Death in the Aegean (17 page)

David wondered why Don had now become so adamant that Kevin was the murderer. Don was generally a gentle, kind man who never said anything bad about anyone else. David now wanted the conversation to end as he felt they could go round in circles.

“Well, perhaps you’re right,” David lied. “We’ll have to see how today goes and if they let Kevin go or if they keep him in. Anyway, I must be on my way. I have my niece staying with me and she should be up by now.”

“Oh, okay, nice seeing you, David. Tell Eve to forget about her amateur sleuthing. The police have it covered.”

As David left, he shook his head, wondering what on earth was up with Don.

* * * *

At about the same time, back at David’s house, Emma was being woken by a loud banging at the door. She turned over to go back to sleep, expecting her uncle to answer it. When the banging continued, she realized that David must be out, so she reluctantly got up, put on her dressing gown and went down the stairs, hoping that the person might go away. However, when she reached the front door, the doorbell rang. Reluctantly, Emma opened the door.

She was surprised to see Justin standing there. For a moment, she wished she could disappear. She had no make-up on and she hadn’t even brushed her hair. What would he think of her now he wasn’t seeing her at her best? However, she looked at his eyes and was shocked. Justin looked like he’d been crying. What could have happened in the few hours since they had last seen each other?

“Justin, what’s happened? You look terrible. Come on in.”

“Thank you. It’s been awful. I don’t know how to tell you this. You’ll wish you’d never met me.” 

“Don’t be silly. I’d never wish that. I had a great time with you last night.”

Justin tried to smile as he followed Emma into the sitting room.

“It's about Yiannis. He was found murdered this morning and the police arrested me.”

Justin looked as if he were about to burst into tears again. Emma was so shocked that she couldn’t move or speak for a moment. Finally she managed to get some words out.

“Oh Justin, why?”

“I saw Yiannis having a drink with his friends last night as I walked home after leaving you. I was so angry that I went up to him and questioned him about Mum and their affair. He laughed at me and we ended up having a fight, but that was it. Some of his friends separated us and I went home. The next thing I knew, the police were at my door arresting me early this morning. But then Dad confessed to killing him and he’s been arrested and they let me go. I didn’t do it, but I don’t reckon Dad killed Yiannis either. He confessed so they’d release me. I’ve been horrible to him and he did this for me. I bet the police will now try and pin the murder of Mum on him as well. He’d never kill her. Their marriage was rocky, but he didn’t care for her anymore. He’d rather get a divorce, not murder her and risk going to jail.”

Emma went over to Justin and took him in her arms. He was so gentle and vulnerable and she hugged him, letting all the tears flow.

As his sobbing receded, Emma let him go and then spoke.

“Come and sit down and have a bit of a rest. You look exhausted.”

“Thanks, Emma,” Justin said, looking sad, but relieved that she hadn’t turned him away.

After all, he had only met her the previous day and she could have been scared off by this happening so early in their relationship.

“Are you sure, Justin?” Emma asked once they had both sat down. “Are you certain that your Dad didn’t love your Mum? He could have pretended not to, while everything festered inside him. Then, finding out she was having an affair, he could have just snapped and killed her and then killed Yiannis, her lover.”

“No, you’re wrong. Emma,” Justin replied.  

“Who do you think murdered them? Do you think it was the same person?”

“I don’t know, Emma, I really don’t. I’ll be glad when my brother, Wayne, arrives this evening. He’ll be able to take charge. He’s much more forceful than me.”

“You’ve got your Uncle Paul as well, Justin...... and me.”

Justin smiled for the first time that morning. He’d been afraid that Emma wouldn’t want to know him now, but she did. Life wasn’t as bad as it had seemed ten minutes ago. 

That lunchtime, Annie and Pete had arranged to meet Eve at
The Black Cat
for a bite to eat and a drink, knowing that she would probably need a bit of company with David having moved back home.

David had hoped to spend the day with Emma, it being her first day on Crete, but it seemed she had other ideas. When he returned from Eve’s, he was dismayed to find Emma in her dressing gown comforting Justin. Although David didn’t think that Justin had killed Yiannis, there was always the faint possibility that he had. David wasn’t sure that he wanted Emma spending too much time with him. However, Emma was a strong-willed girl and there was nothing David could do to change her mind. She had decided to spend the day with Justin and that was that.

