Death in the Aegean

by Irena Nieslony

  “Come here, son,” he said, taking hold of Justin. “It’ll be okay, they’ll find the bastard who did it, I’m sure they will.”

  “That’s not the point, Dad,” Justin cried. “We’ll never see Mum again.”

  “No, we won’t, will we?” Kevin replied.

  Dimitris had a strange feeling that deep down, Kevin was smiling as he said this.

  * * * *

  When Kevin and Justin arrived home, Kevin’s brother, Paul, and his girlfriend, Jane, were waiting for them.

  “Kevin, I’m so sorry.” Paul said straight away, giving him an awkward hug. “The police told us they were going to meet you at the airport.”

  “Yes, that detective who was in charge of Jennifer’s case was waiting for us and said that Lucy had been murdered.”

  Paul noticed there was a lack of emotion in Kevin’s voice. He knew that his brother and Lucy hadn’t been getting on well, but he thought that he’d still be at least a little upset. Paul could still remember a time when Kevin and Lucy had been very much in love.

  “So she was murdered!” Jane exclaimed. “All the police would tell us was that she had died, but they wouldn’t elaborate, not even to Paul, her own brother-in-law.”

  “She’d been strangled,” Kevin continued, speaking again in a monotone voice. “Last night in fact; between the hours of seven and ten o’clock.”

  “How can you talk about Mum in such a matter-of-fact voice,” Justin broke in angrily. “Don’t you care at all, Dad? You don’t seem to, do you? I could tell there was something wrong between you and Mum at Easter, even though you both denied it. If you weren’t with me in Athens last night, I would think it had been you who killed her!”

  “Justin,” Kevin exclaimed. “How could you think such an awful thing about your own father?”

  “Back in April in England, you were out one night and Mum had a few drinks. She was more like her old self and talked to me a bit like she used to. Then she got tearful and said you had an affair with that woman who was killed at Christmas.”

  Paul and Jane looked at each other, both wishing they were anywhere but in that room. Jane always felt embarrassed when she witnessed other people arguing and as for Paul, he had been adopted and Jennifer Anderson had been his biological mother. He hated being reminded about her murder. He had been starting to get to know her when she had been killed and every time he heard her name, he couldn’t help but think of the mother/son relationship he had missed out on. He hadn’t got on too well with his adoptive mother who tended to favor Kevin, and Paul often wondered why she had bothered adopting another son.

  “It wasn’t an affair,” Kevin said with great emphasis. It had been a one night stand and I apologized profusely to your mother, Justin. I tried to make up for it, but she wouldn’t forgive me. I tried everything; I promise, son.”

  Justin sat down and put his head in his hands. He didn’t know what to think. Everybody became quiet, feeling the tension in the air, but then Justin suddenly looked up.

  “I want to go to bed. I need to be on my own, please.”

  “Wouldn’t it be better if we talked a bit more about Mum?” Kevin asked, not wanting to leave the conversation unresolved overnight.

  “Not tonight,” Justin replied, shaking his head. “I need to get my thoughts straight. And by the way, I want to go and see Mum tomorrow.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kevin replied.

  “I have to see her for one last time, Dad. I’m an adult so it’s up to me.”

  “They want someone to identify the body,” Paul broke in.

  “Let me do it, Dad.”

  “Okay, if that’s what you want,” Kevin agreed.

  He knew there was nothing he could do when his younger son had made his mind up. He had always been stubborn, even as a young boy. And anyway, Kevin didn’t particularly want to go and see his wife’s body.

  Jane went to show Justin to his bedroom, leaving Kevin and Paul to have a few minutes alone.

  “So, how are you really feeling, Kevin?” Paul asked.

  “God, Paul, I feel nothing, nothing at all about the fact that Lucy’s dead. All I feel is a tiny bit of guilt that I’m not heartbroken. Does that make me a bad person?”

  “Of course not. You can’t help it. You can’t make yourself have feelings for the woman when they disappeared long ago. But I can’t believe she was murdered. Did the police say if there were any suspects?”

