by Amy Cross
“He must be at the stones, then,” she muttered, turning back toward the door. “I should find him.”
“What's wrong?” Kate asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Has something happened?”
“You didn't hear?” Estella asked, stopping and turning to her. “I thought the news was all over town by now.” She paused. “My mother died yesterday. As a matter of fact, she committed suicide.”
“Party time!” Jennifer called out, heading through with two glasses of wine. She stopped as soon as she saw Estella.
“You're busy,” Estella continued, once again turning to the door.
“No,” Kate said, “please...”
“I need to find Edgar,” Estella told her. “My father has arranged the funeral, a priest should be arriving in the next day or two from the mainland, but the wedding... I think perhaps it would be appropriate to delay the wedding for a short while, out of respect. Of course, my mother wasn't going to attend anyway, but still...”
“Here,” Jennifer said, heading over to them and holding a glass of wine out. “Maybe you could do with this.”
“Thank you,” Estella replied, “but no.”
Shrugging, Jennifer began to drink.
“What exactly happened?” Kate asked. “Was your mother... I mean, did she give any indication that something was wrong?”
“The last time I saw her...” Estella paused for a moment. “I believe something might have pushed her over the edge and scared her. She was a very religious woman, someone who was very much alive to the spiritual world. I think perhaps she saw something horrific, and it was too much for her.”
“What did she see?” Kate asked.
“Never mind,” Estella said quietly. “I'm sure I'm just over-reacting, Edgar says I do that a lot. My mother could also be rather hysterical, sometimes she was able to convince herself that things were happening that... Again, her voice trailed off, and she looked down at her gloved hands. “I must find Edgar,” she added finally, pulling away from Kate and opening the door. “He'll know what to do.”
“I'll come with you,” Kate replied, “just let me -”
“No.”
“You shouldn't be alone. I'll help you find him.”
“No,” Estella said again. “Please, Kate, I just want to be alone with Edgar. I shall go to the house and wait for him there. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to have visitors during this time of mourning.”
“Then I'll just walk with you for -”
“Thank you, but no,” Estella said firmly. “Honestly, I only came here because I thought perhaps Edgar was with you. The pair of you seem to spend so much time together lately, it was my first assumption when I realized he wasn't at the mansion, but I suppose he's probably out at the stones with Nixon and Madeleine. I shall go to the house at once and wait for him there. I think I would prefer to make the journey alone, so I can have some time to think. You understand, don't you?”
“Let me know if there's anything I can do,” Kate told her. “Anything at all...”
“Thank you, I shall.”
Kate watched as Estella made her way across the courtyard.
“She's right about one thing,” Jennifer said, joining Kate in the doorway. “Old Nora Graves was...” She paused. “Forget it, I shouldn't speak ill of the dead.”
“Was her mother difficult?” Kate asked, as Estella disappeared from view.
“To say she was religious and spiritual is a bit of an understatement,” Jennifer continued. “Nora was the kind of woman who truly believed that demons could enter the souls of men and control their actions. She used to teach at the local school, but she was forced to quit after an incident when she tied up a little girl and tried to perform an exorcism in front of the rest of the class. Anna was terrified of her. I mean, the woman probably had some good points, but she was also out of her mind. Still... I never thought she'd do something like this. I wonder what the hell got into her.” She took another sip of wine.
“You're drinking a lot lately,” Kate pointed out.
“So?”
“So it's new. What happened?”
“I don't get drunk,” Jennifer replied, “I just... Bad things have happened lately, and a few sips here and there can help to take the edge off. It's nothing to worry about, though. I'm the last person in the world who'd ever get a drinking problem.” She looked out the window for a moment. “If I were you, I'd be more worried about Estella. There's always been a rod up her ass, but it looks like she's getting worse.”
“She's been through so much,” Kate replied. “I'm not sure how much more she can take before it crushes her.”
III
“You're going to be absolutely fine,” Doctor Lassiter said as he accompanied Muriel Wetherly through the door and out onto the street. “Stop worrying, there's nothing wrong with you.”
“But my knees hurt,” she told him. “Why do my knees hurt?”
“Mrs. Wetherly -”
“There has to be a reason,” she pointed out, turning to him. “They wouldn't just start hurting of their own accord!”
“I think you have to expect a little wear and tear as you get older,” he replied, trying to phrase things delicately.
“I'm only eighty-seven!”
“Which is a wonderful age,” he continued, “and -” Before he could finish, he heard a banging sound from over his shoulder, as if someone was inside the surgery.
“My mother lived to be ninety-five,” Muriel continued, “and her knees were absolutely fine until the day she died!”
“I'm sure they were, but -” Again, he stopped as he heard a banging sound from within the building. “I'm sorry,” he continued, “you'll have to excuse me. It sounds like I have an unexpected visitor.”
“I'll be back next Monday!” she called after him, as he headed inside. “If they're not better by then, I want some medication! I always used to get medication from the old doctor!”