David then thought he might as well spend the day writing, but he didn’t know if he could concentrate. He was also concerned about Eve. She seemed convinced that Kevin wasn’t the killer and he was worried about what she might get up to if she were left on her own all day. When she phoned later in the morning to invite him to
The Black Cat
for lunch, he readily agreed.

They arrived at
The Black Cat
a few minutes after Annie and Pete. Eve, seeing Pete ordering drinks, told David to go and sit down.

“I’ll get the first round in, darling. Glass of red wine?”

David nodded, quite surprised to see Eve getting the drinks in. Eve was a very generous woman and paid for many things, but she rarely went up to a bar to order drinks. Perhaps it was a slightly old fashioned streak in her that made her think that the man should be the one to go up to buy the drinks.

Pete was at the far end of the bar, having just got a beer for himself and a glass of white wine for Annie. He moved over to Eve.

“Not often we see you at the bar,” he said, a little nervously

Eve glanced at Pete and just smiled.

“There was nothing going on, you know,” he continued.

“Going on?” Eve asked.

“Don’t play games, Eve. I know you saw me with Lucy in Rethymnon a few months back. I bumped into her, that’s all. I had an appointment with a doctor there and she was out shopping. We had a coffee. That’s it.”

“Why do you feel the need to explain yourself to me?”

“Because I know you saw us and I know that’s why you came to the bar.”

“I didn’t think anything was going on,” Eve said. “Yes, I was surprised to see you together, but I know how close you and Annie are.”

“Thank goodness. I was so worried you’d tell her.”

“No, of course not.”

Pete breathed a sigh of relief and went to sit down while Eve got her drinks in.

I don’t think there was anything going on, but he does seem nervous.

“Well, what a turn-up for the books,” Annie said as soon as Eve came to the table. “First, Justin being arrested for murdering Yiannis, and then Kevin confessing to the murder. It all seems very odd.”

“I’m pretty certain Kevin is covering for his son,” Pete added. “It happened a couple of times when I was in the police force, though who murdered Lucy is beyond me. I would have thought the same person murdered both people.”

“Talking about the murders again,” Betty boomed.

She and Don had just walked into
The Black Cat,
much to Eve’s disappointment. She was looking forward to a peaceful lunch and now it looked like she was going to have the complete opposite.

“May we join you?” Betty continued, surprising everyone.

Usually she didn’t like to sit at the same table as Eve, but everybody guessed that she must have wanted to hear the latest gossip.

Don went up to get their drinks while Betty made herself comfortable.

“So,” Betty continued. “It looks like Kevin is the killer after all and not of one person, but two.”

Eve, not wanting to be left out of the conversation, had to speak.

“He’s only confessed to killing Yiannis.”

“Yes,” Betty said, “but it’s pretty obvious that whoever killed Yiannis also killed Lucy.”

“I reckon they’ve got the wrong man; to hell with his confession,” Eve spoke up, glaring at Betty. “He’s protecting his son, who I believe is innocent as well.”

“My goodness, Eve, will you never learn to leave the detecting to the police,” Betty replied, glaring back at Eve. “Do you really want to get yourself killed?”

“Who’s going to kill me? You?  David? Annie or Pete? As usual, you’re being over dramatic.”

“Did you hear that, Don?”

Don had just returned with their drinks.

“What’s that, dear?”

“Eve doesn’t think Kevin committed the murders. She thinks she knows more than the police.”

Eve looked fiercely at Betty.

Will that woman never stop being rude? Eve thought. I will not reply and sink to her level. Yes, there was a time when I did, but no more.

David however, wasn’t feeling quite so generous.

“Betty, I’ve told you enough times to stop having a go at Eve, haven’t I? So please, if you can’t be polite, don’t say anything.”

Betty knew she’d done it again, but she didn’t care anymore. David didn’t like her anymore and he probably never would again. She shrugged her shoulders and took a long swig of gin, wishing for the return of the time before Eve Masters had come to Crete.

Don, disliking the atmosphere, decided to change the subject.

