Death in the Aegean Read Free

her.
    Crouched down, Eve could tell that it was the body of a woman. She stared at her, trying to think who it could be. She was quite thin, but was face down. Although her profile was showing, her hair was covering her face so Eve couldn’t see any of her features.  
    I’m pretty sure she’s dead, but I don’t think I can bear to feel for a pulse.  
    Eve wasn’t usually a squeamish person, but this was different. She hadn’t been confronted with a dead body in the two previous cases.
    I should go and call the police, but I wish I knew who it was...... perhaps I could just move her hair. It would only take a second.
    Eve moved her hand to push the woman’s hair away, but stopped before she had the courage to do it.
    I can’t, I really can’t. I thought I was braver than this.
    Eve was disappointed in herself, thinking how much she had loved her previous attempts at being a private sleuth, yet now she wasn’t even able to touch a body.
    Still crouched over the woman, Eve looked her up and down a few times and then it suddenly clicked.
    “That frumpy blue flowery skirt and pale blue blouse. I saw her wearing them yesterday afternoon in the local shop. She barely acknowledged me. She’s hardly been civil since I suspected her of being involved in Jennifer’s death at Christmas. It’s Lucy, Lucy Fowler. I’m sure it is.”
    Eve then took a deep breath and quickly moved the woman’s hair away from her face.
    I can’t believe I did that.
    Eve was now feeling very sick.
    But having got that far, I had to confirm I was right.....and I was. It’s Lucy Fowler alright.
    Eve however, felt a little faint after touching Lucy, even though it had only been for a brief moment. She didn’t think she would ever want to touch a dead body again; and dead was what Lucy Fowler definitely was. Eve was also sure that rigor mortis had set in.
    That must mean the killer has long gone. But who murdered her? Her husband, Kevin? Their marriage has been on the rocks for ages, ever since she suspected him of having an affair with Jennifer Anderson.
    Evecontinued staring at Lucy, her mind a myriad of thoughts .
    I could have ended up like that if I hadn’t met David. I might have been murdered after trying to catch one of the killers last year. There would have been nobody to help me. I was silly putting my life at risk so many times. David always came to save me.......... No more of that nonsense for me. David will leave me if I carry on hunting murderers.
      Eve got up, trembling and wishing she hadn’t stormed out of the house so recklessly that morning.
    “Never again,” she said out loud. “Never again will I act so foolishly.”
    Eve truly meant it as she said it, but she’d meant similar things many times before and changed her mind just as quickly. Then she remembered what she’d thought on the beach and felt as guilty as hell.
    My goodness, what a stupid thing to wish for. I didn’t really want a murder to happen, and even though I didn’t like Lucy Fowler, I certainly didn’t wish her dead......... But this happened before I wished for someone to be killed, so it isn’t my fault. Anyway, I don’t know if it was murder. It could have been an accident...........
    Eve bent down again to look at Lucy’s body. Now that she had pushed her long hair back from her face, and had got more accustomed to the light in the cave, Eve could see marks around her neck. Had she been strangled?
    “And why is she in here fully dressed. If she had gone into the sea of her own accord, she would have put on a swimming costume. It must be murder.”
    Eve got up again quickly. She’d had quite enough of looking at a dead body for one day.
    Yes, it looks like the police have another case. And it might not be as easy to solve as it first seems. Not many people liked her so I don’t suppose Kevin will be the only suspect.
    Lucy Fowler had moved to Crete the previous October with her husband Kevin. She was in her late forties and had bored