Who is Shara Marst? (The Pireia files.) Read online

  Who is Shara Marst?

  Ines Galiano

  Translated by Joannes (Hans) Groenewege

  “Who is Shara Marst?”

  Written By Ines Galiano

  Copyright © 2018 Ines Galiano

  All rights reserved

  Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.

  www.babelcube.com

  Translated by Joannes (Hans) Groenewege

  “Babelcube Books” and “Babelcube” are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.

  Contents

  Questions.........................................................18

  Broken crystals..............................................33

  Disappearances.............................................48

  Witnesses........................................................64

  Encounters......................................................80

  Silence..............................................................93

  Visits...............................................................107

  Tracks............................................................120

  Surprises.......................................................133

  Kidnappings.................................................146

  Reunions........................................................160

  Answers.........................................................175

  Covenants.....................................................190

  Betrayals.......................................................207

  Explanations.................................................220

  Cliffs...............................................................231

  Welcome........................................................240

  CHAPTER 1

  Murder

  - Murdered inside the tunnel! Read the full report in today's newspaper! - shouted the newspaper boy in the center of the square while a crowd around him asked him about the case -. It's all in the paper! Yes, ma'am, in the tunnel, but you will have to buy it to get to know the details ...

  Shara pushed her way through the crowd, being cautious not to step on anyone and avoiding being pushed. When she finally got to the paper boy, and after handing him a coin, he exchanged it for a newspaper at once and continued shouting:

  - Assassinated! No, you cannot look at it, sir, you'll have to buy it! - These were not really the times to buy a newspaper, when you could find out about the news by other means.

  Shara, with some effort, moved away from the boy and out of the crowd, moving against the flow with the newspaper copy tight between her fingers. With fast steps, she crossed the square and entered a grimy and dimly lit bar. A stocky waiter in a white apron nodded at her and pointed to an empty table in the back, to which she responded with a similar gesture and went to the corner of the room.

  There were few people at that time, but some of the tables were occupied with jackets and bags that some careless people had left when they heard the newspaper boy in the “plaza”. Shara could still hear his voice, coming through the half-open door. He would not leave until he had sold all the copies he had under his arm, and until then the ruckus on the square would not stop. There was plenty of time, she thought.

  Once settled in the rickety wooden chair, which creaked under her weight, Shara opened the newspaper and went directly to the page where the story was printed.

  Killed in the tunnel

  Early this morning a middle-aged woman was found in the tunnel, apparently bleeding from a shot in her stomach. The police promptly arrived and cordoned off the area, without giving further explanations, but later, the forensic doctor who took charge of the examination revealed that the shot was fired, judging by the caliber of the bullet, with a small pistol. However, the autopsy could show something different. We were not able to find out more until noon, when a member of the police team declared to the press that it is without any doubt a murder and that an investigation is going to be started.

  Apparently, the killer used the darkness of the tunnel to undertake this terrible act of violence, but the reason is not yet confirmed. The option of an armed robbery has been discarded, since the victim carried with her a bag with quite a bit of money at the time the body was discovered, and she also wore a necklace of what appeared to be one with precious stones.

  However, neighbors in the area did not hear anything during the night, so ...

  Shara was interrupted by the dark voice of the waiter, who brought her a bottle of beer, without first asking her what she wanted. She picked up the beer and gave him a coin like the one she had given the newspaper boy and waited for him to leave, to continue reading.

  The neighbors had not heard the shot, she read, frowning, so they would begin to investigate the hypothesis that the body of the victim had been brought there after receiving the bullet. That was not right, she thought, and it would be even worse when they discovered some blood stains in her car. She would have to clean it. However, that was not what worried her most, but what could have gone wrong, what could have happened, that Neil had been unable to help her.

  Shara got up suddenly, while the customers who had left when they heard the noise returned to their tables, but she dodged them without saying a word and left the establishment, leaving the newspaper open on the table along with the unfinished beer.

  _____________________________________________________________

  She dialed the number for a second time. She was starting to get nervous. If he does not have a good reason ... she thought. Again, the answering machine. She hung up the phone with a furious gesture, making the entire cabin shake. Where are you, Neil?

  Shara opened her purse and began to search almost frantically. She pushed the small gun aside and took out the pack of cigarettes as she left the phone booth.

  She took a cigarette out of its package and lit it, taking a deep drag. She exhaled the smoke, deep in thoughts.

  Children ran past her. Neil ... what happened to you?

  But she could not wait for him any longer anymore, she had to continue. The police would soon be looking for them, not to mention the boys ...

  With a determined step she left the alley, moving away from the cabin and back to the main street. She put on the sunglasses that she wore on her head and headed for the harbor.

  Dodging several passers-by and rattling her leather boots on the pavement, she entered the catwalk. She passed several ships, her vision lost at the mountain outlined against the sky, at the other end of the harbor. The mountain, through which the tunnel passed, and in which she had left the body.

  Sahara had grown up around the harbor, playing amidst the boats and had always seen it as a cozy place in which the sailors offered her sandwiches and tea. All that had changed two weeks ago, from the day of the funeral, when the most important member of the group, had ignored her when leaving. All the others imitated him at once. The boss was dead, she no longer belonged to the family.

  She passed, her head held high, in front of the boys who were playing chess on the terrace of the tavern. Whether they wanted it or not, the tavern was legally hers and she did not intend to sell it, neither by offers nor with threats.

  Upon entering the tavern, Karla welcomed her with raised eyebrows, while finishing serving the tables. Almost immediately they gathered in the warehouse.

  - Have you seen the newspapers? - Karla asked, with a serious look, like someone who is familiar with murders -.

