Free Smile and be a Villain by Jeanne M. Dams

hand,’ said Alan, ‘a remote island isn’t a bad place to escape one’s past. If his “shenanigans”, as you put it, had begun to make things difficult for him in America, he might have thought it prudent to remove himself. England might not have proved far enough away, but if someone mentioned Alderney, it might have seemed ideal. And remember, there are no passport formalities to get here. Officially, so to speak, he never left England.’
    â€˜Making him hard to trace.’ I yawned. ‘You know, I’m really uneasy about this whole thing. Because we’ve met two people who might have had reason to give Abercrombie a good push, and the trouble is I like both of them a lot better than I’m beginning to like him.’
    â€˜I agree. But I don’t see what we’re to do about it at this point.’
    I yawned. ‘Oh, well. Nothing right now, I guess. When in doubt, sleep on it. It’s nap time, especially since we’re going to be up late tonight chasing bats. I just hope they don’t start chasing us.’

NINE
    W hen we woke up, we went for a nice walk up and down Victoria Street. I did a little shopping, buying some really attractive tops that I didn’t in the least need, and a gorgeous Aran-type turtleneck that would be very useful indeed come winter. Then we wandered down to the harbour to investigate a little more fully what was there.
    It was plain that most of the establishments were meant to serve the maritime crowd. There were showers and a small launderette for the benefit of people just off their boats. I took note of that in case I needed to use it later. There were lots of small places to eat casual food or pick up groceries. On the other hand, a shop called London House sold high-end electronics and was doing a thriving business. It seemed an unlikely spot for such a business, but I was reminded that many places I consider to be picturesque and unspoiled are in fact very much a part of the twenty-first century, with all its wonders – and troubles. We walked into the store, and one glance told me I’d find nothing of interest here.
    Alan had other ideas. He was looking, in a half-hearted sort of way, for a new computer. It’s appalling how fast these things go out of date, and his was beginning to run more and more slowly. He was dragging his feet because he didn’t want to learn how to use a new one, and I could certainly sympathize. The older I get, the harder it seems to be to adjust to new technology. I was still just barely competent with the cell phone I’d bought some months before, the one I’d bought only because my simple old one had been smashed to bits in a fall down some extremely unyielding marble steps.
    â€˜Alan, you wouldn’t want to buy a computer here,’ I said in a low tone. ‘You’d have to ship it home; it’s way too heavy for the Trislander.’
    â€˜I’m just comparing prices,’ he said. ‘Some of these are real bargains.’
    A salesperson came up just then. ‘I imagine you’re surprised to find such a good selection here, but computers are very important in Alderney. If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help,’ he went on with the warm smile I’d come to expect from island people. ‘Are you off a yacht, or staying in the town?’
    â€˜Town,’ I said. ‘We’ve been here since Monday, and we’re loving it. But we’re just browsing.’
    â€˜You’re American, aren’t you? Or Canadian?’
    â€˜American, but I’ve lived in England for quite a while now.’
    â€˜Ah.’ He gave us a closer look. ‘You wouldn’t be the couple who found the chap on the hill, would you?’
    I think Alan and I sighed together. There was no escaping it, not on a small island. ‘As a matter of fact we are,’ I said. ‘It wasn’t a very pleasant experience.’
    â€˜No,