Strained Relations

The Marks family is very wealthy. They have two sons, Sydney (Syd) and Gerald (Gerry). They have a nice boat that the parents let them use. Today, the two brothers and their spouses take a trip on the craft. 

Tension between the brothers is no secret but Syd says he wants to bury the hatchet with his younger brother Gerry. To show this, Syd and his wife Felicity invite Gerry and his and wife Margaret to join them on an excursion.

Gerry and his wife Margaret arrive at the Azzurra boat moored at the San Jorge Marina. The weather is fine but Gerry is cautious as to why his brother is suddenly keen to put his ill feelings behind him. They are greeted by Syd's wife, Felicity, who is already on board.
Felicity: Hi guys. We are going to set sail as soon as you embark.

They quickly hop on with their overnight bags and cautious smiles. They hope it's a bridge to a better relationship ahead. Felicity takes them to the larger sleeping cabin and she insists that Syd and her will take the smaller one.
Gerry: Syd does suffer from mild claustrophobia. We don't mind the smaller cabin.
Felicity: No, he will be fine.

The motor is soon in motion and Gerry goes to find the captain for the trip, Syd, and they give each other a man hug. The ladies head to the galley and sort out the food arrangements and likely dishes they could create.

The boat turns into a cove and they anchor. Lunch is served and they enjoy the bay with its picturesque village making the scene from the boat all the more memorable.

After some swimming, sunbathing and light banter, a simple but tasty evening meal is served. After the sun sets, the alcohol flows, especially for Syd. He pulls Gerry aside for a word.

Syd: So how's the golden boy doing, eh? Nice career and making the oldies proud.
Gerry heart sinks: I thought we were here to bury the hatchet.
Syd looks out across the water, his face now etched with pain.
Syd: It's hard when all you do is suck up to mum and dad. Okay, I'm the black sheep and deserve the tag but...you sure know how to milk being the favoured one.
Gerry: I'm not doing this Syd. The drink is talking and hopefully tomorrow you will be in a better state of mind. I'm going to bed.
Syd: Run away as usual.
Gerry turns around: You'd know all about running away.

Syd lunges forward and they start wrestling. Margaret and Felicity run out and convince them to separate. The brothers glare at each other and go to their respective sleeping quarters.
Margaret follows Gerry: When are you going to learn to turn the other cheek?
Gerry: I'm sorry. He has spent all his life trying to wind me up and you would think I would have learned by now.

The next morning Felicity knocks and enters Gerry's and Margaret's sleeping quarters. She says she can't find Syd. He found the smaller sleeping cabin too cramped and went to sleep on the deck sofa. 

They all start going around the boat, checking every possible place one could fit and then around the deck but nothing.
Felicity: Where could he be?
Gerry: It makes no sense. He did drink heavily but not so much as to fall overboard,  much less to not to call out for help. 
Felicity: Maybe he did but we didn't hear him. She looks bewildered. Where could he be?
Gerry: I think we need to alert the authorities as he's not on the boat and we can't see him anywhere in the water.

As they wait, they vainly recheck the boat. The police and coastguard arrive. The boat is rechecked again and the water around the area is patrolled by the coastguard but there is no initial sighting of him. The shoreline is then searched and his body is found close to some rocks.

They head back in the Azzurra to the San Jorge Marina. By now, Felicity is distraught and Margaret sits on the rear deck sofa and comforts her.

The police interview Gerry first.
Officer Perry: Mr. Marks, we have found your brother. It appears he drowned, although we're not entirely sure how it happened. We have to wait for the results of the post mortem. Tell us what you know.
Gerry: Syd and I had a small disagreement. A bit of push and shove.
Officer Perry: Then what?
Gerry: Our wives came out and stopped it.
Officer Perry: What was the disagreement about?
Gerry: That I was the favoured child. I said I wasn't going into that again and tried to leave but he grabbed me.
Officer Perry: Did you continue the dispute later?
Gerry: No. I went to bed with my wife and didn't get up at all until morning, when Felicity raised the alarm.

After some more questions for Gerry and then the two wives, their stories match up. They are all free to go but are informed not to leave the area.

Later, the post mortem shows there was a blow to the head, from something blunt, either his falling on the deck before slipping into the water or delivered by someone. The verdict is death by drowning. Everyone is called back for questioning but the evidence against any of them is deemed to be circumstantial, there being no reason to assume foul play in any case.

Weeks pass and Felicity comes to visit Gerry and Margaret in their home. They all share a meal together and settle, chatting with some drinks. Felicity is upbeat and cheerful.

Gerry: So how are you managing financially? Syd's gambling habit was no secret in the family and it did put a strain on your finances.
Felicity: It's funny you ask that. Syd had a very tidy life insurance plan. I'm doing quite well, actually.
Gerry: That's a relief, as I'm sure Syd would have wanted you to be looked after. 
Felicity: He would, wouldn't he? He always wanted the best for me.

