“Don’t you think it’s a possibility then?” she asked.
“Yes, but it’s all conjecture, so I think you’re best off not telling the police.”
Eve nodded. She couldn’t think what she could do anyway. It might be best if she didn’t leave David’s side until they caught the kidnappers, but would the police be clever enough to catch Joanna? Eve didn’t think so.
Chapter 17
At about nine o’clock that morning, Dimitris Kastrinakis came back to the hospital. He was pleased to see that David was awake, although he was disappointed that he hadn’t remembered anything else about the kidnapping.
“Mr. Baker,” he asked. “Can you tell us who came to your bedside after Miss Masters went home last night?”
“Not many people,” David replied. “The nurses came with my medication and to give me more oxygen. Oh, then another nurse came in a couple of hours later to give me an injection. It was the first injection I’d had and I have no idea what it was for.”
That’s it, Eve thought, trying her best not to let her excitement show through. Somebody dressed up as a nurse and came in and gave David the arsenic trioxide with a syringe. And that someone was Joanna; I’m sure of it.
She said nothing however, knowing that Dimitris would tell her she was speculating too much.
Dimitris decided to go and check up on what medications David was supposed to be having, leaving David and Eve alone for a few minutes.
“David,” Eve said breathlessly. “If Dimitris comes back and says you weren’t supposed to have an injection, we’ll know that somebody dressed up as a nurse in order to gain access to you. It must have been Joanna.”
“Eve, you could be right, but don’t go trying to prove it. It’s too dangerous, plus it might not be her after all, but somebody else.”
Eve nodded, but she was certain that David was wrong. She was convinced it was Joanna and she had to do something before that woman tried yet again to kill the man she loved.
* * * *
It took about half an hour for Dimitris to return to David’s ward. By this time Eve was getting impatient, feeling that she could be doing something more pro-active than just sitting with David doing nothing. Although she had said that she wouldn’t leave him, she was now thinking that it might be the only way to catch the kidnappers. After all, the police were guarding David and more care would be taken today after the attempt on his life.
“Well,” Dimitris said as he came back into the ward. “I’ve had it confirmed that you weren’t supposed to have any injections. You are meant to have two lots of tablets, the second one around seven in the evening. None of the nurses can remember seeing anyone different last night, but Kostas, the officer who was on duty in the evening, said a nurse came around at nine. She obviously convinced him that she had a viable reason for going in to see Mr. Baker.”
“I knew it,” Eve said. “Is the police officer certain it was a woman?”
“Yes, Miss Masters,” Dimitris paused for a moment as he realized that Eve was still certain who the person was. “You’re not thinking it was Joanna Neonakis, are you?”
Dimitris knew the answer before Eve spoke.
“Well, yes. I’m sorry you don’t believe me, but I am certain,” Eve said, pouting. “The more I think about it, the less I believe that the kidnapping was arranged by any of our close friends.”
David sighed. Eve was getting herself into hot water again.
“Please don’t do anything irresponsible, Miss Masters,” Dimitris said. “We will be questioning her, along with a number of other suspects, as to their movements last night, but even if Mrs. Neonakis hasn’t got an alibi, we can’t arrest her just because you think it was her. By the way, Mr. Baker, can you remember anything about the woman who gave you this injection?”
“I’m sorry; I didn’t take much notice and I doubt if I would be able to recognize her.”
“She’d have put on a disguise anyway,” Eve chipped in. “David knows her and would recognize her otherwise.”
Dimitris shook his head. Eve was becoming too involved again and he was worried that she might do something stupid.
She’s her own worst enemy, Dimitris thought. Whoever did this – and I’m not discounting Joanna – is dangerous. I can’t believe I have to keep an eye on Eve as well. Let’s just hope David remembers a bit more about his kidnapping. That would definitely solve a problem or two.
* * * *
With Dimitris gone, Eve started to drift off to sleep, totally forgetting that she had planned to get back to searching for the kidnappers rather than sit at David’s bedside doing nothing. However, she was so tired and desperately needed to catch up on some sleep.
