Mrs Pargeter’s Package

∨ Mrs Pargeter’s Package ∧

Twelve

“What are you doing here?” His English was heavily-accented but precise. Cold and efficient, like his small dark eyes and that triangle of black moustache. Mrs Pargeter was forcibly reminded of the last time she had seen Joyce and Sergeant Karaskakis together, and of her friend’s shocked reaction to the sight of him.

“Well, I’m staying here, aren’t I?” she replied pugnaciously. She sensed that the Sergeant was trying to overawe her, and Mrs Pargeter had always been very resistant to being overawed.

“I understood you were being transferred to the hotel.”

“Well, yes, I am, but I remembered something I wanted to pick up here.”

“You should not have come in. The villa is closed during police investigations.”

“And is that what you are involved in at the moment, Sergeant?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Police investigations? I always understood that nothing should be moved at the scene of a crime.”

He looked down at the murderous piece of glass in his gloved hands. “I am a police officer. I am entitled to examine the premises.”

“But you’re Tourist Police,” Mrs Pargeter insisted. “I didn’t know that violent deaths in Greece were investigated by the Tourist Police.”

“Of course they are not,” Sergeant Karaskakis said tetchily. “I am merely having a preliminary look round. Then I will report back and officers from the relevant department will take over.”

“And will the ‘officers from the relevant department’ be pleased to know that you have moved some of the evidence?”

Her words had the effect of making him put the piece of glass back down on the floor, but there was no apology in his voice as he said, “This is not your business.”

“I’d say it was very much my business. It’s my friend who’s dead.”

“Yes, and of course I am very sorry about this. It is unfortunate for you at the beginning of your holiday. Also unfortunate for us. It is not good that people bring their troubles out here and do things like this. It makes for complications. Death always makes for complications.”

Mrs Pargeter didn’t disagree.

“I suppose,” the Sergeant went on, “that you will be returning to England now as soon as possible – yes?”

“Well, no,” Mrs Pargeter replied firmly. “I’ve decided I’m going to stay for a while.”

“I don’t think there is much point in that. You will not enjoy your holiday after this tragedy. It is better you should go home.”

The final suggestion was spoken with the force of an order. As ever, such an approach only made Mrs Pargeter dig her toes in more firmly. “I don’t want to go home until I’m confident that Joyce’s death is being properly investigated.”

Sergeant Karaskakis bridled at this implied criticism of Corfiot police procedure. “The proper investigations will of course take place. I was only thinking from your point of view. For you to be too involved can only be painful. What I am proposing is that you should make a statement about how you found your friend dead, about the state of mind she was in, and then you would be free to go home. The other tedious details could be sorted out without you.”

“Which tedious details?”

“Organising the return of the body, that kind of thing. Don’t worry, it can all be done very discreetly.”

“Swept under the carpet, you mean?”

“I’m sorry, I do not understand. What have carpets to do with this?”

“I mean, ‘hushed up’. You want to have Joyce’s death hushed up, don’t you, Sergeant?”

“That is not so unusual. It is for her family. Very few people want a great deal of publicity about a suicide.”

“I don’t think Joyce’s death was suicide,” said Mrs Pargeter quietly.

This really did shake him. “What! But it is obvious. Her husband has just died, she is in a very bad state, she kills herself.”

“She didn’t leave a note.”

“Maybe not. We don’t know yet. Perhaps we will find one. Anyway, she told people the bad state she was in. Ginnie heard her talking about it.”

That had been rather quick, thought Mrs Pargeter, for Sergeant Karaskakis to have had time to discuss the case with Ginnie.

“Of course she committed suicide.” His voice had now taken on a bullying note.

But Mrs Pargeter was impervious. The late Mr Pargeter had told her how few bullies can cope with having their bluff called. Ignoring their threats completely was the course of action he always recommended. And he did know – rather well – what he was talking about.

“I am convinced,” said Mrs Pargeter quietly, “that Joyce Dover was murdered.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Now the Sergeant was really angry. “You say things like that, you make trouble for everyone. A murder investigation causes great disturbance. You don’t want that – particularly when there is no murder to investigate,” he added as an afterthought.

“I know she was murdered,” Mrs Pargeter persisted, “and nothing you say will convince me otherwise. What is more, I am going to stay here in Corfu until the person who killed her is brought to justice.”

Sergeant Karaskakis gave her a stern, cold stare. “You are being very foolish. You do not know how much trouble your stupid attitude will cause. This is not your country. You do not understand how things work out here.”

“I understand how justice works, and I thought that was meant to be universal. Don’t you have justice out here?” she asked in deliberately infuriating mock-innocence.

“Yes, of course we do! And of course this death will be properly investigated. But it will be more easily investigated without your interference.” His voice took on a softer, more cunning note. “Anyway, what is it that makes you think your friend was murdered?”

“Various things.”

“What things?”

“I will tell that to the appropriate investigating authorities,” Mrs Pargeter replied.

He was stung by the answer, as she had meant him to be. “You will regret this stupidity.”

“Why?”

“You will regret it because, if you insist on calling the death murder, you automatically become a suspect.”

“I don’t see why.”

“But it is obvious. You were here in the villa last night. You came out from England with Joyce Dover. She knew no one in Corfu. It is generally found that murders are committed by people known to their victims.”

“All right. So I become a suspect. That doesn’t worry me, because I know I’m innocent.”

“You could still have a very inconvenient time during the investigation until you are proved to be innocent.”

“That’s a risk I’m prepared to take.”

“You would not be allowed to leave the island. You would have to hand over your passport until the investigation was over. That could take months.”

“There’s nothing I’ve got to rush back for,” said Mrs Pargeter with infuriating calm.

Sergeant Karaskakis made one more attempt to frighten her. “You will only be making trouble for yourself. You would do better to mind your own business and return to England straight away. Otherwise I am afraid you might regret it.”

But Mrs Pargeter didn’t frighten that easily. She smiled a sweet smile and, at least for the time being, Sergeant Karaskakis knew he was beaten.