packing the container on Thursday.

"Yes?"

"Well, we will still need the plates tomorrow!"

"Oh. I know, I just can't wait to be completely packed and get back out there!" she grinned and pulled with a deep cheek hollow on her cigarette and held the smoke deep within her lungs as settled back on to Mike's shoulder as she exhaled her grey nicotine depleted clouds of smoke back out towards the living room ceiling.

***

Marion waved at the front door before putting her hand firmly back on the counter "Hello, come in very kind of you...Martha... to come and say hello. Do come in." Marion slurred trying to find the words with her dangled cigarette bouncing in the corner of her mouth dropping ash as she spoke as she leaned her full weight on her hand on the breakfast island top as she focused and used the other hand to unsteadily pour the remaining contents of her white wine bottle into the glass, she used her finger to wipe up a couple of drops off the counter that missed.

"It's okay Marion; Tanya said you wanted to see me? I'm just on my way home from work." she said looking at Tanya sitting on the sofa quietly smoking her cigarette.

"Did we? Oh..." she paused and placed the cigarette between her lips and took a gentle drag on it whilst she attempted to get her thoughts straight and then placed the cigarette in the ashtray and took a gulp of her wine. "...how was work?"

"It was okay, just about keeping the population of the island alive I guess."

"You are a very good girl!" Marion stated nodding enthusiastically. "But more importantly can I get you a drink?" she questioned.

Tanya rolled her eyes from the sofa. "Mom remember she is here about Hannah, Mom!" she shouted up from the living room before Martha could reply.

"Oh, yes, thank you Tan," she blinked whilst looking towards Tanya and turned her head back. "Right Martha, Tan will get you a drink in a minute, won't you? Can you please come and take a seat; we just need to have a little tiny friendly talk." She burred as she picked up the cigarette and placed it in the corner of her mouth and ensured her glass was secure in her other hand before totteringly slowly around the centre island holding it for support before heading towards Tanya and the white sofas revealing to Martha that she in a size too small lacy black thong squeezing into her soft waist and back before quickly disappearing between her tanned wobbling dimpled buttocks. She paused and dragged on her cigarette before letting go of the counter and continuing as she exhaled carrying her wine glass and cigarette.

Tanya patted the sofa beside her, and Martha nodded and before she sat down, she extracted her pack from the hem of her flowery sarong and then gently falling down into the low seat beside Tanya and placed the unlit cigarette between her lips.

"Sorry!" Martha started and paused as she quickly lit her cigarette before continuing exhaling as she spoke "Yes, I know I should have told you that she was coming over, and you know, paid for her. But it was all last minute, she was depressed at home and needed an escape."

"It's a very good choice to escape; it's nice here, isn't it?" Marion slowly nodded and reached across and picked up her wine and took a large slug of it.

"Mom!" Tanya whinged and then she and Martha both dragged on their cigarettes.

"Oh yes, sorry, as you know Martha we just like forewarning, we need to know who is on this island at all times, we can't have people arriving or leaving willy-nilly..." She paused and giggled to herself at saying 'willy' before shaking her head gently and continuing "...we have had, err...Hannah, and that Dexter and that new policey women turn up all unannounced this week, it's not very good at all. Especially when people are dying on us unexped...when we don't...you know... We used to be very good didn't we Tanya?" She finally paused and looked across at her daughter and dragged on her cigarette.

"It won't happen again, it was a case of getting her quickly on the boat before she and mom had another argument, on the boat Hannah stayed in Michelle's room as she doesn't get much opportunity to sleep. Again, to you and the committee I am sorry."

"Don't worry Martha" Tanya interjected. "There is nothing that wrong is there, Mom; it is just a case of keeping tabs on everyone. If unforeseen events happen, with unknown people about, things could get very messy. Especially as we have outside police officers on site." she sternly almost growled, and Marion's head wobbled slightly as she nodded in agreement with her sober daughter.

"Tanya, please get Martha a drink, she will definitely need one after a long day at work!" Marion said before gulping her wine.

Martha smiled and raised both her hands in defence "No, it's okay, I better get home; see what mischief Hannah has been getting up too."

"Oh, she was at the beach sunbathing this afternoon." Tanya suggested. "I saw her there when I dropped and picked up the Outhwaites.

"Ah cool, that is good for her, it is all part of her 'new her' fitness regime she said she was going for a walk and a swim."

Tanya nodded and grinned "I can't say I saw much swimming going on, but she may have done!"