anticipation. Amongst those who benefit from the señorâs death, there may well have been one prepared to commit murder in order to do so.â
âYou will search for a motive in order to judge if this case is one of murder?â
âMotive makes murder. And there is possible motive in that the señor had a friend. A very close friend.â
âI fail to see the significance of that.â
âShe was married.â
âYou are suggesting an illicit relationship because you are unable to understand that a man and a woman can enjoy a platonic friendship?â
âIn this case, there is evidence it was not platonic. Which means the husband may have known of his wifeâs adultery and taken his revenge.â
âThen you will question the husband.â
âI think I will question the wife on her own, first.â
âWhy?â
âIf she confesses her adultery, and can assure me her husband has no knowledge of it, it will eliminate him as a suspect.â
âYou do not consider it your duty to inform him of her infidelity?â
âCertainly not my duty, nor even a moral obligation. Since Señor Gill is dead, the affair cannot continue. So where is the point of bringing pain to the marriage?â
âYour attitude is deplorable.â
âI would call it realistic.â
âTo condone adultery displays depravity, not realism.â
âI donât agree.â
âI have not asked for your opinion. What else do you have to report?â
âA very strong motive, judged by the present evidence. The señor had a bitter row with a local who was in his wood and whom he suspected was after birds. The feathered kind.â
âYou know of birds without feathers?â
âIt is an expression in common use.â
âWhat does it mean?â
âYoung ladies.â
âYou introduce the subject for no reason other than your depravity?â
âSantos, who is the gardener at Aquilaââ
âThere is no need constantly to waste time by telling me something of which I am well aware.â
âHe heard the señor, who was below Barca, having a very acrimonious row with a man. The señor accused the man, in Spanish, of poaching thrushes and being a thief. Threatened to bring in the policia local.â
âYou are claiming the poacher had a motive for the señorâs murder?â
âYes.â
âThat does not strike you as somewhat absurd â a man murders because he is accused of poaching and is called a thief?â
âWhen a Mallorquin is addressed in such terms, especially when correctly, he may develop a sudden, unthinking anger, which can turn to violence. Itâs said to be a trait inherited from Moorish ancestors.â
âA nonsensical excuse for an unforgivable temper. Have you questioned this man?â
âNo.â
âWhy not?â
âI donât know who he was.â
âAnd see this as an excuse for not taking steps to find out?â
âSantos can give me no hint of his identity since he never saw him and didnât recognize his voice.â
âYou will not have considered that Santos may well be aware of who it was? You will identify and question this poacher.â
âBut ifââ
âBut and if are words which have no place in the cuerpo.â
âYet how does oneââ
âBy carrying out the order.â Salas replaced his receiver.
SEVEN
A lvarez remained behind the wheel until he had overcome emotions aroused by the drive up to Aquila. He finally stepped out of the car, crossed to the front door and rang the bell.
The door was opened by a young woman, just short of twenty, who remained slim, as modern Mallorquin women were tending to do. Her face was round; hair, deep black; eyes, dark brown; nose, snub. Although not a close lookalike, she did remind him of . . . He couldnât remember the name, only the passion.
âYou will search for a motive in order to judge if this case is one of murder?â
âMotive makes murder. And there is possible motive in that the señor had a friend. A very close friend.â
âI fail to see the significance of that.â
âShe was married.â
âYou are suggesting an illicit relationship because you are unable to understand that a man and a woman can enjoy a platonic friendship?â
âIn this case, there is evidence it was not platonic. Which means the husband may have known of his wifeâs adultery and taken his revenge.â
âThen you will question the husband.â
âI think I will question the wife on her own, first.â
âWhy?â
âIf she confesses her adultery, and can assure me her husband has no knowledge of it, it will eliminate him as a suspect.â
âYou do not consider it your duty to inform him of her infidelity?â
âCertainly not my duty, nor even a moral obligation. Since Señor Gill is dead, the affair cannot continue. So where is the point of bringing pain to the marriage?â
âYour attitude is deplorable.â
âI would call it realistic.â
âTo condone adultery displays depravity, not realism.â
âI donât agree.â
âI have not asked for your opinion. What else do you have to report?â
âA very strong motive, judged by the present evidence. The señor had a bitter row with a local who was in his wood and whom he suspected was after birds. The feathered kind.â
âYou know of birds without feathers?â
âIt is an expression in common use.â
âWhat does it mean?â
âYoung ladies.â
âYou introduce the subject for no reason other than your depravity?â
âSantos, who is the gardener at Aquilaââ
âThere is no need constantly to waste time by telling me something of which I am well aware.â
âHe heard the señor, who was below Barca, having a very acrimonious row with a man. The señor accused the man, in Spanish, of poaching thrushes and being a thief. Threatened to bring in the policia local.â
âYou are claiming the poacher had a motive for the señorâs murder?â
âYes.â
âThat does not strike you as somewhat absurd â a man murders because he is accused of poaching and is called a thief?â
âWhen a Mallorquin is addressed in such terms, especially when correctly, he may develop a sudden, unthinking anger, which can turn to violence. Itâs said to be a trait inherited from Moorish ancestors.â
âA nonsensical excuse for an unforgivable temper. Have you questioned this man?â
âNo.â
âWhy not?â
âI donât know who he was.â
âAnd see this as an excuse for not taking steps to find out?â
âSantos can give me no hint of his identity since he never saw him and didnât recognize his voice.â
âYou will not have considered that Santos may well be aware of who it was? You will identify and question this poacher.â
âBut ifââ
âBut and if are words which have no place in the cuerpo.â
âYet how does oneââ
âBy carrying out the order.â Salas replaced his receiver.
SEVEN
A lvarez remained behind the wheel until he had overcome emotions aroused by the drive up to Aquila. He finally stepped out of the car, crossed to the front door and rang the bell.
The door was opened by a young woman, just short of twenty, who remained slim, as modern Mallorquin women were tending to do. Her face was round; hair, deep black; eyes, dark brown; nose, snub. Although not a close lookalike, she did remind him of . . . He couldnât remember the name, only the passion.
Similar Books
