Deathly Christmas (2 page)

“That’s going a bit far,” Eve said, looking slightly cross. “But, you’re right; I wasn’t the best of cooks. I have been practicing as you know.”

    Eve paused for a moment, trying to find the right way to tell David a secret she’d been keeping.

    “David, I have something to confess,” Eve mumbled.

She sat up and David found he was slightly concerned. What had she done now? He had been through so much with Eve that he had got used to her wild actions, but he was hoping for a peaceful Christmas.

“Oh dear, I don’t know if I can tell you,” she continued, looking a little red in the face.

“You can tell me anything, darling. I don’t think I’d be too shocked by whatever you’ve said or done, not after last summer.”

Eve gave David a severe look, though deep down she knew she deserved this. She had suggested some crazy things when they had been looking for John and Laura’s killer. One of her ideas had been to break into John’s house and it had been sheer luck that they hadn’t been caught. In addition, although Eve had become a more pleasant person since she had met David, she still had a tendency to be reckless.

“The cake,” Eve replied, looking down, filled with embarrassment. “I cooked everything apart from the Christmas cake. I’ve improved so much with my cooking that I intended to bake a Christmas cake this year, but I forgot and then it was too late. I should have baked it in November, but before I knew it, it was almost Christmas. So I went to the English shop and bought a Christmas cake. That’s awful, isn’t it? Then Jennifer kept asking for a piece to take home this afternoon and I gave her such a small slice. She must think I’m terribly mean. Mind you, I don’t know why I care. After all, she is trying to steal you away from me.”

David smiled and gave Eve a kiss on the cheek.

“Eve, you’re so sweet. It doesn’t matter about the cake. You did most of the cooking after all. I’m sure most people cheat a little at such occasions. And as for Jennifer, I’m sure she’ll enjoy the cake whether or not it’s home baked and whatever size it is. Don’t worry about it. I’m still very impressed with your efforts today.”

David pulled Eve closer. He was looking forward to spending his first Christmas with her. They had thrown a successful party for all their friends that afternoon and now they were going to spend a romantic Christmas Eve evening together drinking mulled wine and opening presents.

The following day they were going to have Christmas lunch at the home of their friends, Pete and Annie Davies. Slightly younger than Betty and Don, Pete and Annie had taken early retirement and had moved to Crete a few years previously. Pete had been a police officer and Annie a schoolteacher back in England and both had been very kind and helpful to Eve during the summer, especially after she had been poisoned.

“What are you thinking about, David?” Eve asked.

“Oh, just about us spending our first Christmas together.”

Eve smiled and moved closer.

“Yes, it is wonderful, isn’t it? I think we should open a present now, don’t you?”

Eve jumped up cheerfully. She was a woman who could never sit still for long. Not only did she like to be doing something, but Eve’s mind was always active and needed constant stimulation. David hadn’t been sure he would be able to keep her occupied after the excitement of the summer murders, but he had been doing alright so far. However, unlike Eve, the turmoil and instability of the summer months had been too much for him and he was relieved that everything had become quieter.  

Betty rang the doorbell for the third time, feeling her impatience rising.

Where on earth is that woman? she thought crossly.

Betty wasn’t known for her patience and she couldn’t abide tardiness. Jennifer should have been at her house an hour ago, but she hadn’t even phoned to say she’d be late. Betty had called her on both her landline and cell phone, but there had been no answer and no reply to either of her messages. In the end she had decided to drive to Jennifer’s house.

Betty lived in the next village so it only took her a few minutes to get there, but her temper was growing. She was in the middle of cooking Christmas Day lunch and was annoyed at this interruption, but her husband, Don, had twisted his ankle a couple of days previously, so wasn’t able to drive and go instead of her.

    Still standing at Jennifer’s front door and getting no reply, Betty was now fuming.

    Had Jennifer overslept? she thought angrily to herself. After all, she had been drinking an awful lot at the party yesterday. That would have to stop if she was going to be David’s new girlfriend. It was uncouth and unladylike to drink like a fish. A couple of glasses of wine are fine, but certainly no more. That Eve can certainly knock them back. How David puts up with it, I don’t know.  

