A Deadly Learning
On the Algarve, Portugal.
The grounds around the science laboratory of the International School and College of Portugal looked as pristine on that day as might have been expected from this pillar of education. The acres of freshly cut lawns and a blaze of summer flowers were a delight. Only the plastic crime-scene tape surrounding the complex betrayed a sense of profound unease.
Renovation work had begun on the laboratory only the day before, and teachers and students had been warned away from the building.
It was during the removal of one flimsy wall that the workmen made a gruesome find. There was a small cellar underneath part of the laboratory. The floor and walls were crudely finished; the place was used as a store for obsolete items. That fateful day, they were knocking through one wall when they came across a cavity … in which they discovered the dry remains of a body…
Chapter 1 Agios Mamas, Cyprus
Diana sat back and read through what she had typed on her laptop that morning. As she neared the end of the manuscript she smiled. That was bound to fox her readers. They would never guess who the murderer was until the final chapter. A few of the more canny among her followers might just suspect something but the majority would be thrown. Pleased with the day’s two-thousand-word instalment towards her latest novel, she saved the file, stood up and stretched. Sitting down for long periods made her stiff, so she decided, despite the heat of the day, to take a walk through the village of Agios Mamas to see if there was any post for her and Steve.
Apart from needing some exercise, she felt wired. Her writing often did that to her; when working on a new mystery suspense novel she lived the characters and story. But it wasn’t just that. She felt edgy, Diana sensed something electrifying was about to take place in real life.
She found her husband working in a shady part of the garden. His own laptop and phone were on the table beside him. He looked up as she approached.
“There you are. I’m just popping out to stretch my legs and check the post box. Want to come?”
Steve moved his head from side to side. “No thanks. I’d like to finish off here before lunch. You go. Oh, by the way, I definitely have to go to Lisbon this month.”
“Really? That’s nice. I’ve always liked Portugal.”
Steve stared thoughtfully into Diana’s pale face. “You have. So why don’t you come, too? Poppy’s staying with your parents for the next four weeks. We could go over to Lisbon for a week or so and then pick her up on our way back through England. We’ve got the UK flights already booked, so it’s only a matter of changing the dates and buying additional flights to Portugal. You’ve been looking tired over the last few months. I’m always saying you need a break and a change of scene more often.”
Diana smiled. “You know what? That would be great, and you’re right. I’ve been working flat out over the last few weeks, and I know that as soon as I’ve written the last chapter I’ll be washed out and good for nothing. We could take a real holiday in Portugal once you’ve finished your business meetings. Okay, we’ll talk about it some more over lunch. I won’t be long. Bye.”
“Now, don’t be. It’s far too hot to be out walking at this time of day. Another thing…if we go, then I insist it’s a complete break for you from solving crime riddles. For once, you can leave your intrigue and sleuthing behind. Portugal’s a quiet and placid country. No work—I forbid it!”
Diana grinned and blew him a kiss. “I have no idea what you’re implying.”
Strolling through the cobbled lanes of the village, Diana thought about Steve’s suggestion. It had been some while since they had spent time alone together. Diana’s parents had recently taken their granddaughter, Poppy, back to the UK for a long visit, so it was the perfect opportunity for Steve and Diana to take a holiday. A stay in Portugal during June would be cooler and pleasant, and a contrast to the hot arid conditions of Cyprus. There would also be the delicious wines of the Douro area to sample. It all sounded perfect, and then she paused.
