Page 67 of The Beach Hut on Plum Island
“We think Harriet may have been drugged with a sleeping powder that gets sprinkled on a pillow. It was designed by a chemist on Joyce Isles to help the king sleep,” Gray explained. “It’s quite a nasty sleeping powder and was banned about two years ago when a woman died because of it.”
“Gray!” Dawn hissed. “That’s not what Finn needs to hear right now.”
“Her pillow!” Finn muttered, his mind trying to absorb what they’d told him. “It was on her pillow.” He looked at Harley. “We need to get her pillow.”
“I’ll get her pillow,” Harley told Finn. “You stay here.” He called the security detail over. “I need you to watch Mr. Shaw as well please. I’m going to brief Murphy.”
The bodyguard nodded. “Yes, Mr. Donovan. I have backup on its way.”
“Thank you,” Harley said and looked at Finn. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Finn nodded and he turned back to Gray. “Why are you in scrubs?”
“Daniella took my shirt to see if any of the residue got transferred onto my shirt from Harriet’s hair,” Gray told him. “She was also worried that it could affect me as she hasn’t heard of the sleeping powder.”
“Oh!” Finn nodded and he frowned as his mind spun. “Did Daniella say Harriet would be okay?”
“Finn?” Doctor Drake Westmorland’s voice made him turn. “I thought that was you.”
Finn watched Drake walk toward him with his hand out. “Hey, Drake, I heard you were coming to town.” They shook hands. “Is there any news on Harriet Joyce?”
“I believe Princess Joyce is your fiancée?” Drake asked and Finn nodded. Drake gave his shoulder an encouraging pat. “She’s in good hands with Daniella,” he assured her. “I’m just here to assist as Daniella insisted on taking lead over the princess’s case.”
“Is Harriet awake yet?” Finn asked. “Or do you know how long she’ll be out?”
“Why don’t you take a seat,” Drake advised. “I’ll get you a cup of coffee.” He glanced at the coffee pot. “The good stuff from the all night coffee shop across the road.” He guided Finn to a seat where Gray and Dawn sat on either side of him. “As soon as we know more about Princess Harriet’s condition we’ll let you know.”
Finn nodded as he watched Drake walk toward the wards stopping to talk to the young man behind the front desk. The young man nodded and came to ask what coffees they would like and Finn had no idea what he’d ordered as he sat with his heart beating so loud with worry that it was almost deafening.
“It’s going to be okay,” Dawn assured Finn and Gray. “Harriet’s strong and we all know nothing will keep her down for long.”
Twenty minutes later Harley burst through the clinic doors with a plastic bag in his hands that had a small tin in it.
“Did you find the pillow?” Finn stood and rushed over to where Harley was handing the bag to Drake.
“No.” Harley turned and looked at Finn. “When we got into Harriet’s room her bed had been stripped. Whoever did this came back to get the evidence.”
“How did they get into her room?” Finn asked
“Through the balcony doors,” Harley told him. “Murphy immediately locked down the hotel and the rooms are being searched.” He frowned. “Did you know they brought their own dogs with them?”
“Yes, my uncle never goes anywhere without his dogs,” Gray told them; he and Dawn had followed Finn.
“They found that bottle of sleeping powder,” Harley told them and glanced at Finn.
“Where was it found?” Finn asked, his brow creasing.
“On the balcony of the room directly below Harriet’s,” Harley told him. “We’ve taken the occupant of the room into custody.”
“Who is it?” Finn and Gray asked at the same time.
“Estelle Gladstone,” Harley answered.
CHAPTER 12
Finn paced the clinic waiting room. It had been almost four hours, and Harriet was still asleep, her slumber induced by a mysterious sleeping powder. Daniella and Drake had assured Finn that her vitals were fine. They were now in the process of unraveling the enigma of the powder, consulting with the chemists on Joyce Isles.
He turned to see his sister, friends, and Harriet’s family, including King Titus, sitting and quietly talking among themselves as they waited for Harriet to wake up. Finn turned and wandered down the hallway that led to the overnight rooms, stopping at the door to the one where Harriet was.
