Before she could say anything more, Joann coasted over to her side. “Have you gotten the hang of this yet?”

“I’m doing fine now,” Susan said, immediately offended. “I’m just not accustomed to this type of kayak. In Maine-”

“Really? I find this very easy. Almost relaxing.”

Something about Joann’s voice implied that Susan was a complete klutz. “I’m just not used to this type of kayak,” she started her explanation again. “See, in Maine-”

“I’ve been thinking about the murder,” Joann interrupted. “I think it’s possible that Allison knew someone was going to kill her.”

Susan was astonished. “Why?”

Joann scowled at Susan and then managed to give James a look that was both imperious and demanding. “I believe my husband could use your assistance.”

“Of course. If Mrs. Henshaw doesn’t need me…”

“You go ahead. I’ll be fine,” Susan assured him. “I’ll call if I think I’m going to fall in.”

“What’s he going to do? Pull you out and dry you off?” Joann asked as James spun his kayak around and pointed it toward her husband.

“I’ve got the hang of this now. Why did you say what you said?”

“Not in front of the servants,” Joann said, putting one pudgy finger to her lips.

Susan waited until she deemed James out of hearing range to ask the question again. “You said that you thought Allison knew someone was trying to kill her?” She liked this woman less and less, but was curious to know where this would lead.

“Yes. I said that. And I can tell you why.”

“Why?”

“I must tell you that Allison and I had a very interesting talk two days before she was killed.”

Susan made an effort to keep her impatience to herself. “Really? You talked about murder?”

“In a way. We talked about death.”

“What about it?”

“Perhaps I should start at the beginning.”

“Please do.”

“Well, I was lying by the pool-in the shade, of course. I cannot understand what these people are thinking when they sprawl out in the scorching sun for hours and hours. Haven’t they heard of melanomas?”

“Was Allison lying in the shade, as well?”

“No. And now that I think about it, that was unusual. She was talking about the value of life when, in fact, she was practically squandering it.”

“She was talking about the value of life? Is that what makes you think someone was trying to kill her?”

“No, that’s what led to the comment that makes me think she knew someone was going to try to kill her. I do think I should tell this story in my own way.”

Susan doubted if Joann was capable of telling anything any other way. “That’s fine.”

“So there I was, lying in the shade, relaxing, enjoying being on my own-and then Allison sat down a few chaises away from me and almost immediately began to talk about herself. To tell you the honest truth, I was irritated. Yes, I was irritated and I can honestly admit now that she is gone that I’m ashamed of feeling that way.”

“But how could you know she was going to die?”

“Exactly! How could I have known she was going to die?” Joann shook her head so hard that her kayak rocked back and forth.

Susan hoped Joann wasn’t going to fall into the water now that they were finally getting to the topic she found interesting. “Go on,” she urged. “What did she say about herself?”

“She started out by saying that she was relaxed for the first time in years. Well, I disregarded that. We’re all here to relax. It would be almost immoral to say anything else. I don’t remember how I responded. I probably said something like, ‘I know how you feel.’ In fact, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what I said. I know I didn’t encourage her to keep talking about herself. But she did anyway. You know how some people are.”

“Yes. What did she tell you?”

“She said she was here alone and that she was using the time to examine her own life. Well, I don’t know about you, but I consider all this self-examination stuff a load of cow doo-doo. I never waste any time examining my own life. I do what I do and that is that. I’ve always been that way.”

Susan suspected that Joann was too busy talking about herself to examine anything, but that isn’t what she said. “Apparently Allison didn’t feel the same way.”

“No, and her conversation was a fine example of where all this life-examining garbage can lead. No sooner did she start talking about life, the value of life, what she had done with her life, all that crap, than she started talking about death. Her own death!”

“In what way? I mean, she didn’t just say, ‘I’ve been thinking about my own death.’ ”

“She did! Well, she almost did. At least that’s what she began rambling on and on about. Very boring. I almost didn’t bother to listen. But then she said something that will interest you.” Joann stopped dramatically, brushed a stray curl of hair off her forehead, and almost toppled her kayak.

Susan willed her lips not to curve upward. “Are you all right?” she asked, when Joann had stopped wobbling.

“Of course. But I will admit that what I’m about to tell you is very upsetting. It upsets me to think of it and it upsets me to talk about it. But I believe in doing what is right so… Allison said she didn’t think her own death would be peaceful.”

“What did you say?”

“I actually don’t remember. It’s possible…” Susan heard a hint of insecurity in the other woman’s voice for the first time. “It’s possible that she said she expected to die a violent death. Well, you can imagine how I felt.”

“Of course, I’d be horribly upset if someone said anything like that to me. I mean, you must have been shocked and horrified and-”

“I was appalled. What a thing to say to me on vacation. I’m here to relax. I have a very complex life to return to in a few weeks. I certainly don’t expect to be burdened with a stranger’s silly worries.”

“Oh. Did you ask her what she meant?” Susan asked. “I mean, what sort of violence?”

“Of course not! I just told you that I was quite upset by what she said. Why would you ever imagine I’d encourage her to continue talking about it?”

“But-you said she predicted her own murder?” Susan protested.

“I believe what I said was that it was possible she knew she was going to be murdered. She talked to me about a violent end to her life. What is more violent than murder?”

Susan wouldn’t have argued with that even if she had thought there was half a chance that Joann would listen to anything she said. She just paddled back toward land with the rest of her group, wondering if she had learned anything this morning.

Later, reviewing what little she had been told, she realized the high point of the morning had been Joann’s kayak flipping over and dumping its passenger in the water as she passed the gazebo. Even Martin had smiled at that one.

FOURTEEN

Kathleen was sitting on the deck of her cottage, apparently writing postcards, as relaxed and content as any tourist.

Susan, recognizing a facade when she saw one, rushed to her friend’s side. “How’s Jerry? Did you see him?”

The smile that appeared on Kathleen’s face was real. “He’s okay, at least for now. There’s an American embassy office here. Not a big one, but the woman who runs it has been wonderful. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to convince the higher-ups in the local police department that everyone concerned would be better off if Jerry was incarcerated on U.S.-held property. Fortunately, the embassy offices were built on the ruins of an old English fort. Jerry’s locked up in a guarded room on the ground floor. It’s a bit musty and damp, but he has a sensational view out over the sea. For the time being at least, he’s safe.”

“What did he say? Did he tell you anything about Allison, or-” Susan stopped, realizing that Kathleen probably didn’t know that Jerry and Allison had been together the day of her death. “-or anything,” she concluded.