Murder On Display_A riveting, stand-alone murder / mystery that keeps you guessing until the shocking end

by Luke Christodoulou

  Ioli nodded again as Mrs. Sophia retold the story how Adonis gave half his sandwich to a classmate whose mother forgot to pack him any lunch.

  ‘What kind of mother forgets to pack her child something to eat?’ Mrs. Sophia asked, raising her hands into the air. She, then crossed herself and prayed to the Virgin Mary to provide sense to all the mothers of the world.

  Her prayer was cut short as she immediately leaped out of the chair upon hearing Ioli unlock the cell and pull open the hefty door.

  ‘Oh, my... eh, sorry,’ Ioli manage to say, her pupils dilated as she stepped back and turned away. Mrs. Sophia had somehow rushed to the door and popped her head into the room.

  ‘I’m sorry, dear,’ she said, placing her rough, wrinkled hand upon Ioli’s shoulder. ‘He gets nervous and he does not know better. I’ll get the mop.’

  Adonis stopped masturbating upon hearing his grandma’s voice and quickly pulled up his shorts. He curled up in the corner of the bunk bed, his head between his legs. Semen and vomit were on the floor in front of the bed.

  ‘No need for that, Mrs. Sophia,’ Ioli said, catching her breath. ‘I’m sure we can call the cleaning lady to come in...’

  Mrs. Sophia’s loud, sardonic laughter filled the room. ‘Oh, dear, you think the station has a cleaning lady? Valentina cleans it herself –and between us, not very well. She keeps daydreaming about leaving the island. No, no. That hair, those nails. She won’t clean this. Let me clean up, please,’ she said, constantly moving around in search for the mop and bucket. She found everything she needed in the dark corner behind the row of file cabinets. The dust resting on the aluminium cabinets gave weight to her judgment of Valentina’s cleaning skills.

  Ioli picked up the air-conditioning’s remote and turned it on. In July, there was no great difference between day temperature and that of late evenings. Only around midnight did you feel a change in temperature and even then, it was still hot. The floorboard creaked as Ioli sat back in the worn-in office chair behind the lone desk. She had one eye on Mrs. Sophia as she cleaned the floor and another on her phone as she flicked through her newly-saved number for Julia, the shoe maker’s wife.

  ‘Good evening, Mrs. Julia, this is Lieutenant Ioli Cara. We spoke earlier today...’

  ‘Have you found my husband?’ her barely audible voice came through, frustration and despair wrapped around each word.

  ‘I would appreciate if you could come to the station, and please, come with your son.’ Ioli thought he would be good support for his mother, yet, also, get a rough idea of him. ‘Two birds, one stone, sort of thing.’

  ‘Oh, God. No, no... Please, tell me...’

  ‘See you, soon,’ Ioli replied and pressed the red button on her screen, ending the call. Informing the living about the dead was a necessary evil that came in the job description. It was, for Ioli and most, the hardest part of being a homicide investigator. Definitely, not a conversation she planned to do over the phone.

  Just then, the door opened and Alexandro entered, the look on his face puzzling.

  ‘What’s wrong with you? Why are you so late?’ Ioli asked, tilting her head to the side and placing it upon her hand.

  ‘Don’t ask, just... just watch,’ he replied, his palms waving in the air. ‘What’s going on in there?’ he asked, watching Mrs. Sophia mopping the floor.

  ‘Don’t ask!’

  An exchange of smiles followed, only for the moment to be violently interrupted by the slamming open of the door. A tall man with a thick moustache and a checked-shirt unbuttoned half way, revealing his hairy chest, barged in.

  ‘Come on, city boy. We haven’t got all day.’

  ‘Coming, sir,’ Alexandro replied and exited, ducking below the man’s hand that held the door wide open.

  ‘Well, hello there, pretty lady. I’m Gianni. Valentina’s father. Nice to meet you,’ he said and bowed his head, leaning his straw, cowboy hat forward. His golden chain came out of his thick, chest hair and his cross hung down in front of him.

  Ioli did not manage to reply as the bulky man turned and left, leaving the door open. Soon, a huge, rusty-in-the-corners ice-cream fridge was being forced through the door, carried by the two men. Valentina followed behind them, giving nervous directions and warning them not to damage the walls.

