Chapter 15 #2
‘I told you,’ Hannah responded, with a sniff. ‘I don’t want to talk about it. He’s a liar; he lies about everything. But if you choose to believe him not me, that’s your call. There’s nothing I can do about it.’
‘But why would he lie?’ Edie asked, genuinely baffled and wanting answers. ‘I understand why he wouldn’t want us to think he’s been violent towards you, but what about the cuts and bruises? Did he inflict them on himself? Really?’
Hannah’s eyes narrowed and turned cold and Edie felt herself shrink. She hardly recognised this woman she’d thought she knew so well.
‘Get-out-of-my-room,’ Hannah said, slowly and deliberately, with an ugly snarl on her face. ‘I don’t want to speak to you ever again.’
Edie’s mouth dropped open. She wouldn’t have believed Hannah was capable of speaking to anyone like this, let alone one of her oldest and dearest friends, and yet she just had.
Tears pricked the corners of Edie’s eyes but she didn’t cry; she couldn’t. For a few minutes she was stunned into silence and just sat there, staring at Hannah as if for the first time.
The spell was only broken when Hannah got up and stalked into her adjacent bathroom, banging the door closed and locking it behind her.
Too astounded to feel hurt, Edie realised there was nothing more she could do. Hannah had shut her up and booted her out of her life just like that. There was no going back for either of them.
She rose slowly and went downstairs to join the others by the pool. Ralph, who was reading, looked up briefly and gave a small smile. Edie decided to wait till they were alone to tell him what had happened. She didn’t want to involve Mac and besides, she needed time to process.
It was soon after midday when they heard voices on the front drive and the sound of feet crunching on gravel.
Edie jumped up, as if she’d been stung, before reminding herself Ralph wanted them both to act composed.
She must welcome Jessica back with a smile, but wouldn’t go over the top. There was no need to fawn. The police deserved much more of a fuss, and she’d make sure they knew just how grateful she and her husband really were.
Ralph went to the door and he was soon being followed into the garden by the two police officers they’d first met – Ioannis and Aikaterini – and, of course, Jessica.
Edie wasn’t sure what frame of mind Jessica would be in, but imagined she might be tearful and apologetic. So she was taken aback yet again when she saw annoyance and frustration written on Jessica’s face instead.
‘What a nuisance!’ Jessica said with a frown, plonking her rucksack on the patio table and sitting down. ‘I was just about leave the guest house where I was staying when suddenly police descended and said I was a missing person.
‘I didn’t know what they were talking about. I told them I was very much not missing, and I was on my way to the beach, but they wouldn’t listen. They insisted on bringing me back here and I haven’t even been to Knossos yet. It’s infuriating.’
Taking a green apple from the pocket of her bag, she proceeded to crunch into it, seemingly completely unaware of, or indifferent to, the hell she’d put her friends through.
Edie felt the blood rise to her neck and cheeks and when she glanced at Ralph, she could tell from his narrowed eyes and clenched jaw, he was incandescent, too.
However, reminding herself again of what he’d said in bed this morning about keeping their feelings to themselves, she fixed on Jessica, sitting opposite, and managed to summon a smile.
‘Thank goodness you’re OK,’ she said coolly, leaning back and crossing her arms. ‘We were concerned because we hadn’t heard from you.’
Jessica shrugged. ‘I hate phones. At home they’re a necessary evil. The last thing I want is to be glued to my mobile when I’m on holiday.’
Bile rose up from Edie’s stomach and burned her throat. Unable to guarantee she wouldn’t blow if Jessica tried to justify herself any more, she offered to make tea, coffee or a cold drink for the police officers, then disappeared indoors.
Hannah must have crept past her in the kitchen because by the time Edie returned to the garden, she was beside Jessica at the patio table, laughing at something Aikaterini was saying. She didn’t glance at Edie once.
Jessica was silent while Ralph praised the police and thanked them warmly for their kindness, speed and professionalism.
‘I’m sorry for bothering you unnecessarily,’ he said. ‘But we didn’t know things would turn out so well. As soon as I spoke to you, I knew we were in good hands. I never doubted you’d get to the bottom of this – and I was right.’
Ioannis dipped his head modestly.