An hour later, Eve woke up with a start to see Robert chatting to David. She had rung him earlier to tell him what had happened during the night.
“Oh my goodness,” she exclaimed. “I shouldn’t have dropped off. Anybody could have crept in and tried to kill David.”
“Relax, Eve,” David said. “The police are taking extra precautions now and I would certainly question the nurse if she tried to give me an injection. It’s time you went home and caught up with some sleep.”
“No, I can’t leave you,” Eve exclaimed.
“I’ll stay with David, Eve,” Robert said gently. “I think Alison’s going to be with Betty for a while today.”
“Ok,” Eve said reluctantly. “I’ll be back later though.”
David smiled. “I’ll see you when you’ve had a good long sleep then, darling. But only if you’re up to it. It might be better if you rested until tomorrow. Now remember, don’t do anything about Joanna. If it was her who tried to kill me, she’s a dangerous woman.”
* * * *
While he was in the hospital, Dimitris decided to go and question Annie Davies. Her husband, Pete, was still a suspect despite both Eve and David not believing that he could be the kidnapper, and now Dimitris wondered if his wife could be his co-conspirator. Of course, she would have to be a good actress considering the way she had behaved the past few days. However, nothing surprised Dimitris anymore.
Both Pete and Annie were shocked to hear that David had been poisoned, but when Dimitris asked Annie where she had been the previous evening at around nine, Pete lost his temper.
“I’m getting fed up of this. Now you’re insinuating that Annie is one of the kidnappers. David is a good friend of ours and we’d never do him harm, never.”
“I shall be questioning a lot of people, not just you,” Dimitris said. “I have to ask these questions so that I can eliminate you from my enquiries.”
“Well, I’m afraid you won’t be able to eliminate me,” Annie said wearily. “I don’t have an alibi. I stayed here until about eight and then I drove home on my own. I didn’t see anyone so nobody can vouch for me.”
Annie watched the other officer, Stavros, write everything down. The walls were closing in on her and she felt she was going to be arrested on circumstantial evidence. She was tired and fed up of it all.
“Well, thank you, Mrs. Davies,” Dimitris said. “That’ll be all for now.”
“And where do you think she got the drug from?” Pete asked the officer angrily.
He didn’t want to leave things as they were.
“I have no idea,” Dimitris said. “But I’m not arresting your wife, sir. I just came to ask these questions.”
“It’s alright, Pete, he’s just doing his job,” Annie put in.
There was no point antagonizing the police. It would make them look guiltier.
“We will need to search your house though,” Dimitris added.
“You’ll need a warrant for that,” Pete spoke, the policeman in him coming out.
“I know, but it’s not difficult to get one. Now if you’ll excuse me, I do have other people to question. As you see, I’ve not singled you out.”
Pete was going to say more, but Annie put her hand on his arm to stop him. She knew they wouldn’t find anything at the hous
e so it wasn’t worth saying anything else.
* * * *
Dimitris Kastrinakis and Stavros continued to have a busy morning. They obtained search warrants and looked over Pete and Annie’s house, finding nothing to incriminate them.
The next stop was The Black Cat where Dimitris nearly came to blows with Ken Stewart.
“This is beyond belief,” Ken spoke angrily. “First you suggest that I had poisoned David’s food and then you imply that my wife dressed up as a nurse in order to give David a deadly dose of poison.”
“Shush, Ken,” Jan said. “He’s only doing his job. We’re innocent so have nothing to worry about. I have an alibi anyway. Quite a few people saw me in the bar last night so I couldn’t have been in the hospital.”
Nevertheless Dimitris and Stavros searched the premises before they left. Again they found nothing.
Their last stop was to see Joanna Neonakis. Dimitris wasn’t looking forward to it after the reception he had got from his other suspects, if that’s what they really were. The English community was tight and it did seem unlikely that any of them would kidnap David Baker. At least that was one advantage of going to see Mrs. Neonakis. She was an outsider and hadn’t mingled with the English crowd much.