  ‘Leave it there, by the file cabinets. And, dad, don’t forget to plug it in,’ she finally said and approached Ioli, her cheeks the color of a red autumn pepper. Witnessing Mrs. Sophia in the holding room, she squatted by Ioli and whispered in her ear. ‘The coroner’s team will be here first thing in the morning, where were we supposed to leave the body? My father has a kiosk down by the beach and has many old fridges in the back...’

  ‘Say no more. Under the circumstances, it’s a good idea. Now, help me get rid of granny Poppins over there. Mr. Sakis’ family is on the way. After I break the shocking news, I’ll need you to sit with his wife. I want to find a way to talk to the son, but not in front of his mother,’ Ioli replied, in the same whispery manner.

  Mrs. Sophia had finished with the cleaning and proceeded with ordering the youth to change clothes. Adonis stood up and with obvious strain and awkward movements he undressed. Mrs. Sophia served him her specialty and placed the hot plate on his bed. ‘Eat up, my love.’

  ‘Do you think he’s a suspect because Natalie turned him down?’ Valentina continued her conversation with Ioli, slightly worried about what her father was talking about to Alexandro.

  ‘If Adonis is innocent, everyone on the island is a suspect. I’ve seen the most unlikely people do the most awful crimes. It worries me, not only that she turned him down, but because his father -who called in about the true killer- was found murdered hours later. He called from home. Who else could have heard him besides his wife and son?’

  Valentina nodded and stood up, her mind thinking over if it was made out for the job. ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ she thought as she rushed over to the two men relaxing their strained muscles by the ice-cream fridge housing a corpse-popsicle.

  ‘Single, eh? What are you waiting for? What are you? Twenty-seven? Twenty-eight?’

  ‘Twenty-nine,’ Alexandro replied.

  ‘A man needs a good woman in his life...’ the man chatted away, while scratching himself every now and then. Once his jaw, twice his chest and a few times on the back of his head.

  ‘Dad!’ Valentina said, using the tone he was so familiar with. She had used it with him ever since her puberty. ‘Don’t you have to get back home? Mum will be waiting.’

  ‘Hmm, yeah,’ he grunted. He placed his hand firmly on Alexandro’s shoulder and squeezed it tight. ‘Think about it, son.’ He, then, smiled to Ioli and added ‘Valentina’s a fine good cop, you know. Not a very suitable job for a woman as your father surely tells you, but she’s really good at it...’

  ‘Dad!’

  ‘I’m gone, I’m gone!’ he said and with a steady plod, he exited the building. The uproarious sound from the engine of his truck echoed through the air as Valentina apologized to Ioli.

  ‘No need for that. My father, named Gianni as well, never wanted me to become a cop. Never mind, a homicide detective. Now...’ she paused, nodding to the direction of the cell.

  ‘On it,’ Valentina said and went over to Mrs. Sophia to inform her of visiting hours, how Adonis should get some sleep and a few more excuses she came up with on the spot.

  As Mrs. Sophia kissed her grandson and wished them all a very good night, Ioli’s mind travelled to her father. She could not believe it had been nearly a year since he passed away, betrayed by a heart that beat only for his wife and daughter.

  Valentina set up her coffee maker and stood there watching as hot, steamy drops fell into the empty glass cylinder below. She knew it took well over seven minutes to prepare, more as she added enough ingredients for five people. She did not ask if anyone wished for it. Valentina wanted to have something better to do than feel Alexandro’s eyes on her. She kept her back to him the whole time.r />
  Alexandro decided to get his own feel of Adonis.

  ‘Enjoy your chicken?’ he asked, as he stood in the doorway of Adoni’s cell.

  Adonis had left the empty plate on the floor by the door and had climbed back upon the bed. His round, blue eyes looked up at Alexandro and as he rocked about anxiously, he reminded Alexandro of the bobbing head dogs that he kept in the back of his white Ford.

  Adonis swallowed with a loud noise signalling the journey of his spit downwards. ‘Err... Ye... Yes, sir. Grandma’s cooking is, is the best.’

  ‘She really loves you, kid. The whole island seems to like you.’

  His face lit up like a bulb. His crooked-teeth smile ran from ear to ear. ‘Granny is always with me. People here... very kind.’

  ‘It’s nice to have someone always there for you. Did Natalie like you, too?’

