Page 15 of Murder in Portofino

Of course she was, but what could I say? ‘Hello, no problem. How can I help you?’

‘I’ve just had a call from Heather.’

‘That’s excellent news. I’m sure your parents must be delighted.’

‘I haven’t told them yet.’ I could hear concern in her voice. ‘You see, she’s got herself into a bit of trouble; well, to be honest, quite a lot of trouble, by the sound of it.’

‘Where is she now?’

My ears pricked up when I heard the reply. ‘She said she’s in a place called Portofino. I’ve heard of it before but I’m not sure where it is. Isn’t it on the Amalfi coast somewhere south of Rome?’

‘No, it’s actually quite a lot further north than that, still on the west coast but a lot closer to Genoa. Tell me about this trouble she’s got herself into.’

‘She didn’t go into much detail because she didn’t have time. Her phone’s run out of battery – she never remembers to pack her charger – and she called me from a public phone, but it only took coins and she didn’t have many. It sounds as though there’s real trouble brewing between her and her boyfriend, but there’s more to it than just a falling-out. She sounded really scared. I haven’t heard her like that for years, not since she was a little girl. As soon as I heard that she was in trouble, I said I’d try and contact you and I’d ring her straight back. She’s waiting by the phone right now.’

‘As it happens, I’m not that far from Portofino myself now, so why don’t I call her, and that way, she can explain everything direct to me and I can ask any questions? I’ll call you back after we’ve spoken and let you know what’s happening.’

‘That would be wonderful, thank you so much. I’m so sorry to interrupt your holiday but she sounded really frightened.’

‘No problem.’ I glanced across at Anna, who was studiously concentrating on her fish. ‘Let me have the number and I’ll call her now.’

I’ve never liked coincidences. Could it be that the trouble in which Heather Greensleeves now found herself might have something to do with a dead Englishman found floating in the sea?

9

SUNDAY NIGHT

After giving Anna a very quick summary of what Diana had told me, I dialled the number of the public phone in Portofino. It was answered after just one ring.

‘Hi, Di, did you manage to get through to the private investigator chap?’ Her words came tumbling out in a rush and she definitely sounded flustered.

‘Hello, this is the private investigator chap. My name’s Dan Armstrong. Your sister tells me you’re in a spot of bother.’

‘Oh, thank God.’ I could hear the relief in her voice. ‘I’m scared stiff and I really don’t know what to do.’

I tried to sound as comforting as possible because she definitely seemed to be really spooked. ‘Why don’t you start by telling me all about it?’

‘It’s Mario, the guy I’m with.’

‘What about him?’

‘That’s the thing. I don’t really know him that well. It was all a bit of a whirlwind romance. Don’t get me wrong, over these last few days, he’s been fine, but then everything changed last night when we met up with another boat.’

‘Another boat? What happened?’ Surely not the Regal Princess…

‘We were moored up just off the coast not far from here – I’m in Portofino, I don’t know if you know it – when the other boat came alongside. Mario had been tense all evening and when the other boat arrived, he became dead serious and he told me to lock myself in the cabin and stay there. At first I did but then I sneaked out and took a peek while they weren’t looking and I saw them loading stuff from the other boat onto ours.’

‘Was it a big boat?’ Her answer reassured me – to some extent.

‘Not really, about the same size as ours.’

‘And what sort of stuff were they bringing aboard?’

‘At least a dozen heavy boxes. It took two men to lift each of them. They stowed them down a hatch near the front of the yacht. The whole thing took less than twenty minutes or so and then the other boat disappeared off into the night.’

‘And Mario?’

‘Ever since then, he’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof: irritable, nervous. I tried asking him who had been on board the other boat and he just told me to forget about it. I didn’t mention that I’d seen anything, but I feel sure there’s something dodgy going on.’

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