Arriving at her house, he rang the doorbell and before long Joanna answered the door. She smiled sweetly at the inspector and his colleague.
“Good afternoon, officers, how can I help you?” she asked.
“I am questioning a number of people,” Dimitris said, not wanting her to feel singled out. “It seems as if someone dressed up as a nurse last night and tried to kill Mr. Baker.”
“Oh my goodness, how awful. Whoever would have done that? You’d better come in. I take it you will want to search both my houses.”
Dimitris was stunned at her demeanor.
Perhaps Eve Masters is right after all. Joanna is much too calm and collected. It’s as if she had this planned.”
Dimitris and Stavros went into the house.
“Can I offer you anything to drink/” Joanna asked.
They both refused and Dimitris went on to asking her where she had been at nine the previous evening.
“I’m afraid I haven’t got an alibi. I was here alone.”
Dimitris marveled at how composed she was.
“You don’t seem worried that you don’t have an alibi.”
“Well, why should I worry? I’m innocent and I have no doubt that you will catch the right person. I doubt very much if you’ll throw me into jail just because I don’t have an alibi.”
Dimitris and Stavros did their search immediately after questioning her and then she took them to the other house. As he expected, he didn’t find any arsenic trioxide or a nurse’s outfit.
If she is the one who tried to kill David Baker, Dimitris thought. She would have got rid of any evidence. She’s clever, very clever. And so is Miss Masters. As much as I have resented her interfering in the murder cases, she seems to have an eye for criminals. Perhaps I should do a background check on Mrs. Neonakis.
Chapter 18
Eve settled down on the sofa with Portia by her side, thinking how awful it would be not to have her dog with her. She remembered when Phyllis Baldwin, the woman who murdered Jane’s father, had poisoned Portia. It was lucky that she had got to the vet in time; otherwise the outcome might have been very different. Eve shuddered, thinking how close to death David had also come, not that many hours ago. She felt a couple of tears falling, but brushed them away, determined to remain strong.
Eve had picked up the Paul’s boxes from Jane on her way back from the hospital, but hadn’t bothered to put them in the basement yet. She decided she’d ask Robert to carry them down when he and Alison returned. They were going out for a meal after they left the hospital and had tried to persuade Eve to go with them. They had even said they would pick her up, but she excused herself. She felt too tired and on edge to eat out.
Eve wasn’t able to stop her mind running riot. She looked at the boxes, her curiosity aroused. She almost got up to have a look in one of them, but stopped herself. There’d be nothing of interest to her, would there? And anyway, she shouldn’t look in other peoples’ property, should she? They belonged to Paul and he was in jail, still waiting for his trial date. Bail had been set at some ridiculous amount and nobody had paid it. Eve thought it was a good job as he might have pestered poor Jane and that was the last thing the girl needed.
She went and poured herself a large glass of ice cold Chardonnay, deciding that if she had to go to the hospital again that day, she’d get a cab. She didn’t think she was in the right frame of mind to drive even without alcohol. She was much too tired and wondered how she had managed to get home safely from the hospital.
However, as Eve drank her wine, she kept looking at the boxes. In the end she had to go and look, but just in one....
There were the usual papers for Paul’s house and for Jennifer Anderson’s, which he had inherited, a birth certificate, receipts and so on. Nothing was of particular interest to Eve. Then she found some photos.
This looks a bit more exciting. Let’s have a quick look through them.
There were none of Crete. She remembered Paul getting a digital camera after Christmas and loading all the photos onto his computer. These were older and there were ones of a younger Paul, ones of Kevin and Lucy and their boys. Then Eve stopped. There were quite a few photos of Jennifer Anderson, obviously taken before Paul had met her. He must have taken them from her house when he was clearing it out. There were a couple with her nephew, James, but it was the other person in the photos that made her gasp.
