“Sir, what exactly is your business in the United States?” Carlos has begun delving into Steve’s luggage. “You pack light, sir. How long are you staying?”
“Not long, hopefully,” says Steve. “Not that this isn’t a lovely place to be. But there’s the quiz on Wednesday, and Margaret’s very good with Trouble, but he misses me.”
“Trouble?”
“My cat,” says Steve.
“You’re a cat guy,” says Carlos, nodding. He spends a moment or two looking Steve up and down. “What sort of a cat?”
“Rescued stray,” says Steve.
“Good,” says Carlos, pulling a Van Halen T-shirt out of Steve’s bag. “You a Halen fan?”
“Greatest band of all time,” says Steve.
“You got that right, sir,” says Carlos.
“Call me Steve,” says Steve.
Carlos shakes his head. “No, sir. So why you here?”
“Have you heard of a man called Andrew Fairbanks?” asks Steve.
“Can’t say as I have.” Carlos now pulls a Def Leppard T-shirt from Steve’s rucksack, and nods approvingly. “Two T-shirts for the whole trip?”
“Should do it, don’t you think?” says Steve. “And you have washing machines over here. Andrew Fairbanks is the guy who died on the yacht.”
“Tied him to a rope and the sharks got him?”
“That’s the fella,” says Steve. Carlos is repacking his rucksack. Much neater than Steve had done. “Can I show you a photo of him?”
Carlos tightens the drawstring at the top of Steve’s bag. “Sir—”
“Steve.”
“Sir, you are subject to a search by Customs and Border Protection. I’m within my rights to demand silence from you, but, seeing as you love cats, and you understand where Van Halen sits in the scheme of things, I’ve given you a little leeway. But you’re in no position to be showing me photos, except the one on your passport, where you look a lot more respectable than the guy standing in front of me.”
Steve gives his passport photo a peek. “My wife made me dress up. Have a haircut.”
“Your wife traveling with you?”
“She’s dead,” says Steve. “She died.”
“Sorry to hear that,” says Carlos. “I know what that feels like. So you’re here to visit your daughter-in-law?”
“Amy,” says Steve. “You’d love her.”
“I’m sure,” says Carlos. “The two of you got plans?”
“If I say ‘investigating a murder,’ will you send me back to England?”
“You armed?” asks Carlos.
“No,” says Steve.
“I’d recommend it,” says Carlos. “What murder? Andrew Fairbanks?”
“Are you interested in that?” Steve asks.
“I’m interested in a lot of things,” says Carlos. “Orchids.”
“He used this airport you know?” says Steve.
“Did he now?” Carlos replies.
“Tuesday,” says Steve. “Were you here?”
“Day off. I was at an airship show,” says Carlos. “I like blimps.”
Steve loves airships. But maybe that’s for another time. Focus now. “A driver picked up Fairbanks at the airport, but no one knows who. Has anyone been asking?”
“Not as far as I know,” says Carlos. “Just you.”
“Local police?”
“Not a soul,” says Carlos.
“Would be fun to look at your CCTV, wouldn’t it?” says Steve. “See what we can see? Perhaps whoever picked him up killed him?”
