Murdered by Nature (21 page)

‘And since legally you were not his wife, you could not inherit under the unfortunate terms of his will.'

‘You think that's what so desperately worried me? You believe it was money, not the hurt I'd cause him, which made me so desperate?'

‘I spoke stupidly, señora. Even a second's thought would have prevented my suggesting such a possibility.'

‘Charles became certain something was wrong with me, even though his mind had become vague. He asked me what it was. I tried to say I was just not feeling a hundred per cent, but he knew me too well to believe that. He said he knew he couldn't live much longer, and I must tell him what was the trouble so that he could try to put it right while he still had the time. I . . . I broke down and told him everything. Instead of hating me for not saying I was married when he proposed, instead of calling me a cheat, a liar who had been after his money, he made me sit down on the bed, took hold of my hands and said something which made me . . .

‘He gave me the money. I handed it to Colin and asked him to leave the island and my life. He laughed. He wasn't going to get rid of a cow whilst it could still be milked. If I tried in any way to thwart his blackmailing, he'd make it public that I had never been Charles' legal wife and I'd be shut out of everything he owned.'

‘He was wrong.'

‘Don't you understand? The Spanish
abogardo
didn't realize that because of English law, he should have named me and not just referred to me as Charles' wife.'

‘Señora, I asked the authorities in England to tell me what they could about Kerr's background. I learned he was a small-time crook. Good looking, presenting charm when he wanted to, he searched for a woman with some capital, recently bereaved or single and with few, if any, living relatives. He engaged her affections, married her, stole her money and disappeared. Only his marriage to the first victim was legal since she is known to still be alive. All later ceremonies were null and void. Your marriage to Señor Ashton was true since you were never legally married to Kerr.'

It was many seconds before she said: ‘Oh, God! If only I'd known. Why only now?' Her body shook as she cried.

He left the room and its bitter sorrow, went out of the house and over to his car. As he started the engine, Benavides ran out of the house, banged on the door's window, and shouted: ‘What have you been saying to her, you bastard?'

He drove away, his mind asking: what was it she had
not
said? That there would have been no need to kill Kerr?

Nurses knew full well the dramatic effect of poisons.

He poured out a large brandy and drank it before he dialled.

‘Yes?' Ángela Torres said sharply.

‘Inspector Alvarez. I need to speak to the superior chief.'

‘Wait.'

Time elongated.

‘Yes?' Salas demanded.

‘Inspector Alvarez, señor. I have questioned members of the staff at Son Dragó and their evidence has not altered; they have confirmed all they have said before. The warning notice about the almonds was always in place. García knocked them down before there was any danger of their falling and immediately burned them.

‘I have also questioned Señora Ashton. She had not informed Señor Ashton of her first marriage to Kerr until forced to do so by Kerr's blackmailing demands.'

‘When was that?'

‘Shortly before her husband died.'

‘And Señor Ashton had not drawn up another will, naming her by her true surname so she could inherit his estate?'

‘His mental condition had become confused and it's doubtful it occurred to him to do this; in any case, a new will might not have been accepted because of that confusion.'

‘You understand the significance of what you have just learned?'

‘I think so.'

‘I will assume the contrary. If Kerr died, she thought it unlikely that it would ever become known her marriage to Ashton was invalid and she should be able to inherit.'

‘If she judged Kerr's death was the only solution, she would not have told her husband the truth.'

‘Did she?'

‘How d'you mean?'

‘What proof is there that she did tell her husband?'

‘One doesn't have proof of a private conversation unless it's taped.'

‘Quite.'

‘Why should she lie?'

‘The answer escapes you?'

‘Yes.'

‘I am not surprised. Where there are staff, private conversations are potentially far from private. You will question them all as to whether one of them heard anything significant; perhaps one day the señor, whom you suggest had become less than mentally alert, did not guard his tongue sufficiently.'

‘You still consider her a possible suspect?'

‘The prime suspect. I would be at fault if I did not do so, as you are at fault in trying to deny the probability.'

‘If you had met her, spoken to her, listened to her, you would understand she is incapable of such a crime.'

‘I do not welcome my judgements being made by someone else. If she did not poison Kerr, who did? Name the possible suspects.'

‘Benavides, García.'

‘You know of no others?'

It occurred to him that he had forgotten to question Beatriz again. ‘Inés, María, Raquel, Beatriz.'

‘Why do you name men by their surnames, women by their Christian names?'

‘It seems more respectful.'

‘Respect is seldom remarked on this island. You have not mentioned Browyer. Have you decided to forget the absurd and irrational suggestion he murdered Kerr because he had been disinherited by the señor?'

‘I am certain he lacked the intention or ability to poison Kerr.'

‘You have named all potential heirs?'

‘Llueso was left five thousand euros . . .'

‘In an excess of wild imagination, you conceived the possibility one of the staff . . . I forget what was the supposition. I presume you no longer consider that, whatever it was?'

‘I don't.'

‘Then one must accept, as I have constantly reminded you, money must be the motive. Yet all those who had a hopeful interest in the estate are, in your judgement, innocent?'

‘Yes.'

‘Then either one of those whom you've named has fooled you or you have failed to identify a person who has a motive.'

‘Señora Ashton did not kill Kerr.'

‘And if I accept that?'

‘You do agree I have been right from the beginning?'

‘You did not hear me say the word “if”?'

‘I am not sure what you are suggesting.'

‘If you believe none of the suspects you have named is guilty, you have hardly carried out a competent investigation. You will start to do so by considering what I have tried to get you to understand: money will provide the motive.'

‘Yet if everyone with any interest in the señor's estate is innocent . . .'