I don’t believe it. It’s her.... Joanna. What on earth is she doing with James and Jennifer?
* * * *
Half an hour later, Eve was still sitting on the floor, trying to decide what to do with the photos. She had thought of phoning Jane, but changed her mind. Jane would probably be angry that she had gone through Paul’s things.
I bet you anything that Jane won’t have been nosey and had a look. She’s always doing things by the book.... So what are my options?
Eve could take the photo to the police, though Dimitris might disregard it. After all, what did it prove?
It proves Joanna knew Jennifer and James before she came to the island. I must be right. She did kill James, but why? Perhaps I should ring Dimitris.
Eve went and got her mobile and dialed.
“Nai,” the voice on the other end said.
“Mr. Kastrinakis, this is Eve Masters. I’ve found evidence that Joanna and James Anderson knew each other.”
“What sort of evidence?’ he asked, wondering what illegal act she had performed to get this information.
“I have a photo of them together with Jennifer Anderson.”
“Really,” he commented, deciding not to ask where she had got the photo from. It didn’t matter much. “And what do you want me to do with this? It doesn’t prove that she killed James Anderson or that she’s the kidnapper.”
“No,” Eve replied. “But it’s a bit suspicious if you ask me.”
“I’m sorry Miss Masters, there’s no law stating that you have to tell everyone your business. I suggest you forget about it and get some rest. Leave the detecting to us. I did notice how tired you were looking today.”
Eve went quiet on the other end which prompted Dimitris to continue speaking.
“Now, one bit of advice, keep away from Mrs. Neonakis. You’re lucky she hasn’t filed a complaint against you.”
“Fine,” Eve said sharply. “Thank you for nothing.”
With that, Eve ended the call. She was angry with the police officer. Shouldn’t he have agreed to go and question Joanna about her relationship with James? It was all connected, but she had yet to discover how. Couldn’t Dimitris see that?
Eve then wondered if she should go and visit Paul in jail and ask what that relationship was. However, he wouldn’t be too happy if he knew that Eve had been poking her nose in
to his private belongings.
No, the only thing I can do is confront Joanna herself. However, she is a dangerous woman and could do something to make me keep quiet about the whole thing. I could of course leave a note for Robert. If I’m not back when he returns, I’ll tell him to come and find me.
Eve went and got changed and then looked in the mirror. She was shocked when she saw her reflection.
I look terrible. Nearly all my original make-up has worn off. My eyes are red and I’m sure I can see more lines on my face. I can’t look like this in front of Joanna.
As Eve did her make-up, she started to tremble.
Perhaps I shouldn’t do this. David would go mad if he knew what I was about to do, but if I don’t his life will remain in danger. He’ll be looking over his shoulder all the time. The kidnappers won’t give up as there’s every chance he’ll get his memory back.
Eve went and got a pad of paper and a pen. She wrote quickly.
Have evidence that Joanna knew James. I've gone to confront her. If not home when you read this, come and find me or ring the police.
She went and put it on the fridge door. Robert was continually going to the fridge and she had no doubt he’d want a drink before bed. She then wondered if she should take Portia with her for protection, but then decided against it. Joanna could easily kill the dog and she didn’t want to risk Portia’s life again.
Eve filled up Portia’s food and water bowls, took her bag and left the house, hoping against hope that she would return safely.
* * * *
As she had been drinking wine, Eve decided to be sensible and walk to Joanna’s house. It was only a twenty minute stroll and Eve planned to use the time to decide what she was going to say.
However, by the time she reached Joanna’s home, she hadn’t made up her mind what approach to take. And what if Kevin was there? He was probably her co-conspirator, even though she was having trouble believing it. David and Kevin had become good friends, so perhaps she had a different associate in crime. It wouldn’t surprise her at all. Or perhaps she had done it all on her own, but how could she have kidnapped David? She was such a slim woman – but perhaps she had a gun to threaten him with.
The Ransom Page 13
