Murdered by Nature (15 page)

Blackmail? Over what?

He poured himself another drink.

B
enavides opened the front door, his welcoming smile as false as ever. ‘A pleasant evening, inspector, but the wind has the hint of approaching winter.'

‘Probably. I want a word with Señora Ashton.'

‘She is sailing. I regret I cannot say when she will return.'

‘Is she on her own?'

‘Yes.'

‘García not with her?'

‘She should have no need of the engines because of the direction and constancy of the wind.'

Sailing on her own to dim memories or, perversely, evoke them, as some in bitter despair might do? ‘Does she know what she's doing in a yacht?'

‘The señor said that she held as good a helm as he did. Can I assist you, inspector?'

‘By having a word.'

‘If you would like to enter?'

They went through to the staff sitting-room.

‘Please sit, inspector.'

What was hidden behind those plummy, obsequious words, Alvarez wondered. Contempt? Staff – not from the island – often assumed their employers' social standing, and an ill-dressed police officer enjoyed no status. Had Benavides been a Mallorquin, he would have understood that wealth was a measure only of wealth, social standing was a figment of imagination. ‘I had a chat with Inés yesterday evening.'

‘I remember.'

‘As I said, she merely confirmed what she had told me before.'

‘As you will have understood, inspector, she has an unfortunate home life which affects her level of intelligence.'

Inés was almost cleared of grassing. Now to learn whether Benavides would withstand a direct attack. ‘You know you inherit a bequest under Señor Ashton's will?'

Benavides was briefly hazed by the change of subject. ‘The señora has mentioned this,' he finally answered.

‘Ten thousand euros. A generous gift from a generous employer.'

‘Indeed.'

‘Much as you'd expected?'

‘There was no reason to be remembered in the señor's will.'

‘Even though servants whose services were appreciated often are?'

‘One enters service to serve, not in the hopes of a legacy.'

‘After years in the home of a rich man, it would be unusual not to wonder if there will be one when illness suggests death cannot be far away.'

‘My concern was for the señor, nothing else.'

‘Is a copy of his will in the house?'

‘I cannot say.'

‘Is there a safe?'

‘In the library.'

‘The copy of it is probably in that. Does the safe have a combination lock?'

‘No.'

‘So where did the señor keep the keys?'

‘I cannot say.'

‘Unfortunate, if you wanted to look inside the safe and read the will when the señor and señora were out.'

‘You have no right to make so slanderous and unfounded a suggestion.'

‘My superior chief says crime and money are like a hen and an egg. You don't get one without the other. It must have been very frustrating not to know where the keys were, not to be able to open the will and read what you would receive.'

Benavides stood. Anger altered the pitch of his voice. ‘I will not stay to listen to your contemptible inferences.'

‘Why did you not call the police after Kerr came to the house?'

He stared at Alvarez, fear beginning to mark his plump face. ‘That is ridiculous. I never saw him, could not have met him. Are you relying on something Inés told you? If so, it was imagination.'

‘She said nothing concerning Kerr.'

‘Then why do you suggest I met the man?'

‘It wouldn't have occurred to me to do so until I learned from England that he had a criminal background,' Alvarez lied. ‘Then, it became obvious. You made contact because you wanted the safe opened.'

‘How could I know he was a crook?' Benavides asked hoarsely.

‘A good question. I hope we'll have the answer before you go on trial.'

‘Trial? In God's name, trial for what?'

‘Murdering Kerr because he blackmailed you by threatening to expose you. That so frightened you, you failed to realize his threat had to be a bluff because if he exposed you, he must incriminate himself.'

Benavides ran a finger around the neck of his shirt, as if it were causing breathing problems. ‘I swear that's crazy. I never met Kerr . . .'

‘The staff have denied with considerable force that they had never seen or heard of Kerr before his death. I've tried to think why they should all be so emphatic and wondered if you had ordered them, if asked by me, to deny the possibility. I asked myself, why would you do that without very good cause? The answer was clear. You were incriminated in Kerr's murder.'

Benavides made a sound resembling a sob as he produced a handkerchief and, with shaking hands, wiped the sweat from his face.

Alvarez waited for the other to regain a measure of emotional control. Then he would repeat that Inés had not mentioned Kerr to him and it was only . . .

‘I did that to save the señora,' Benavides said wildly.

‘From what?'

‘People believing she could have any reason to kill Kerr.'

‘She is the main beneficiary under the will.'

‘It's nothing to do with that.'

Alvarez's thoughts became bitter. Like the young woman in the film, his attempt to help Inés seemed it might lead to disastrous consequences. ‘Then why should she become suspect?'

‘Christ, I need a drink!' Benavides ran out of the room.

Alvarez's need for one was as great, but he doubted that in the chaos of his mind, Benavides would remember his duty as a butler and bring him one. Why should anyone believe it possible she could have murdered Kerr if her inheritance was not involved?

Benavides, a glass in one hand, returned, sat.

‘Why should the police believe Señora Ashton was responsible for Kerr's death?'

‘The phone calls.' He drank deeply, half emptying the glass.

‘Tell me about them.'

‘The first was when I was on holiday, and Inés answered. She told me what had happened. I didn't believe her and thought it was one of her stories. Then Beatriz told me that after the call, the señora had become so disturbed, the señor became worried she was ill. The doctor could find nothing physically wrong with her.'

‘Go back to the beginning. You were away, Inés answered the phone. A man spoke in English so she couldn't understand him, but she realized he wanted to speak to the señora. She took the call, which knocked her sideways. Did you learn why the call had so disturbed her?'

‘The next day there was another, and I answered it. A man said in English, which I could just understand, that he wished to speak to Señora Ashton. I asked for his name, and he said it was Kerr. I informed the señora, and she was terrified.'