‘You really were amazing; we’re so grateful,’ Edie added. ‘You kept us informed and reassured us when we really needed it. I’ll never forget what you’ve done.’
Slapping both his thighs, Ioannis grinned widely. ‘It’s all ended happily – that’s just what I like. If only all our investigations were the same.’
Aikaterini nodded. ‘When someone goes missing on the island, we mostly find them in one piece. But unfortunately, every now and then there’s an exception and we find out something tragic has happened. I’m so glad that wasn’t the case here.’
At this point Jessica, who must have been biting her tongue, could stand it no longer.
‘The whole sorry episode’s been a huge waste of police time,’ she said, glancing round at the assembled group with pursed lips, her body rigid with anger.
‘Edie, Mac and Hannah, if you’d thought about things rationally, instead of panicking, you’d have realised I’d decided to extend my trip.
It’s hardly surprising I didn’t want to stick round here,’ she added, rolling her eyes.
‘Forgive me for wanting to get away from the horrible atmosphere. I’ve never known anything like it. ’
Her small, bright blue eyes fixed accusingly on Mac, and Edie noticed his body slump and his bottom lip start to tremble.
Something gave way inside her, and the feelings of outrage and fury she’d been bottling up came gushing out before she could stop them.
‘Do you realise what you’ve done?’ she said, rolling back her shoulders and glaring at Jessica.
‘Edie, don’t—’ Ralph started to say, but she wasn’t listening.
‘You’ve ruined our holiday and on top of that, you deliberately stirred things up between Hannah and Mac and made things much worse. Now they’re getting divorced.’
Jessica snorted then gave a smug half-smile.
‘Good! I’m glad. But you can hardly accuse me of ruining the marriage. Mac managed to do that all by himself.’
Edie’s eyes narrowed to thin slits. Her face was burning and she clenched her fists under the table. She was tempted to get up right there and then and punch Jessica in the mouth.
‘You have no idea what’s been going on between those two. You just waded in like you knew everything – but you got it all wrong.’
Drawing back a little, Jessica arched her eyebrows and smiled sarcastically.
‘Excuse me. I’ve never claimed to be a relationship expert.
I’m not even married, remember. Thank God.
’ She gave an exaggerated shudder. ‘And after witnessing you lot, I’m even more convinced it’s a bad idea.
I value my freedom and independence,’ she continued, looking pointedly again at Mac. ‘No one tells me what to do.’
While she was speaking, both police officers were quiet, watching the proceedings, it seemed, with a mixture of shock and astonishment.
Ralph had kept schtum, too, but now launched into a slow hand clap.
‘Bravo!’ he said, staring coldly at Jessica. ‘You crack on and enjoy your splendid isolation. But if you don’t mind, Edie and I will still look out for each other and try to support the people we love and care about. If everyone did the same, the world would be a better place.’
Jessica shrugged. ‘Do what you like. I don’t care.’
‘Cheers,’ Ralph replied, deadpan. ‘We will.’
When the police officers got up to leave, the others rose, too, and Edie noticed Hannah sidle up to Mac. She tried to hook her hand under his arm but he shook her off and stepped away, out of reach.
He glanced back at Edie, who was standing just behind, and she gave him a subtle nod of approval. It was a good start, she thought.
* * *
Now that Ralph and Edie were no longer sick with worry about Jessica, the last few days of their holiday took a wholly different turn. They were both tired, and spent most of their time with Mac on the local beach, reading their books, chatting quietly and soaking up the sun.
They had no idea what Hannah or Jessica were up to, and they chose to eat out each night in one of the little restaurants in Porto Liakáda. They were afraid of bumping into either of the women at the villa and perhaps getting dragged into an argument.
On their final morning, they popped into the supermarket to say farewell to April.
‘It’s not been very relaxing for you,’ April said, shaking her head. ‘You’ll have to come back next year.’
Edie promised they’d try, and gave April a hug. ‘It’s not been easy,’ she admitted, ‘But we’ve had some really good moments, haven’t we, Ralph?’
She turned to her husband with shining eyes and felt a shudder of pleasure, remembering the night before. They’d finally made love, and she could swear it had been the best ever.
He put an arm round her shoulders, bringing her back to the present, and pulled her into his side.
‘Porto Liakáda’s a wonderful place,’ he said warmly. ‘And the people are wonderful, too.’
