Chapter 49
AMBER
Detective Lieutenant Andreas Demetriou gazes at us over steepled fingers.
‘I am sorry to have to tell you all that this afternoon we have launched a murder investigation into the death of Felix Pearson.’
There’s a collective gasp of shock. Demetriou continues. ‘Obviously a post-mortem examination still needs to be carried out, but the initial hypothesis is that Mr Pearson was hit over the head with a heavy object.’
‘You mean he didn’t trip and fall?’ Victoria asks.
The detective shakes his head. ‘He did not.’
Demetriou is a careworn man in his late forties with a creased forehead and a crumpled suit.
He reminds me of the detectives Gran used to love on TV.
The courteous and intuitive ones like Maigret and Poirot, with an old-fashioned copper’s nose and the unerring ability to solve a murder in the space of an hour-long episode.
If Sergeant Griva’s English was good, Demetriou’s is impeccable. He is addressing us in the living room, his dark eyes full of empathy, though I can’t shake the feeling that behind those old-school manners lies a razor-sharp mind.
He’s already spoken to Simone and Willow in private. One look at their stricken faces when they emerged from Felix’s office was enough to tell me Felix’s death was no accident.
But I take no pleasure in being proved right.
He clears his throat. ‘As I have already explained to both Mrs and Miss Pearson, extra officers will be arriving this evening, and will be carrying out enquiries on the island. We will also be taking the fingerprints of everyone staying here at Villa Paradiso.’
‘I say,’ Barney exclaims. ‘Is that really necessary?’
‘It is routine in a case like this,’ Demetriou says mildly.
‘Only when we have everyone’s prints on record can we eliminate them from our enquiries.
’ His gaze sweeps the room, making sure he has everyone’s attention.
He needn’t bother – we’re all staring at him like he’s Christ returned from the dead.
‘Using the initial statements you provided for Sergeant Griva, I will be drawing up a timeline for Mr Pearson’s last known movements.
I will also be talking to you individually, but if there is anything you want me to know now, please speak to me or one of my team.
There is a killer on the loose and the sooner we catch him the better, yes? ’
He glances down at his notebook, then closes it. ‘To that end, there will be an officer stationed outside Villa Paradiso around the clock until the culprit is found. Please rest assured we are doing everything in our power to bring Mr Pearson’s killer to justice. And now, any questions for me?’
‘Will you be speaking to the guy who owns the villa down the road?’ Barney asks, jabbing his thumb towards Villa Olympus.
Victoria nods vigorously. ‘Everyone knows Felix had issues with the building works. He went down there to complain about noise just this week.’
‘The guy could have put a hit out on him. You hear stories about men like that all the time. The type that think normal rules don’t apply,’ Barney adds with a generous helping of self-righteousness.
‘We will be speaking to everyone we believe is integral to the investigation,’ Demetriou says, slipping the notebook back into his pocket. ‘I must go now but, please, call me if you think of anything that might help our investigation. Mrs Pearson has my number.’
The moment he has gone, Barney swings round to Simone.
‘You need to tell us exactly what he said.’
She glares at him. ‘Actually, I don’t have to tell you anything.’
‘Seriously, Simone. I need to know where this is going, because if he finds out about the Wapping development going tits up and the argument Felix and I had at the restaurant I’m up shit creek without a paddle.’
‘Perhaps you should have thought about that before you laid into him,’ she says icily.
‘He’s got a point, though,’ Dominic says, running his hand through his hair. ‘If the police speak to anyone who was at the taverna they’re going to know I punched his lights out. I’ll be their prime suspect.’ He sinks onto the nearest armchair and buries his head in his hands.
Simone is by his side in a flash. ‘Everything will be all right, Dom. I promise.’
No one has noticed Willow, who has risen out of her chair, her expression as murderous as a spitting cobra.
‘All right?’ she shrieks. ‘Dad is dead! Nothing will be “all right” ever again. Not that you care. You’ll inherit the lot now he’s gone, won’t you?’ She waves her hands wildly. ‘This place, the Surrey Hills house, the business. He was worth more to you dead than alive.’
‘Willow!’ Victoria cries. ‘I don’t think that’s approp—’
But the teenager is on a roll, her eyes glittering and her whole body shaking with an emotion I can’t quite place. Grief? Frustration? Rage?
‘You can’t hide anymore because I see you for who you really are, Simone. I know the real you and you are a fucking hypocrite. Don’t think you’re going to get away with it.’ Even though she spits the words out, Simone doesn’t flinch. She is an ice queen. But Victoria can’t let it go.
‘That’s enough, Willow. I understand you’re upset but you can’t talk to Simone like that. She’s your stepmother.’
Willow’s thunderous glare sweeps from Simone to Victoria. ‘Not now Dad’s gone she isn’t. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have to have anything to do with her. She is nothing to me. Nothing!’
Dominic steps forwards, his hands raised in supplication, but Willow brushes them away and storms out of the room. Moments later, a door slams upstairs.
‘Well, that was quite the tantrum,’ Barney observes. ‘That girl needs a firm hand, if you ask me.’
‘No one is asking you, Barney,’ Simone says tightly. ‘She’s lashing out. It’s understandable. She’s just lost her father.’
The unexpected empathy from Simone earns my grudging respect.
And she’s right. I was the same when Gran passed away.
I’d lost my mum, I’d never known my dad, and then, as if the gods hadn’t punished me enough, the one person I had left went and died.
I was so angry. My social worker Lisa bore the brunt of my fury, listening in silent compassion as I railed against the unfairness of it all, that while most kids had two parents, siblings, grandparents and a small army of aunts, uncles and cousins, I had nothing.
When my fury was spent, she’d hugged me tightly and told me everything would be all right.
‘How can you say that?’ I cried.
‘You are a strong, resourceful, clever young woman, Amber. And you’re a survivor. You will get through this.’
Lisa was right. I did. But will Willow?
‘I can try to talk to her if you like,’ I offer now.
‘Would you?’ Simone asks. ‘Just be prepared for a tongue-lashing.’ She gives a small, wry smile. ‘You know Willow well enough by now to know she doesn’t suffer fools gladly.’
I detour through the kitchen, making a pot of tea and setting it with mugs, milk and a plate of chocolate biscuits on a tray.
As I head down the hallway towards the front door and the stairs, a movement outside catches my eye.
Detective Lieutenant Demetriou told us an officer would be stationed outside Villa Paradiso around the clock until Felix’s killer was found.
He implied it was for our protection but, as I take in the officer’s close-cropped hair, his broad shoulders and the gleaming black gun on his hip, I wonder if Demetriou was being deliberately opaque.
Because it strikes me that the officer’s orders are less about protecting us from Felix’s killer and more about keeping us under lock and key.