Betty never stopped having a dig at Eve, whether her information was correct or not. In fact, while Eve enjoyed a drink or two, she never appeared drunk in public and always made sure she was in complete control of her faculties.

If Jennifer was indeed asleep, Betty thought that perhaps she should try and get inside and wake her up. After all, she would be embarrassed if she missed Christmas dinner at Betty's house.

Noticing that the shutters on the windows in the front of the house were closed, Betty walked round to the back to see if any had been left open round there.

As luck would have it, they were all open and Betty breathed a sigh of relief. As is common in Greece, Jennifer hadn’t put up any curtains. Betty didn’t like that tradition and had put up curtains in all her rooms, but today she was relieved that Jennifer hadn’t bothered. Now she would be able to see in, but she would have to have a word with Jennifer. It wasn’t nice that anyone could look into your home and it was impossible to keep the shutters closed all day. The house would be dark and you would have to use artificial light all the time.

Peering through the French windows into the sitting room, Betty couldn’t see anything at first. As her eyes became accustomed to the different light, she thought she saw something on the floor. It looked like a big sack and Betty wondered if Jennifer had dropped the rubbish.

No, it isn’t…. Betty gasped a moment later. It’s a person. Is it Jennifer? No, it can’t be…..Yes it is. What’s she doing lying on the floor? Has she fainted?

Betty knocked gently on the glass, but Jennifer didn’t move. She then tapped a little louder, but she didn’t want to shatter the glass. When Jennifer still didn’t stir, Betty became concerned. She tried to get her phone out of her bag, but she was trembling and she dropped everything.

Picking up her bag, she began to cry. Betty was surprised at herself. She very rarely wept, but after the recent murders, she had become edgy and nervous.

Betty stood there for a few minutes, not knowing what to do and then looked inside again. Jennifer still wasn’t moving, so even if she wasn’t dead, she was most probably badly hurt.

Finally, managing to get her phone out, she realized she didn’t know who to ring. Barely speaking a word of Greek, it would be too difficult to ring the police. Anyway, she wasn’t sure if Jennifer was dead, so she could end up looking foolish if her friend had just fallen. If she rang Don, he wouldn’t be able to get to Jennifer’s house because of his twisted ankle, and anyway he didn’t speak much Greek either. Perhaps she should see if the French windows were open, but she was terrified. What if Jennifer was dead? Betty was petrified of being so close to a corpse, but she had no choice. She stood there for a moment and then, taking a deep breath, tried the French windows. She didn’t know how she felt when they opened, but nevertheless she went in, albeit nervously.

Betty slowly walked over to Jennifer, but when she reached her, she wasn’t able to look down. She started sobbing again and a sick feeling overwhelmed her, but finally she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. Betty glanced down at the woman who was supposed to be her new best friend and David’s next love.

Jennifer’s face had a horrifically contorted expression on it and Betty realized straight away that she was well and truly dead. She knew she was going to be sick and she dashed into the bathroom as quickly as she could.

Coming out a few minutes later, she sat on a chair as far away from Jennifer as possible. She didn’t know what to do, but then she thought of ringing David.

He’ll take charge and sort this out, I know he will….Oh no, he’s with Eve having Christmas lunch at Pete and Annie’s. Still, that would ruin her Christmas, she smiled wickedly. No, she then thought, I mustn’t think like this now, not with Jennifer barely cold.

Betty then thought of calling Pete, but as he and David were together she might as well ring David after all. They could decide between them who would come over. Both David and Pete spoke Greek quite well so either could ring the police.

Although Betty was still trembling, she managed to calm down enough to make the phone call. In the end she knew she couldn’t take advantage of this terrible situation so she rang Pete, not wanting to make it look too obvious that she was trying to take David away from Eve on Christmas Day.

Betty came straight to the point on the phone, not wanting to show that she was upset. She never liked to appear weak. 

“I’m sorry to bother you, Pete. I’m at Jennifer’s and she’s dead.”