Gerry goes to get some more wine.  

Margaret: We're so glad to hear you're doing okay, Felicity. Not too lonely?
Felicity grins: Syd's business partner, Roscoe, has shown an interest in me. We are seeing each other but not openly, as it is a bit soon after the funeral. But we get on well. Always have, so why hold back?
Gerry returns, having heard from the kitchen: You could have brought Roscoe with you. We would like to meet him.
Felicity: He's busy renovating our bathroom, I mean, my bathroom. Well, he still has his own place but stays often, so it's his bathroom too. She giggles, the wine doing its thing.
Gerry and Margaret look at each other.
Margaret: So how long have you and Roscoe been friendly.
Felicity: We have always been friendly, like I said. You must get to meet him.

After some more chatter, Felicity leaves. Gerry stacks the dishwasher and Margaret puts away a few things in the pantry.
Gerry: What do you make of Felicity's friendship with this Roscoe chap?
Margaret: It's a bit fast, isn't it? I mean, barely a few weeks since the funeral and she is practically living with this man.
Gerry: Maybe she just needs someone to lean on.
Margaret: Perhaps. But did you notice how she looked when she mentioned the insurance policy? She didn't hide her excitement.

They leave it at that and life goes on. One day Gerry is doing some work at a motel and gets chatting to the owner, Dylan, who is also his long time friend.
Dylan: That was tragic about your brother Gerry. Sorry about your loss.
Gerry: It was sad, but we had a difficult relationship. It's worse for his widow, Felicity.
Dylan smiles but says nothing.
Gerry: What's the joke, Dylan?
Dylan: Nothing, but still smiling.
Gerry: Come on Dylan, we're mates. No secrets.
Dylan hesitates: I don't want to gossip but this is in strictest confidence, okay?
Gerry: You have my word.
Dylan: Your sister in law Felicity was a discreet customer here. She didn't know I knew you and I didn't let on. She used to come with this fellow, never got to know his name.
Gerry: What time frame are we talking about?
Dylan: Started over a year ago. One time when she was paying for her stay, my wife Trixie handled the transaction. Trixie started gently guiding the conversation around Felicity's visits with a wink. Felicity opened right up, went off about her useless, gambling husband. That she wanted to divorce Syd but couldn't bring herself to do it. Trixi didn't let on about knowing Syd either.

Gerry went pale. He went home and told Margaret.
Gerry: I didn't think she was doing anything like this. What do you think about it? 
Margaret: We can't do anything with this information, Gerry. It's just gossip. It's a motive, but not proof.
Gerry: A motive for what?
Margaret: For something to have happened to Syd.
Gerry: You think she killed him?
Margaret: I don't know, but she wanted a divorce. She said Syd wanted to sleep on the deck's sofa but that is what Felicity told us. Why choose a cabin that Syd might feel claustrophobic in? Maybe she encouraged him to go on deck, perhaps plying him with more drink and then did the deed.
Gerry: I want to talk to Felicity and confront her with what Dylan told me but I gave my word not to talk about it. Besides, as you say, it isn't proof of anything. It could be coincidental.
Margaret: He was your brother. Can you leave it as it is?
Gerry rubs his chin, thinking: I don't know. I'll talk to Dylan and see if he is prepared to assist in a police enquiry if it comes to that. 

Gerry approaches Dylan and he agrees to assist. The police investigate but decide there is insufficient proof. Felicity is upset that they went to the authorities and comes by one evening.

Margaret: Come in Felicity. She storms in and stands in the entryway. Gerry joins them from upstairs.

Felicity: How dare you go behind my back and talk to the police? I thought we were family!
Gerry joins in: We only wanted the truth, Felicity.
Felicity: The truth is you've always distrusted me and now you're trying to paint me as a monster. I loved Syd!
Gerry: Did you? Because we heard about your visits to a motel.
Felicity: I was lonely and starved of affection. Gamblers can be emotionally cold and Syd certainly was. You have no right to judge me on that. And to say that was a motive for murder?
Margaret: We're not judging, Felicity. We're just confused and we felt the law should decide, not us.
Felicity: Confused? You're not confused, you're hateful. Well, you've got your answer. The police agreed it proved nothing.
Gerry: We accept the police's verdict.
She stares at them and then turns around and leaves, slamming the door. 

Gerry: Maybe we should have stayed quiet? It's solved nothing.

Margaret: It would have played on our mind. At least the police know about it and if they find other information, it's building a case. That is if there is a case to build on. Let's have a drink. Hopefully Felicity will realise we didn't act with hateful intent. 

Is there a case? Did Felicity set things up to get rid of an emotionally cold gambling husband so that she could be with her lover? Or was it just a set of circumstances that came together that looked suspicious? The case remains open.

They don't see Felicity again, and Gerry has to accept that what happened to his brother may never be known with certainty.