The Club by Ellery Lloyd

Author:Ellery Lloyd [Lloyd, Ellery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Macmillan

Vanity Fair

MURDER ON THE ISLAND

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

How could Home’s security have let it happen? That was the question people kept asking, shocked members, the media. How could the eighty-strong team tasked with safeguarding guests allow a car to be driven onto a waterlogged causeway? To fail to prevent a murder? To have no explanation for the fact a man had vanished, seemingly, into thin air?

The explanation, according to John McBride, former Head of Security for Island Home, is simple: ‘We were far more concerned about people trying to get onto the island than about anyone leaving it. There had been an incident on the Thursday night, on the mainland, so we had more guys than usual over there, and we were prepped to respond if anyone caused more trouble.’ Asked if he thinks anyone did manage to get past his team in that direction, McBride says he thinks it highly unlikely. ‘And I mean highly unlikely. We had security patrols circling on foot and two boats regularly circling the island’s circumference. But you simply can’t be everywhere at once, no matter how many of you there are.’ Under the circumstances, he believes his team did all they could.

‘Members expect to feel safe, but they also expect discretion,’ he says. ‘They don’t want to see a load of big blokes in Puffa coats standing around muttering into walkie-talkies. It makes for a challenging set-up. And just for the record, when you see members interviewed, talking about how upset they were that Sunday? In reality, all those people, those same people, were outraged that their weekend was being curtailed. Ringing and ringing reception to order room service, furious no one was answering. Hammering on the spa door for the massage they’d booked, outraged the clay pigeon shoot had been cancelled. Kicking off. Making a fuss. Home members are used to getting what they want, the second they want it.’

McBride scratches at a grizzled sideburn. ‘Look, at the end of the day, those cars were meant for staff, not drunk members. Yes, perhaps the keys should not have been left in the ignitions, but they were all in a staff car park and Home members aren’t notorious car thieves, are they?’ He raises a bushy eyebrow. ‘And the causeway? There was a huge sign with the tide times on it. It was well lit. The only mystery is where the hell they thought they were going, and why it was so urgent.’ As for Ned Groom? He shakes his head. ‘I ask myself that. Only the perimeter of the island has CCTV – very deliberately, to ensure the privacy of Home’s members – plus the lobby of The Boathouse and the reception area of The Causeway Inn. Nothing suspicious was seen on any of them.’ As for Freddie Hunter’s helicopter? ‘Well, forensics checked it very thoroughly, more than once, but they found nothing at all to suggest Ned had ever been inside it. And anyway, have you met the man? Being attacked by Freddie would be like being mauled by a kitten.

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