April’s cheeks and the tips of her ears went pink with pleasure and embarrassment, and she stared down at her bright-blue-painted nails.
Edie, Ralph and Mac were in a café drinking coffee when they saw Marina and Katerina walking, arm in arm, towards them.
The women looked very relaxed and comfortable in each other’s company, like mother and daughter. Marina was considerably taller and she was stooping slightly, listening intently to something Katerina was saying.
Once or twice, the older woman waved an arm around, in an expressive gesture, and Edie heard Marina’s tinkling laugh, like wind chimes blowing in the breeze. She wondered what they were talking about and wished she could ask.
It was very hot, and she and the men were sitting at a table overlooking the harbour. They’d been watching the sun’s reflection on the surface of the water, making it twinkle like diamonds.
Mac had been quiet and looked fragile and a bit lost, but he hadn’t listened to Hannah’s pleas and seemed determined to break from her at last.
As soon as Marina and Katerina were close enough, Edie got up to say hello and invited them to join her and the others for a coffee, but Katerina shook her head.
‘Thank you, but it is too late in the morning for coffee for us locals,’ she said with a smile. ‘And too early for an aperitif. We are creatures of habit, you see.’
‘Indeed,’ Marina agreed. ‘I’ve become terribly stuck in my ways. I can’t cope with any changes to my routine.’
Edie laughed. ‘Well, at least come and say hello and goodbye to everyone.’
She pointed towards their table.
Slightly reluctantly, it seemed, both women followed her across the terrace to the water’s edge, and Ralph drew up a couple more chairs.
‘I guess you two have known each other forever,’ Edie commented, noticing how synchronised their movements were.
When Katerina crossed her legs, Marina did the same. And when Marina frowned or wrinkled her nose, the older woman copied.
They didn’t seem aware of what they were doing; it was quite subconscious. And they even looked a little alike, though Edie understood they weren’t related by blood.
On hearing Edie’s question, Katerina glanced at Marina, who tucked a coil of her long, dark hair behind an ear before giving an almost imperceptible nod.
This seemed to be the prompt the older woman needed.
‘I’ve known Marina since birth,’ she said, quickly adding, ‘since before she was born, in fact. I read to her and taught her English – I’d been taught the language by my lady, the owner of Villa Ariadne.
I always knew Marina was special, from the moment I set eyes on her.
She has the gift, you know. She sees things others don’t. ’
Edie was aware of Ralph, beside her, wriggling uneasily, but she ignored him.
She was about to probe further, but Katerina changed the subject. In a new, business-like tone, she gave Edie instructions on how to lock up the villa when they left and leave the key under a flowerpot by the front entrance.
‘I hope you’ve enjoyed at least some of your stay?’ she asked politely, but Edie wouldn’t be put off quite so easily.
‘If Marina can see things, and maybe you can, too, why did you let us rent the villa? You must have known there was going to be trouble, with Jessica going missing and so on. Surely it would have been easier to rent the place to someone else?’
Katerina thought about this for a few moments before taking a deep breath.
‘Ah!’ she said at last. ‘We have no say in who stays and who doesn’t. Guests write to me and ask, for sure, but Villa Ariadne chooses whether to say yes to them or no. It’s never the other way round.’
Ralph couldn’t disguise his irritation and began tapping his fingers on the table, as if he were playing the piano. He stopped for a few moments, when Edie put her hand on his knee, but started up again soon after.
Edie found herself staring into space while she reflected on how easily she’d found Villa Ariadne online, how it had looked and sounded tailor-made for her and Ralph, and how it had, indeed, brought them closer together.
Also, on how intrigued she’d been by Katerina’s responses to her emails and how much less the villa had cost to rent than she’d imagined.
Whispering a silent prayer, she thanked the villa for exposing Hannah’s abuse, for bringing Jessica back safely and, most of all, for rescuing her and Ralph’s marriage.
Whether or not her prayer would be heard, she had no idea, but it couldn’t do any harm, anyway.
She opened her mouth to enquire if any of the old woman’s other guests had also had strange experiences and if they, too, had come to believe in Villa Ariadne’s mystical energy.
The idea seemed so ridiculous, however, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words out loud and closed her mouth again.
Some things, she concluded, simply couldn’t be explained.