‘You choose not to remember the little apophthegm I drew up as an invaluable aide-memoire for any detective of intelligence. When all that is impossible is eliminated, whatever remains has to be the truth, however improbable.'

‘If you are using that to try to say the señora poisoned Kerr . . .'

‘I am saying exactly that.'

‘But if something is so improbable as to be impossible . . .'

‘You have failed to understand the meaning of my neat apophthegm.'

‘But—'

‘There is no need to continue the conversation.'

Alvarez slowly replaced the receiver. What if he had understood it and Salas had not?

A
lvarez poured himself another brandy, leaned back in the chair, put his feet up on the desk. Laura Ashton, far too disturbed in mind, had not understood the fear and hatred her confession brought her husband. Fear that after his death she would be financially ruined; hatred for the man who yielded the threat. He had given Laura the first payment of blackmail, decided to use the life left to him to make certain that was the last payment. Yet his physical condition had become so poor that when he had said he was going with García for a sail to enjoy one final moment on the water, no matter that it was dark, the staff had done everything they could to prevent his doing so.

Benavides stared at Alvarez with expressed anger. ‘The señora is not at home.'

‘I've come—'

‘She has asked me to inform you that you are no longer welcome at Son Dragó.'

‘I want a word with García, not her.'

‘She would wish you to leave the estate immediately.'

‘Is he here today?'

‘I do not know.'

‘I'll have a look around to find out if you missed his arrival.'

Benavides cleared his throat and spat.

Alvarez returned to his car, picked up a plastic bag in which was a bottle of Fundador, walked along Roca Nesca to the garden shed. It was empty, but nearby a man was swearing. By a century cactus, its central column marking its coming death, García held the broken shaft of a mattock.

‘Getting violent?' Alvarez asked.

‘Immature wood with the strength of bloody cardboard.'

‘Nothing is as good as it used to be.'

‘Not when you turn up every other minute.'

‘It's
merienda
time.'

‘I've a job to finish.'

‘With a broken mattock?'

García looked at the plastic bag in Alvarez's hand. ‘You wanting something?'

‘A chat.'

‘About what I've said a dozen times already?'

‘Something more important.'

García ran the fingers of his left hand through his tangled, curly hair, picked up the mattock, walked to the garden shed, threw the pieces to the side of it, went inside.

Alvarez passed the bottle to García, who looked at the label and said disparagingly, ‘You ain't flush with euros, then. What's the grub? Dry crusts of bread?'

‘I haven't brought anything.'

‘Then you won't be eating.' He lifted two glasses out of the cane basket, half filled one and passed it, poured a second drink for himself. ‘What's got you messing up other people's working this time?'

‘Your sailing experiences.'

‘Ain't got none.'

‘You went out with the señor in case of trouble from the engine.'

‘Didn't happen often.'

‘Tell me about your trip with the señor very shortly before he died.'

‘Not been out in the boat for three, four weeks.'

‘Where were you when he died?'

‘At home.'

‘Will your wife corroborate you?'

‘You trying to drag her into it?'

‘Merely pointing out that things can become tricky when one starts lying. Tell me about that night.'

‘Just done.'

‘I reckon it's a lie.'

‘Reckon all you want.'

‘Would you describe the señora as a good woman?'

‘Don't come better, same as the señor.'

‘It was she who said your daughter was to go to a clinica in Palma and paid the bills. Saved her life?'

‘Likely.'

‘A tragedy the señora should lose her husband and then fall into the present mess. One would have said she'd suffered enough. But life likes kicking someone who's down.'

‘What are you on about?'

‘She is the prime suspect for the death of Kerr. My superior is certain she poisoned him.'

‘Then he ain't the brains to clean a
pozo negro
.'

‘As he sees it, the evidence has to point to her being the murderess.'

‘If you ain't got nothing but balls to tell, clear off.'

They drank. Alvarez held out his glass for a refill. García poured them both another drink. He brought a
barra
sandwich out of a plastic bag. ‘Only got one.'

‘There's still something in the bag.'

‘What's going to stay in it.'

‘There's more pleasure to be gained by giving than receiving.'

‘You're the first copper I've heard talk about giving when he don't mean a ticket.'

‘Perhaps the police in Estart aren't as kind as they are here.'

‘With you around? What d'you want so as I can get on with work.'

‘You haven't finished eating and I haven't started. You can pass over a bit of the
barra
.'

‘Manuel says you're a real sod.' García tore off a section of the bread.

‘That's because I offend his sense of dignity.'

‘Because you're so goddamn stupid, you think the señora could have had anything to do with Kerr.'

‘I am certain she had no part in his murder.'

‘When Manuel said the señora was hysterical after you'd spoken to her?'

‘Which is why I know she's innocent.'

‘You have to kick a man before you ask him how he's feeling?'

‘If I had not said what I did, I would not have learned she has to be innocent. Manuel is judging me by his interpretation of the evidence. I'm here to contradict his interpretation.'

‘Use a shotgun.'

‘That would complicate matters. I'm hoping the truth which you will provide will succeed.'

‘You think I know anything except she wouldn't ever go near Kerr?'

‘Have you been doing a lot of cooking recently?'

‘When I'm married?'

‘There's a lot of ash and half burned wood outside.'

‘What of it?'

‘Been having barbecue parties?'

‘You're talking shit.'

‘Or maybe boiling up bitter almonds?'

‘You want to see me in jail? You ain't going to.'

‘I am trying to save the señora from being wrongly found guilty of murder. What was the fire for?'

García poured himself another drink.

‘You don't owe her on account of your daughter?'

He called Alvarez a combination of names of such obscenity they were normally spoken only after knives had been drawn.