  A shadow formed across Adoni’s pale face. ‘Poor Natalie. If she was less sinful... she would be alive...’ His words became difficult to understand and his rocking grew more violent.

  ‘Is that why you used your knife? Because she was a sinner?’ Alexandro asked, squatting opposite the blond hair youth with the group of subtle freckles upon his round cheeks.

  ‘No... No...’ he yelled the word. ‘Never... I like her...’

  ‘And she turned you down?’

  ‘I... I... She was mean... but I did not want... that, you know... what other boys wanted... I wanted a friend.’

  ‘Who killed her then?’ Alexandro inquired, his eyes meeting with the boy’s.

  Adonis raised his shoulders. ‘Beats me!’ he replied and giggled.

  Just then, a knock on the main door was heard. Alexandro stood up, touched Adoni’s hair and wished him a good night’s sleep. He closed the door behind him and walked over to Ioli who was rubbing her lower back, having just stood up.

  Valentina was ready to call out a ‘come in’, but as the door immediately flew open after the knock, there was no need.

  Mrs. Julia rushed into the room, her red apron with the printed recipe still tied around her waist. Her hair was messy and her eyes moved around like angry dragonflies in the back garden.

  ‘Where is he?’ she shrieked.

  ‘Ma, relax,’ the muscular teen behind her, advised. ‘Let them talk,’ he continued and took a prolonged drag from his shiny, newly-bought, vaping machine.

  ‘Please, he has been gone all day,’ she pleaded to Valentina, ignoring her son and the huge cloud of smoke that he released into the room. He yawned, put his hands in his pockets and leaned back, placing his foot upon the no-longer white wall.

  Valentina took one look at Ioli who quickly shook her head.

  ‘Sit down with Lieutenant Cara and she will inform you. I’ll bring over coffee,’ Valentina said and swirled back to her coffee-making station.

  Julia placed both her palms upon her sweaty face and pushed back the multiple crinkly, brown hairs dangling in front of her eyes. She took a deep breath with her eyes closed and walked calmly towards Ioli and sat down opposite her.

  ‘I am ready,’ she announced, and closed her hazel eyes once again.

  ‘Oh, for freakin’ sake, ma. This ain’t one of ‘ya Mexican soap operas.’

  ‘I’m afraid your husband is dead,’ Ioli said in her ‘trained for such occasions’ voice. She placed her hand on Julia’s knee, yet kept her eyes on Andreas.

  Andreas’ vaporizer fell to the ground as he lost his balance. He took a step forward. All blood seemed to have abandoned his face. Ashen, he said ‘Shut the front door! You’re joking, right? This is some sort of cruel joke. Who would want to hurt my father?’

  ‘Who said someone hurt him?’ Ioli replied, her eyes set on the teen.

  ‘I... I...’

  The words never came. He fell back and sat against the wall. He placed his head between his knees and remained silent.

  ‘You sure?’ Julia finally spoke.

  ‘Yes, Mrs. Julia,’ Valentina replied, coming closer to her mother’s friend. ‘I saw him myself,’ she said, hoping no one would ask to see the body. Seeing their loved one, crashed, mutilated and tossed in an old ice-cream fridge was not what they needed at that moment.

  ‘How?’

  ‘We are still investigating the circumstances of how your husband died. We found his body at the bottom of the caldera...’

  ‘Oh, God. Saki...’ she cried, her hand covering her mouth. Tears escaped the corners of her eyes where they had grouped together. One by one, they ran freely down her round face.

  ‘Mrs. Julia, your husband called us today and he mentioned that he knew who Natalie’s killer was,’ Ioli said, retracting her hand and sitting back in the chair. With her six-month old embryo in the way, there was no chance for her to use her usual, leaning forward with caring eyes pose that she normally used in such situations.

  ‘Is that why he was... murdered?’ she asked, through sobs.

  ‘We don’t know for sure that he was murdered or if it’s related to Natalie’s case. Likely scenarios are just guesses and presumptions until proven facts by the evidence.’

  ‘What else could have happened?’

  ‘He could have fell. Was he drinking or feeling unwell today?’

  ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake. My dad is no dumb villager, lady.’

  ‘Andrea, please,’ his mother said and silenced him. ‘Saki was fine today. A bit worried, maybe...’

  ‘Did he tell you anything about Natalie’s case?’