She didn’t think it worth giving a description of what the body looked like. He would see Jennifer soon enough. She hoped he would be there within minutes as she didn’t want to be there any longer than she had to be. It wasn’t much fun being alone with a corpse, especially one as awful looking as Jennifer’s.

Pete also didn’t mince his words, despite being shocked by the news, and told her to stay put and that he’d be there shortly. Meanwhile, Betty rang Don to tell him the bad news. He was worried about her being there on her own and told her to come home and get him. However, Betty didn’t want her Christmas dinner to be ruined and insisted that he stayed at home and looked after it, giving him instructions of when to put on the vegetables.

“How can she think of food at a time like this?” Don spoke angrily to himself, waking their cat, William, who looked at him with an annoyed expression on his face.

“Poor Jennifer,” Don continued, the reality of the situation suddenly hitting him. “She’s only recently moved out here hoping to have a better life, and now look what’s happened. What on earth is going on here, William? I thought we’d had enough murders for one year.”

William ignored his master. He was quite happy with his life on Crete and he settled back down to sleep, the smell of turkey wafting around the kitchen. He knew what treats were in store for him later and he had nothing to worry about. Don wished their lives could be as simple.

Meanwhile, Betty had another quick look at Jennifer. What could have killed her? She looked absolutely revolting. It must have been a poison of some sort. Betty started to wonder who could have done it. After all, Jennifer hadn’t been living on Crete for long and didn’t know many people. Who could she have upset this badly?   

Of course it couldn’t be Pete or Annie, they’re such a lovely pair and we’ve known them for years.

Then Betty thought about the new couple, Kevin and Lucy Fowler, a husband and wife in their late forties. They had moved over to Crete about the same time as Jennifer. Perhaps they had known each other before emigrating and there were hidden secrets in their pasts.

Lucy was a small plain woman who never said much, but Kevin was reasonably good looking. He was quite tall with dark wavy hair and blue eyes which had quite a sparkle in them. Betty thought he was almost as handsome as David, so he wasn’t a bad addition to the ex-pat community. Betty thought it was always nice to have a good looking man to cast your eyes over; and he did have the gift of the gab as well.

The Fowlers had come over to help Kevin’s younger brother, Paul with his gardening and maintenance business. Paul was single, in his mid-thirties, and in Betty’s eyes not nearly as good looking as his brother, but he had confidence in himself and was always flirting with the girls. Betty wondered how his business would do with the recession, but the ex-pats seemed to be taking him up on his services,

The doorbell went, rousing Betty from her thoughts. She jumped up and rushed to open it, relieved that she wouldn’t have to be alone with Jennifer anymore. Opening the door, she saw both Pete and David standing there.

 “Thank goodness you’re here,” Betty said, sounding more than grateful. “I didn’t know what to do. Honestly, my Greek isn’t good enough to call the police.”

“Calm down, Betty.” David said, putting his arm around her. “We’d better have a look at the body first.”

Betty felt herself tingling at David’s touch.

Eve doesn’t deserve such a kind, lovely man.

They all went into the sitting room and the men looked at Jennifer.

“Looks like strychnine poisoning to me,” Pete said straight away.

Having been a police officer, Pete was quite familiar with poisons.

“Oh my God,” Betty gasped. “So somebody deliberately tried to kill her?”

“It seems that way,” Pete continued.

“Eve’s cake,” she exclaimed.

“What?” David asked sharply, taking his arm away from her abruptly.

“There’s a bit of her cake over there. The poison could have been in that. After all, she did think Jennifer was interested in you, didn’t she?”

“Eve would never try and kill anybody,” David said angrily. “I know you don’t like her, but I love Eve and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind about her.”

David’s remarks silenced Betty. She knew she’d gone too far. He’d probably never forgive her. Why didn’t she think before speaking?

“Now, now,” Pete said. “We’re all a bit upset. I think we should take a deep breath and try to calm down. It is a very traumatic situation after all. I can see that Jennifer had been drinking something as well. The glass is on the table and it hadn’t been finished. The police will also need to test that for poison. And the sooner we call them the better so that we can try and enjoy Christmas as best we can.”