  “Nope. I reckon they think it’s me, but I wouldn’t have had time. I mean I was driving to the airport. They must see that. Still, I’ll be their number one suspect, won’t I, especially as everybody knows that we weren’t getting on? Mind you, I could give the police something to think about. The woman was cheating on me. She more or less admitted it. She kept dropping hints here and there, but I don’t know why she bothered. I couldn’t have cared less.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Paul exclaimed. “Lucy would never have an affair. She was too prim and proper.”

  “She comes across like that.... I mean, came, but she was never averse to a bit on the side. We had a couple of other low points in our marriage and she always turned to other men. It was her way of getting back at me, you see. The only difference then was that I did care and I worked hard at getting her back. Now I wouldn’t have bothered.”

  “Have you any idea who it was?”

  “What? The man she had the affair with? All she said was that he listened to her and was considerate. It could be anyone, though I’ve narrowed it down to a few people.”

  “Well, Justin’s settled in, but I doubt he’ll sleep much tonight,” Jane said, coming back in.

  Paul wished she’d not returned so soon, knowing Kevin wouldn’t carry on the conversation while she was there. It would have to wait.

  “No, I don’t suppose he will,” Kevin replied. “He loved his Mum even though she’d not been that kind to him lately. Anyway, I’d better get to bed soon as well. I expect tomorrow will be a hectic day.”

  “Yes, we’d better get going,” Paul said, a little disappointed not to know who Kevin thought Lucy might have had her affair with. He still didn’t believe that his sister-in-law would have had the guts to see another man. And forget about being prim and proper. On top of everything else, she had let herself go in recent years.

  Chapter 4

  Betty was fast asleep when Don came to bed, or so he thought. He crept quietly into his side, not wanting to wake her.

  The evening hadn’t turned out as badly as he had expected. Luckily, a couple of members of Betty’s almost defunct drinking club had joined them in The Black Cat after her set-to with Eve, so he hadn’t had to spend the evening alone with her.

  Betty had been depressed after her encounter with Eve, fearing she might have lost David’s friendship for good. She had indulged in too many gin and tonics, and with Greek measures being much larger than English ones, she had got quite drunk; in fact Don couldn’t remember the last time she had been that intoxicated. Betty always liked to be in control of her faculties and would often criticize anyone, particularly women, who became inebriated. According to her, it was most unladylike.

  Don lay in bed as still as possible. He didn’t want Betty to wake up under any circumstances. She had dropped off as soon as she had got into the car, even though it was only a few minutes drive home, and when they got in she went straight up to bed without even saying goodnight.

  Don had got himself another drink before retiring for the night. He had only had one beer in The Black Cat as he had been driving. Unfortunately, not that many of the ex-pats were as careful as him about drink-driving. He couldn’t understand it. Most of them had said at one time or another that they had been sensible back in the U.K. Over on Crete they seemed to have become a law unto themselves and Don wondered why. There were still police about and the fines were ridiculously high, even though you didn’t seem to lose your license or go to jail unless you injured or killed someone.

  Well, I
’m certainly not risking it, thought Don. I certainly don’t fancy a large fine or staying in a Greek prison.

  Eventually, while Don lay in bed listening to Betty snoring, he imagined what it would be like to pack his bags and leave.

  I’ve had enough. I can’t take living with her anymore. She’s changed in the last year. She’s got so aggressive and just plain nasty. There used to be a softer side to her, but now it’s gone. I’d be better off on my own.

  “They’ll find out you know.” Betty suddenly said.

  Don sat up, surprised that Betty was awake.

  “Who’ll find out what?” he asked.

  “The police will find out that you were having an affair with Lucy Fowler.”

  “For the umpteenth time, Betty,” Don replied sharply. “I wasn’t having an affair with Lucy. We became friends at the drama group and yes, we occasionally went out for coffee and a chat, but that was it. She was having problems with Kevin and needed a sympathetic ear to talk to. I’m a good listener as you well know.”

  “I don’t believe you, Don, and nor will the police.”

  “Are you going to tell them?”