  ‘No,’ she said, shaking her head.

  ‘How about you?’

  Andrea raised his head from his knees and stood up. ‘I was there with him when he made the call.’

  ‘And?’ Alexandro asked, ten seconds into the youth’s pause.

  ‘I asked him. All he said to me was that Adonis did not kill her and he rushed out the door, got in his car. I assumed he was coming here.’

  Alexandro approached him wearing what he presumed was his good-cop face. ‘He said nothing more? Or if he mentioned this to anyone else?’

  Andrea just shook his head. His hands kept wiping away tears. ‘I’m going outside. I need a real cigarette,’ he said and rushed out the door, leaving it to swing behind him.

  ‘So much for e-cigs helping you quit,’ Ioli thought. Julia began to try to stand up with shaking hands placed on the arms of the chair. Ioli placed her hand on her shoulder. ‘I’ll go with him. Stay. Take your time. Drink your coffee.’

  The first Police Captain she had worked with had advised her to use short sentences with victim’s families. ‘They are in no position to pay attention or think clearly. Keep your questions as short as possible and your sentences shorter,’ the Herculean Cretan had said all those years ago and the words had stuck with her ever since.

  Valentina came forward with Mrs. Julia’s coffee and placed it to her side. She kept her own in her hands and sat down opposite her. She remained silent knowing well that just like any Greek woman, Mrs. Julia would soon start talking about her husband and list all his fine qualities. She wasn’t wrong.

  Alexandro watched as Valentina walked pass him, not offering him a coffee. She had, however, made enough for all. With Ioli outside and Valentina preoccupied with listening to what a good, moral man, Mr. Sakis was, Alexandro poured himself a cup and stood above the desk, taking slow sips and reading the coroner’s report.

  The street light on the side road of the station flickered, surrounded by myriads of flying insects of the night. Andrea stood below, leaning back on the dirty, green post. He huffed in and released large clouds of smoke. After every other cloud, came a smoke ring.

  ‘I’m guessing a pregnant lady did not come out to enjoy a smoke with me,’ he said, watching Ioli walk towards him. He blew his smoke towards the side as she came close.

  ‘Smart boy,’ she said, flashing a wide smile.

  Andrea’s eyes were focused on her white, symmetrical teeth. He chuckled and threw his cigarette butt to the ground, next to a homeless soda can. He did not bother stomping
it out.

  ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘My dad has a saying about smiles like yours,’ he replied.

  ‘And what was that?’

  ‘A smile like that opens a lot of doors, but opens even more wallets,’ he said, deepening his voice, apparently mimicking his old man.

  ‘I... I can’t believe he’s gone,’ he continued, holding back sobs. He crossed the road and sat down on a neglected, wooden bench. Ioli followed and joined him.

  ‘My father passed away last year. I, too, could not believe it. It took a while to accept it. I think, lonely children like us are even more attached to our parents. You know? It’s always the three of us and all their attention is on us.’

  ‘Was he murdered?’

  ‘No, heart attack...’

  ‘Then, you have no idea of the anger I am feeling, right now. Just because of that stupid slut, my father is dead. He was such a lawful kind of guy. The Christian type to always do good. Look where that got him. He just had to meddle. Got himself stuck in all this shit.’

  Andrea spoke with heavy breathing; his hands clenched together in fists.

  ‘Were you friends with Adonis?’

  ‘Not really. We all played with him during primary school. I remember his first day, here in Folegandros. Our second grade teacher told us a new boy was coming to our school. She gave a huge speech about how he has special needs and had just lost his mother, so we all played with him. But, as we grew older and he remained a child, we all kind of lost touch,’ he said and after a pause added ‘Even without my dad saying so, there is no way that Adoni would have killed that whore.’

  ‘I’m guessing you weren’t a big fan of Natalie’s.’

  ‘I know she’s dead and all, and we aren’t supposed to talk bad about the dead, but she was one of a kind. The bad kind. Slept around with everyone in school.’

  Ioli gazed up at the night sky, filled with shiny stars as far as the eye could focus. She acted casually as she threw the question to which she already knew the answer.

  ‘You, too?’

  Andrea sat up straight. For the first time in the last half an hour, his father left his mind. Now, there was a beautiful woman sitting next to him, asking about his sex life. The teen’s cheeks rosied up slightly.