Heading through to his office, Doctor Lassiter paused for a moment, waiting for the banging to continue. Hearing a shuffling sound coming from the examination room, he hurried through and found to his shock that a dark-uniformed man was leaning over the dead body of Inspector Oliver Tarud. The scene was so unexpected, he had to blink a couple of times to check that it was real.
“Can I help you?” Lassiter asked finally. “This is a private -”
He stopped as soon as the other man turned to him. Seeing a pair of large, bright blue eyes framed by a desperately thin face, the doctor was momentarily lost for words.
“Doctor Lassiter, I imagine?” the man said, taking a step toward him and reaching out a thin hand with long, spindly fingers, one of which was adorned with a large, red and gold ring. “I'm so glad to make your acquaintance. My name is Jonathan Quill, I arrived on Thaxos this morning. I'm a judge from a municipality just outside Parios, I've been sent to investigate the unfortunate demise of Inspector Tarud.”
“A judge?” Lassiter replied, shaking the man's hand as he spotted various badges and insignias on his uniform. “I had no idea someone was being sent.”
“It's merely a preliminary investigation,” Quill continued, his voice remaining slow and steady, as if the act of speaking was somewhat difficult. “I'm from the inspectorate division of the judicial bench, my job is to look into such issues as and when they arise. On this occasion, I am to determine what happened to poor Inspector Tarud. His replacement is still being sought and will follow on as soon as possible, but for now control over this jurisdiction rests in my hands.”
“I prepared a report -”
“I've read the report,” Quill said quickly. “I hope you don't mind, I found it on the counter when I let myself in, and I think I see what happened. Now I merely need to know why, and who was responsible.”
“I believe Baron Le Compte has taken control of the investigation,” Lassiter told him.
“So I understand,” Quill replied. “Nevertheless, I should like to conduct some independent work of m
y own. I'm sure Baron Le Compte is a fine man, but as a long-term resident of Thaxos he perhaps lacks the perspective that could be offered by an outsider. Might I ask if you know whether he has drawn any conclusions?”
“Not as far as I'm aware.”
“Inspector Tarud was killed by a woman.”
“I...” Lassiter paused. “How do you know that?”
“Certain subtle signs,” Quill explained. “My detection methods are very thorough. I'm quite certain that it was a human female who struck the fatal blow, and I believe she was also responsible for burying the poor man.” He smiled. “So you see, we have already narrowed down the list of suspects. How many adult women are there on Thaxos?”
“No more than a hundred,” Lassiter told him.
“Excellent,” Quill replied. “Now we must merely determine which of them either had reason to kill this man, or might have been put in a position where an accident occurred.”
“I really think you should speak to Baron Le Compte about this,” Lassiter explained. “The laws of the island dictate that in the absence of an official police presence, it's Baron Le Compte who assumes all relevant duties. He can fill you in on his findings so far, and anyway, every new arrival on the island is wise to make themselves known to the Le Compte household at some point. For politeness, if nothing else.”
“I see.” Quill paused. “The truth is, Baron Le Compte and I are not unknown to one another. We have met before, and we...” Another pause, as if he was struggling to find the right words. “Let's just say that a reunion between the two of us would most likely be rather counter-productive. He doesn't like me, I don't like him, and the result would be that no progress would be made in this investigation whatsoever. I have managed to hide my arrival on Thaxos from him so far, and I would prefer to keep things that way. I trust I can count on your discretion?”
“I don't exactly have friendly chats with Baron Le Compte,” Lassiter replied. “I doubt he'll hear anything from me, but -”
“Inspector Tarud was a tough man,” Quill continued, interrupting him. “Fair, but decidedly tough. I have heard a great deal about him, and I can well imagine that he might easily have made a few enemies on the island. Are you aware of anyone who might have wanted to hurt him?”
Doctor Lassiter shook his head.
“There is a distinctive scent about him,” Quill explained. “If I can find the owner of that scent, I can find the person who was with him when he died. I do not wish to draw too many early conclusions, but I believe that finding that individual might be an extremely useful step.”
“I'm afraid I can't help you,” Doctor Lassiter told him.
“You've already helped a great deal,” Quill replied, making his way slowly toward the door, walking with a pronounced limp and leaning heavily on a cane. “I have taken a room at the cantina, and I shall remain there for as long as it takes. A man such as Inspector Tarud cannot simply be allowed to die without anyone paying a price.” He stopped and turned back to the doctor for a moment. “By the time I leave Thaxos, justice will have been served for any crimes that have been committed. Whoever is responsible. Once I find the owner of the scent I detected on Tarud's body, I will know who killed him. Oh, and by the way... Do you happen to know where I can pick up a few supplies for my stay here?”
***
“But do I have to work in the shop when I'm older?” Anna asked, standing in the doorway and looking across the store. “I don't know if I want to do that.”
“It's not so bad,” Jennifer replied as she continued to unpack the cases that Kate had carried up from the basement. “A lot of people would kill for the kind of life we have here.”
“I don't want to always live on Thaxos,” Anna continued, heading over to the window and looking out. “I want to go and see the whole world. When I grow up, I want to be an adventurer.”
“You do, huh?”
