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He died instantly. Good riddance people had said at the time, but even a first-class mitigation plea had not saved the young man from being sentenced to a long stretch in prison, his career in ruins. Jack had been the DI in charge of the case and as always, had been scrupulous in his investigations. But, pragmatic as he was, he could not forget the despair of the parents and fiancée when sentence was passed.
    In the hollow hours of the night, that deceiving time when every problem seems larger than life and impossible to solve, Corrie could find no comforting or credible answers to Jack’s questions. She climbed out of her bed, slid into his, and put her arms around him.
    ‘I don’t know, sweetheart. But if we’re honest, I guess we’re all capable of one murder. It’s just that most of us are fortunate enough never to be forced into a situation where we’re tested.’
    They were silent for a while. Despite her original anxiety, Corrie was glad they were effectively incommunicado for a fortnight. Jack needed a complete rest. She changed the subject.
    ‘The Gordons are a strange couple aren’t they? She’s young and glamorous and he’s a crusty old boffin, and he’s got to be at least twenty years older than her. Mind you, it isn’t hard to see why she married him, is it? Did you see the size of that diamond on her finger?’
    Jack nodded pensively. ‘Money would certainly seem to have been the incentive for the marriage. And Diana’s clearly used to spending it.’
    Corrie sighed, envious, but only for a nanosecond.
    ‘What do you make of Ambrose and Marjorie?’
    ‘He’s an obnoxious, bad-mannered little twerp in a badly fitting wig and she lets him bully her.’
    ‘I know! I keep wanting her to stand up for herself. She’s like the stereotypical “little woman” from the fifties. I asked her if she’d had a job since she was married and she said no, Ambrose would never allow it. Apparently, he makes enough fuss about her bit of charity work. Wives like her set the rest of us back decades in terms of the equality we’re all supposed to have earned. I bet she doesn’t even vote.’
    ‘And men like him make the rest of us blokes feel uncomfortable. I suppose they’re both a couple of dinosaurs in terms of modern marriage.’
    Corrie frowned. ‘Funny though, I’m sure I’ve seen her before, somewhere.’
    Jack yawned. ‘You have. She was sitting next to him when he was holding up the queue at Gatwick.’
    Corrie frowned. ‘No, I mean before that. And not with her husband – on her own. Her face is familiar. I know I’ve seen her before.’
    ‘Doubt it. He’d never let her go anywhere on her own. I expect you’re confusing her with someone else. She’s got one of those ordinary, commonplace faces.’ He grinned. ‘I really like Sid, don’t you? I reckon he could be a good laugh. He’d better watch out though, I think Diana’s got her predatory eye on him.’
    ‘Diana’s got her eye on all the men. Be careful her Medusa gaze doesn’t turn you all to stone. This is a Greek island, after all. Not Tim though, he’s adorable. So much in love he probably hasn’t even noticed Diana’s rather obvious charms. I hope he and Ellie have a super honeymoon.’
    ‘Me too. If only they weren’t so flipping young. They keep looking at us like we should be in a home.’
    Corrie stifled a yawn. ‘All the same, it’s nice to think that although we’re twice their age, we’re still young enough to be on honeymoon, doing the same thing they are.’
    ‘Yes, darling,’ said Jack, yawning again, ‘but I expect they do it more often and much faster.’ He turned over and began to snore.
     
    Nine o’clock next morning: the sun, already fierce, scorched down out of a cloudless sky. Corrie got up first, leaving Jack still in the shower, and went outside to have her first glimpse of Katastrophos in daylight.
    Hills dominated the landscape, rising the length of the island from east to west, craggy but