‘Good.’ She nods again, as if she is reaching a decision. ‘I’ve done something, you see. Something I’m not proud of. I thought I was doing it for the right reasons, but now, with everything that’s happened, I’m not so sure. The problem is, it’s too late to stop it. I?—’
There’s a sharp knock at the door and we both jump like shop girls caught with their hands in the till. It’s Dominic, looking faintly exasperated.
‘There you are. Demetriou wants to speak to you in Felix’s office.’ When I don’t make to move, he frowns. ‘Now.’
‘OK, I’m coming.’ I wait until he’s left the room, then turn back to Willow. ‘I’d better go, but come and find me if you want to talk.’
She nods, but her expression has closed down. The moment for sharing secrets has passed.
* * *
It’s soon apparent that Detective Lieutenant Demetriou believes in the ‘ease them in gently before dealing the killer punch’ school of thought. I saw it at play so many times when I was growing up. Social workers, teachers, even the police officers who usedto turn up on the doorstep looking for Mum. Start softly, build rapport with gentle questions before dropping the bombshell. So we spend the first few minutes chatting about Pelagia and how beautiful it is. He asks if I’ve had a chance to visit the lighthouse or snorkel off Kalypso Bay.
‘The Greek marine life is unrivalled,’ he says proudly.
I compliment him on his English and he tells me he went to university in the UK. ‘Not Durham, your friends’ alma mater. Birmingham.’
‘Not much marine life there,’ I quip.
He smiles. ‘Indeed.’ And just like that, some of the warmth drains from his voice. ‘Now, if I may move on to more pertinent matters, I would like you to go through the events of Friday the twenty-sixth of June, the day Mr Pearson was killed.’
I describe how Felix had been on fine form as we walked across the island to the taverna.
‘So you arrived at the restaurant. What then?’
I shrug. ‘We ordered, gave Simone her presents and ate.’
‘Is that all?’
I run my finger round the neck of my T-shirt. ‘Well, there was a bit of leg-pulling between Felix and Barney.’
Demetriou licks a thumb and turns over a page of his notebook. ‘According to witnesses, there was a bit more to it than that. One person described it as a screaming match.’
So the police have already spoken to the other diners at the taverna. In which case, they’ll know Dominic punched Felix. ‘I wouldn’t go that far. Barney was worried about some money he’d invested in Felix’s company, I think.’
‘Perhaps you’d like to tell me what happened when Mr Pearson followed you into the ladies’ lavatory.’
And there it is. The bombshell the detective had no doubt been waiting to drop from the moment I walked into the room.
How the hell am I supposed to answer that?
52
I stare at Detective Lieutenant Demetriou in horror.
‘How d’you know about that?’
‘We have three independent accounts of your boyfriend punching Mr Pearson. When questioned, he admitted he lost his temper because Mr Pearson sexually assaulted you. Is it true?’
I stare at my feet. ‘Yes.’
His voice is gentle again. ‘I know this is probably distressing for you, but can you describe the assault?’
‘Why?’ I cry. ‘How is it relevant to your investigation? It had nothing to do with Felix’s death!’
‘It is my job to build a picture of the night in question,’ he says calmly. ‘And to build an accurate picture, I need to know everything. Every little detail that you or your friends might think unimportant. So, with respect, I ask you again: please describe what happened.’
‘He…he followed me into the toilets. He tried it on. When I told him I wasn’t interested, he called me a prick-tease. Then he kissed and groped me.’ My arms have broken out into goosebumps at the memory. ‘That’s when Dominic walked in. When he saw what was happening he pulled Felix off me and, well, you know the rest.’