  Don was shocked. How could his wife betray him, especially with a pack of lies?

  “I doubt I’ll have to. I’m sure plenty of people saw you together.”

  Don was surprised how sober and hard Betty sounded. She honestly seemed to believe that he had been having an affair with Lucy.

  “People saw us having coffee, nothing more. The police won’t be interested; I mean they haven’t even told us if she was murdered yet, have they?”

  “Of course she was; what was she doing in a cave if she wasn’t murdered? The only way to the cave is by water and she wasn’t one for going in the sea. She mentioned that to me once. As for why you murdered her? I imagine she might have wanted to end the affair and you were upset. Motive enough, I think. Or perhaps she threatened to tell me about the affair and you killed her to keep her mouth shut.”

  “What? Now you think I killed her?” Don said, his voice rising in anger. “Betty, this has gone far enough. For the last time, I wasn’t having an affair with Lucy and nor did I kill her. God, we’ve been married for so many years; how can you think I’m a cold blooded killer?”

  “I didn’t think you could have an affair, but you did.”

  Don turned away from his wife. He didn’t want to carry on the conversation anymore. She had made up her mind long ago about the affair; ever since she had seen him with Lucy having coffee in Chania. It had been an unfortunate coincidence. Don had planned to go into Chania to the bank and he had also arranged to meet Lucy in a cafe, but after he had gone, Annie bumped into Betty in the village and offered her a day out in town to do some shopping and to have lunch. That’s when they saw Lucy having coffee with Don in a cafe in the harbor. However, that’s all he and Lucy were doing. She needed someone to talk to about her failing relationship with Kevin and Don was more than happy to listen.

  Now Betty had not only decided that they were having an affair, but she had also made up her mind that her husband had killed Lucy Fowler. She probably wouldn’t change her mind about that either.

  Don decided to say nothing else. Betty also stayed quiet and he was relieved. What if the police found out? Annie saw him having coffee with Lucy as well and she had probably told Pete. Would either of them tell the police?

  I don’t think they will, Don thought nervously. But it could just slip out in conversation. Mind you, Kevin had more reason to kill her than I did. I mean, he and Lucy weren’t getting on and everybody knows it.

  The police will soon give out the time of death and if it was early evening, Kevin was still on the island. However, if it was later, he’d have been on his way to Athens or already there and then I could become a suspect.

  Damn, I’ve just remembered that I went to the supermarket in Kalives that evening around eight. It was such a lovely evening and Betty was in a foul mood so I went and sat on a bench near the sea for a while. If Betty blabs to the police and at this moment, I’m pretty sure she will, she’s bound to tell them I went out and I’ll be a suspect. Mind you, so will she. She’s got her own little car now and she was out when I got home that night. She told me she’d been to a jeweler in Georgioupolis to look for a present, but....what is it they say? Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.

  * * * *

  While Don was lying in bed worrying, Paul was walking Jane home and telling her about his conversation with his brother. She was both shocked and surprised to hear that Lucy had been having an affair.

  “I can’t believe it, I really can’t,” Jane said, shaking her head. “I know they were having problems, but Lucy didn’t seem the type of woman who would be unfaithful.”

  “I know,” Paul replied. “I could hardly believe it myself, but Kevin said she’d done it before.”

  Jane shook her head again in disbelief, while Paul tried to think who Lucy could have been having an affair with. She was such a surly woman that he couldn’t imagine her enticing anyone into her bed.

  “Are you staying tonight,” Jane asked as they reached her front door.

  “I don’t think I will if you don’t mind, Jane. I’ll need to be up at the crack of dawn to go to my brother’s to see if he wants anything. I have a feeling it’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.”

  “I thought you probably would be getting up early,” Jane replied. “I think Justin will need you as well.......Paul, I can’t help thinking how weird all this is.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can’t quite put my finger on it. For a start, there’s been yet another murder here. It’s such a small community that it seems unreal. And then there's Lucy having an affair which seems so out of character, although from what Kevin said, it’s not.......”