‘What made you think that?'

‘The way she looked, said to tell the caller she had gone out.'

‘So she didn't answer the call?'

‘She did another time.'

‘Which was when?'

‘She was having tea on her own because the señor was sailing. It was Kerr again. I returned to the sitting room and told the señora, who tried very hard not to seem upset, but she did not lift the receiver until I had left. I went back to the hall to replace the receiver in the hall.'

‘And heard?'

‘Inspector, I was very worried. She was frightened. I knew the caller had to be a threat to her, and I had to know if I could help.'

‘What did you hear?'

‘Kerr told her he wanted the money, or else.'

‘Or else what?'

‘He did not say.'

‘How did she respond to the threat?'

‘Said she would try to get it for him and pleaded with him not to do anything. He said he wouldn't wait for long. That was all.'

‘Did Kerr come to the house?'

‘Later on.'

‘Give me the facts.'

‘I heard a man talking to Inés and went to find out what was happening because she can say and do awkward things when she doesn't know someone and is nervous. He was telling her he wanted to speak to the señora. I was certain I recognized the voice of the man who'd phoned and whose name had so disturbed the señora. The señor was not at home, so I told the man to clear off. It was only when the photos and drawings were in the papers and on the television that I realized Kerr was the man who'd been found, murdered, in the bay.

‘I knew that if it became known he had phoned, terrified her, had called at the house, it was inevitable people would start to think she must be guilty. So I told the staff to forget everything.'

‘Do you believe Señora Ashton killed Kerr?'

‘Of course I don't,' he answered violently. ‘Can't you understand, don't you realize what kind of a person she is?'

‘People wear masks.'

‘If she smiles, she's happy; if something unpleasant happens, even if it doesn't concern her, she's unhappy and tries to help. No one else would have employed Inés. To my shame, I knew the trouble she had at home with her father, but I said to the señor she should not work here because he entertained many important people who might be disturbed by her. He would have accepted my advice, but the señora said she must be helped and she was to be employed.'

‘Further reason to admire the señora.'

‘I tell you, she could have had no part in Kerr's murder.'

‘You are a stout friend.'

‘I would not make the mistake of calling her a friend. But she could not be more friendly.' Benavides moved uneasily. ‘You will have to speak to her about Kerr?'

‘It is now impossible not to do so.'

‘Because of what I told you.' He spoke bitterly. ‘I should have let you believe I murdered Kerr rather than give you cause to think she could have done.'

A noble sentiment, easily spoken, Alvarez thought.

‘Señor,' he said over the phone the next morning. ‘I have uncovered fresh facts in the case concerning the murder of Kerr.'

‘What are they?' Salas asked curtly.

‘I have spoken at length to Manuel Benavides, the butler at Son Dragó. Kerr phoned Señora Ashton more than once, each call causing her great distress.'

‘Do you know the times and dates of these calls?'

‘No. Benavides could not remember sufficiently accurately for me to enter them.'

‘Into what did you not enter them? What are you trying to tell me?'

‘Because Benavides could not remember dates and times with any accuracy, I did not enter them in my log.'

‘Did Señora Ashton report these calls to you?'

‘No, señor.'

‘And you unfortunately forgot about them until now?'

‘I have only just learned of them.'

‘They were made before Kerr was identified.'

‘He could hardly have phoned after he was dead.'

‘It escapes you that I was confirming something which you might well have overlooked? Before the dead man was identified, there was no reason for anyone who had known Kerr to report the fact.'

‘No, señor.'

‘You do not find that obvious?'

‘I was saying that it had not escaped my mind. Had I said “Yes” you might have thought I was agreeing it had done so. It's the problem of—'

‘A problem only to someone such as you. Have you anything more to tell me?'

‘As I said—'

‘Do not repeat yourself.'

‘Her husband thought she was physically ill.'

‘Is it possible to relate what you have just said to what you have earlier mentioned?'

‘She was so distressed by the phone calls that her husband thought she was ill and called the doctor.'

‘Might it not have seemed reasonable to have explained that originally?'

‘You told me not to repeat myself.'

‘I will speak as simply as possible, and you will try to concentrate, so that there is the possibility, however remote, that I will have a rough idea of what you have been saying. Did you learn why the telephone calls so disturbed Señora Ashton?'

‘Inés answered the first one. She is what I suppose one would call a general factotum, who—'

‘You may accept that I am well aware of her position.'

‘She speaks so little English, she couldn't understand the man, but since he kept saying the señora's name, she told the señora, who, Ines said, was obviously greatly disturbed. The next day, Benavides answered a second call from Kerr. When he told the señora who was calling, she was terrified and would not speak to the caller. The third time, she did. Because he needed to replace the receiver of his phone, he heard, by chance, what was being said. Kerr was demanding money and threatening the señora if he did not receive it.'

‘Demanding on what grounds?'

‘Benavides was unable to learn.'

‘Even though he was listening on another phone, as is to be expected from a Mallorquin.'

‘He comes from Valladolid.'

‘One or both of his parents will have come from this island.'

‘Some time after the phone calls, when the señor was out in his yacht, Kerr visited Son Dragó. Inés opened the front door. Benavides, who can speak some English, heard Kerr talking and went into the hall and asked the newcomer what he wanted. Benavides became convinced from the way the man spoke that he had made the phone calls which had so disturbed the señora. He told him to clear off. Kerr left.'

‘You have questioned Señora Ashton?'

‘No.'

‘Why not? You now know she was threatened over the phone and was visited by Kerr. Even you should be able to comprehend that it is essential to question her in order to uncover the truth.'

‘But if it's not how it seems and can be explained . . .'

‘How do you explain a threat of blackmail?'