“You will be continuing the drama group in the autumn, Eve, won’t you? We all love it so much.”

“I did say I could take it over,” Betty put in quickly.

That did it for Eve. She wasn’t going to have somebody who knew next to nothing about show business running her drama group......and that’s what it was,
her
drama group.

“Of course I’m not giving it up. I wouldn’t want to let anyone down and it does need someone with experience in show business to run it.”

She glanced at Betty as she said this. There was no way she was going to let Betty take over the drama group. Despite Betty being her enemy, the woman had no experience in the theatre at all; in fact she didn’t even enjoy going to see plays. When Don was involved in amateur dramatics back in England, she would never go and watch him perform.  

Betty glared at Eve. She knew she was only carrying on with the group because she didn’t want her to take over. She had half a mind to become a member just to annoy Eve. If only she didn’t hate amateur theatricals.

Nobody said anything for a moment and Annie wished that Betty and Don hadn’t turned up. She had been looking forward to a nice relaxed lunch with Eve and David and couldn’t understand why Betty had wanted to join them. Usually she wanted to keep as far away from Eve as possible.

Eve was also feeling annoyed that Betty and Don had turned up and couldn’t be bothered to break the silence. When she saw Jane hovering at the door, obviously trying to get her attention, she excused herself and went to see what her friend wanted.

“Jane, you are a lifesaver, believe me. I have no idea why Betty wanted to join us, but she did, and things were getting awkward.”

Eve paused for a moment and then noticed that Jane had been crying.

“My goodness, Jane, here I am going on about my own silly little problems while you’re upset. What’s wrong? You can tell me.”

“Oh Eve, I think I’ve made another mistake. First it was James and now Paul. I don’t think he’s as nice as I thought. Actually I don’t know why I thought he was nice. He did attack you at Kevin and Lucy’s party after all.”

She started sobbing and Eve led her outside.

“Come on Jane, tell me what’s happened.”

“I told Paul I went to the police about Yiannis. I know you told me not to, but I don’t like to keep secrets.”

Eve shook her head, but said nothing. Jane was an honest person and Eve knew she wouldn’t be able to live happily with that on her mind.

“He went mad, Eve. I haven’t seen him like that since he went for you.”

“He didn’t touch you, did he?” Eve asked, becoming concerned.

“No. I thought he was going to hit me so I moved away and I must have been cowering because he started apologizing. I wouldn’t go near him again though.”

Eve put her arm around Jane to comfort her, neither of them noticing Paul’s Blue Atos driving past slowly.

“He said it was family business and we shouldn’t offer information to the police.” Jane continued. “I just looked at him and then I left. He followed me, but I ran and ran and he stood watching me in the end. I don’t know what to think now. Perhaps Kevin did kill Lucy and Yiannis or perhaps he didn’t kill either and Justin killed Yiannis. I was sure they hadn’t, but I don’t know now.”

“Me neither,” Eve replied, a tremor of fear running down her spine.

If the family was so close, any of them could hurt Jane; and wasn’t the other son arriving soon as well?

“I think we need to tell the police,” Eve said.

“No, we can’t,” Jane replied fearfully.

“We have no choice. Paul could still try and hurt you.”

“Paul?” David said, having just come out of
The Black Cat
, looking for Eve.

He overheard her last comment and sounded horrified. Eve hurriedly told him Jane’s story before he had a chance to get angry and accuse her of meddling in the murders. 

“I never liked that man as Eve well knows, especially since he attacked her. Yes, we’re definitely going to the police, but first we’ll all have some lunch and I won’t take no for an answer, Jane.”

Jane smiled weakly, but knew he was probably right. She needed to keep her strength up.

“Then all three of us will go and see Dimitris Kastrinakis.”

“I’ll just pop into the Ladies and tidy myself up,” Jane said. “Seeing as you’re with company.”

“You seem deep in thought, Eve,” David said as they walked back into the bar.

“What if it was Paul?” she asked. “What if he was the murderer?”

David just shook his head. 

* * * *

“I don’t think there is anything we can do, Miss Phillips,” Dimitris Kastrinakis said. “After all, Mr. Fowler didn’t actually hit you, did he?”