  “I know,” Paul butted in. “I find it all hard to believe as well. On top of everything, I keep thinking about Christmas and memories of my mother have started to flash through my mind. It’s very unsettling. And I’m worried about Kevin. He was so angry with Lucy before she died and now he’s showing hardly any emotion at all.”

  “You don’t think he did it, do you?” Jane asked nervously, hoping that this wouldn’t upset Paul.

  Luckily it didn’t. Paul was thinking exactly the same thing.

  “God, I’d like to say no, I really would, but the other day he told me he despised Lucy. There was so much venom in his voice. And he would have had time to do it before going to the airport. I’m sure he would.”

  Jane shivered and moved closer to hug Paul.

  “You’re right; this does bring back awful memories of Christmas. Oh dear, I hope Eve doesn’t start hunting for the murderer again. It would be just like her, wouldn’t it?”

  Paul laughed.

  “Yes, it would. I bet David’s going berserk!”

  “Don’t laugh, Paul. It could be the end of their relationship if she does. David was so worried about her last time that it drove him to despair. He even went as far as leaving her.”

  “Yes, but he went back to her after I .....”

  Paul’s voice trailed off, remembering when he had attacked Eve at Kevin and Lucy’s Christmas party. He didn’t know what had come over him that evening to make him act in such a foolish manner.

  Paul had fallen for Jane as soon as he had set eyes on her, but Eve had got involved in the situation by attempting to pair up Jane with James Anderson, angering Paul to such an extent that he lost control. However, even if Eve hadn’t interfered, Jane had been infatuated with James from the moment she saw him and Paul was invisible to her.

  James Anderson was Paul’s biological cousin. He murdered Paul’s real mother, Jennifer Anderson and later poisoned Paul, Jane and Eve, leaving them tied up in his house while he escaped. It was then that Jane started to fall in love with Paul, much to his delight. James was now dead, killed by a female accomplice who had never been found.

  “Don’t think about that terrible time,” Jane said to Pa
ul. “Eve’s forgiven you completely for attacking her.”

  “I know she has, but I still feel guilty. I do have a bit of a temper now and again. I wish I didn’t”

  Jane kissed Paul.

  How on earth could I have fallen for that smarmy James when such a kind, thoughtful man as Paul was so close by? Yes, he does get angry sometimes, but it’s his only flaw.

  Paul’s mind started to drift as he held on to Jane.

  I hope nobody heard me having that argument in the street with Lucy a couple of weeks ago. I was so engrossed in the fight; I couldn’t say if anybody went by. I was so angry with her. Not only was she making Kevin miserable, she was hurting Justin - and he’s such a nice young man. I told her that if she didn’t change her attitude, she’d be sorry. If someone overheard, I’d definitely be a suspect. I won’t tell Jane. It’ll only worry her.

  Jane meanwhile had her own problems. Holding onto Paul, she suddenly remembered something. She had seen Lucy with Yiannis Neonakis about a month ago. How could she have forgotten this? They were under a tree and they were laughing. Then Yiannis touched Lucy’s cheek; Yiannis who was almost twenty years younger than her; Yiannis who was supposed to be a bully and a woman beater. They had then parted with Yiannis giving Lucy a gentle kiss. Did Lucy reciprocate? Unfortunately, Jane hadn’t been able to see properly. Was Yiannis the man Lucy was having the affair with or was this just a little bit of flirtation?

  Jane was sure Yiannis hadn’t seen her, nor had Lucy, but what was she to do? Should she go to the police? If Yiannis found out she had reported him and he was the killer, her life could be in danger and she didn’t think she could go through all that again. It had terrified her being tied up by James, the man she had loved. He had also poisoned her and she had become far sicker than Eve or Paul. It had taken her a long time to get over this experience, both mentally and physically, and she still had the odd nightmare about it. No, she couldn’t go through that again.

  Jane hadn’t told Paul about Yiannis and Lucy after she had seen them. She had thought it was probably innocent so why stir up trouble. The relationship between Kevin and Lucy was fragile and Paul was turning against Lucy as well. Jane didn’t want to rock the boat, so she had put the incident to the back of her mind – until now.