“Kate told me about London,” she added. “It's this big city, bigger than anywhere on Thaxos, like...” She paused, as if she was having trouble imagining such a place. “It's at least twice as big as Thaxos, or maybe three times!” she continued, wide-eyed with wonder. “I want to go there one day and live in a big city with lots of things happening.”
“And who'll take over this place?” Jennifer asked.
Anna shrugged.
“We'll see,” Jennifer continued, looking down at the logbook where she was working out the prices for the wine bottles. “I wanted to explore the world when I was younger, too, but then I met your father and suddenly staying put on Thaxos didn't seem so bad. As you get older, you start to realize that it's people, not places, that really matter.”
“That's stupid,” Anna replied.
“Well -” Spotting movement beyond the window, Jennifer looked over just as the door opened. To her surprise, she realized that she didn't recognize the tall, thin man who was limping inside, but she figured he must be one of the rare new arrivals who sometimes stepped off the ferry. “Hi,” she said, forcing the smile she kept for new customers, “welcome to Thaxos.”
“Thank you,” the man replied, carefully pushing the door shut before limping over to Anna and looking down at her. “My word, who do we have here?”
“I'm Anna, and I'm going to grow up to be an explorer.”
“Is that right?” the man asked. “Tell me, are you going to explore all of Thaxos?”
“I'm going to explore all the world,” Anna replied proudly.
“How delightful,” the man said, reaching down and patting her on the head before turning to Jennifer. “And you must be... I believe I saw a name above the door as I was coming inside. Ms. Kazakos?”
“Mrs. Kazakos, actually,” Jennifer replied.
“I see. So it's your husband who owns the store?”
“Actually, no,” she said, bristling a little at such a personal question. “I'm afraid my husband is no longer with us.” She looked over at Anna. “Honey, why don't you go and play with the chickens? You can tell them all about your plans.”
“They're going to be so jealous!” Anna replied, running through to the back room. “Or maybe I'll take them with me!”
“Children can be so joyous, can't they?” the man said, limping toward the counter. “I'm sorry, I neglected to introduce myself. My name is Quill, Jonathan Quill. I arrived on Thaxos this morning.” He reached out and shook Jennifer's hand, and after a moment he seemed to sniff the air, as if recognizing a scent. “I shall be staying at the cantina for a while, just until I've dealt with some rather important matters, but I feel I need a few supplies to keep me going. You know what it's like when one is traveling.”
“Sure,” she replied, “well... We have a pretty good selection, so feel free to take a look around.”
“I will,” he said, turning and limping toward one of the shelves.
Feeling a little disturbed by the stranger, but telling herself not to let him get to her, Jennifer looked back down at her logbook. After working for a few more seconds, however, she began to feel as if she was being watched. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the page for as long as possible, before finally glancing over and seeing that Quill was staring straight at her. He smiled, and she smiled back, but as she looked back down at the logbook she was more certain than ever that there was something about the new arrival that made her feel distinctly uncomfortable. She could hear his footsteps moving slowly across the room, causing the floorboards to creak, and finally she realized that he was coming closer. Moments after that, she heard a faint sniffing sound.
“Can I help you with anything?” she asked, turning him.
He stared at her for a moment. For a beat too long.
“No,” he said eventually, placing a couple of items on the counter. “I think I have what I need.” He watched as she began to write down the prices of his items so she could calculate the total. “You have a lovely daughter,” he continued. “She seems like a very bright and gifted child. She has great spirit.”
“Than
k you.”
“Anna, I believe her name is?”
“That's right.”
“And her father, your husband... is gone?”
“That'll be -” Before she could give him a price, she saw that he'd already placed the right number of coins on the counter in front of her. “You're quick,” she told him, forcing a smile.
“I just like to save time,” he replied, tilting his head a little.
“I have to write it all down,” she continued, hoping that a few more words of smalltalk might be enough to get him out the door. She figured he was just lonely and wanted to take his time. “Even after working in the store for so long.”
“Do you know Edgar Le Compte?”
She paused, surprised by the question. “No. Not really.”
“But he has been here. In this store.”
“Not often. Why do you ask?”
“No reason, I'm just curious. I wouldn't have thought a man like Baron Le Compte would ever come and do his own shopping. Does he not have servants for that sort of thing?”
“He was here for -” She paused, feeling as if the conversation was becoming a little too personal. “It's complicated,” she added finally. “Everything on Thaxos is complicated, that's just how the island tends to be.”
“So I understand.” He stared at her for a moment longer, before gathering up his items one by one. “I don't know how many nights I'll be staying on Thaxos,” he told her, “but if I have need of more supplies, I do hope that I'll be welcome to come back.”
“Of course,” she replied. “We never turn away a paying customer.”
She watched as the man limped slowly toward the door. He seemed reluctant to leave, and it was clear that something was on his mind as he pulled the door open and made his way into the courtyard. Convinced that he was going to turn around at any moment, she watched as he disappeared around the corner, and finally she realized she'd been holding her breath. Sighing, she looked around the store for a moment, feeling almost as if someone, somewhere, was still watching her. It was almost as if the eyes of the man were still on her, even though he'd left the building.