  - Yes. If the police come, tell them what you saw.

  - The police? - Karla opened her eyes in surprise -.

  But I
saw her for the last time with Neil and Red right there, at the table in the corner - she pointed to a table at the back of the tavern. Just only fifteen days after ...

  - Tell that the police - Shara interrupted.

  - Whatever you say - she said without questioning or asking any more questions.

  Karla had been in the business for years and knew perfectly well when it was not good to ask for more information.

  Shara called Neil again using the tavern phone but got no response. Nervously, she pulled another cigarette out of the package. The police would soon find out that Lisa had come to the tavern the night of her death and for that reason it would be filled with police and onlookers soon. By then, she should have

  talked to Neil.

  While trying to organize her ideas, there was a knock at the door. Thinking it would be Karla again,

  She simply said.

  - Come in.

  However, it was not Karla who came in, but a man she knew well. Ricardo had always been the one who she had feared most as a child, him being always so serious, because he only lived by- and for business.

  Without saying hello, he entered and closed the door behind him, clenching his fists.

  Where is Lisa?

  Shara burst out in laughter.

  - Oh, so my father was not the only one who lost his head over her. Ricardo's face lit up. He flushed and clenched his fists harder between his reddened fingers.

  - Where is Lisa?

  - Dead -. Shara replied looking at him coldly.

  Ricardo leaped at her, grabbing her by the neck.

  - Did you kill her?

  - Yes, - she answered, not losing her temper.

  Ricardo looked into her eyes, as if searching for the truth in them and pressed harder with the hand with

  which he squeezed her neck.

  - Let go of me, Shara snapped, completely calm. Do I have to remind you who you have to obey now?

  Ricardo looked at her as if she had gone crazy and Shara took advantage of that moment to kick him in the groin. Ricardo released her immediately and

  crouching in pain.

  - Red is our new boss now - Ricardo said, coughing.

  - Red will soon be in jail - Shara said picking up the cigarette that had fallen to the floor when Ricardo had attacked her and extinguished it in an ashtray -. It would be convenient for you to rethink your loyalties. You have served this family well, don’t spoil it now.

  Without waiting for the man to respond, Shara left the storeroom and returned to the main room of the tavern. She gestured for Karla to take care of Ricardo and went up the stairs that led to the upper floor.

  The tavern had several rooms that had been used as meeting rooms at times when it had been necessary to dispose of a quieter place, but, they had really been the family's home. The back room was where her father had been born and died, decades after inheriting the family business. In the last fifteen days no one had

  entered it.

  The other rooms corresponded to Shara, Karla and to other boys who had needed to stay at certain times. The room closest to the stairs had belonged to Red for

  the last year.

  Shara opened his door and entered. The sheets were still intact from last night, and in the same way she had left them when she took Lisa's body. Calmly, Shara went to the bed and began to remove the sheets, which still smelled with a woman's perfume. She realized that her hands were shaking but ignored it. She wrapped them up into a ball and took them from the room, leaving the mattress exposed, showing the bullet holes of past struggles.

  She knew that they would soon come to the tavern with their impertinent questions, but she had hoped to get in touch with Neil first. She was beginning to worry, it was not normal that he did not answer her messages. Had he gone over to Red's side?

  Shara took another puff on her cigarette as she thought and swore to herself that if Neil had betrayed her, she would kill him. The clearing of a throat and the characteristic noise of the pages of a notebook forced her to focus on what was asked of her.

  The police had arrived half an hour ago and had made them sit at the corner table. Shara watched them cautiously, calculating about what she would tell them.

  Three men were sitting in front of her, but only one spoke to her: the new inspector, a certain Detective Lowe, who looked like he was not from the area, judging by the disrespect with which he had entered the tavern. It seemed he did not know what he was getting into. Just yet.

  - Tell me, this is where Lisa was last seen, right?

  - Yes - Shara answered slowly - but you should ask Karla, the waitress, for more details. I was not here last night.

  - And where were you then?

  - That's really none of your business.

  - Miss Marst, I remind you that this is a police investigation and you are sure going to need an alibi.

  Sahara stared him in the eyes.

  Are you threatening me?

  The detective seemed a bit uneasy, but he did not want to give up.

  - You will understand that we must discard all possible suspects ...

  - Do you have a warrant against me? - Shara interrupted him dryly.

  - No, of course not - Lowe began to turn the pages of his notebook, as if trying to buy time.

  - Look, I'm going to tell you, because I like you - she told him -, but you must know that I do not like your questions. And my customers neither - she pointed around, implying why the room was full of empty tables -. Last night I spent the evening at the farm, I have spent a lot of time there since my father died.

  - Your father was the owner of this place?

  - Yes.

  - And he left it as an inheritance?

  - What do you think?

  - Miss, according to some reports, we know that your father was involved in certain ...

  Shara jumped up and pointed a finger at him.

  - Better not go down that road, she threatened.

  After a few seconds of tension, she turned and called Karla, who approached timidly.

  -Tell them what you saw last night please.

  Karla did not hesitate for a moment and sat down at the table at the same spot Shara had occupied just before. Smoking, Shara had stood up to listen to the conversation. It was convenient for her to know the details well.

  - You were working here last night? - Detective Lowe asked Karla.

  - I'm always here.

  - Was this girl here? - One of the policemen took back the photo of Lisa that had previously been shown to Shara.

  - Yes - Karla answered, - right here, at this table. -

  Was she accompanied?

  - Yes, two guys were with her, Neil and Red.

  - Who are these guys?

  - Neil is a friend of the family and has been for many years - Shara told them, interrupting them.

  The detective looked at her, measuring whether he should keep asking about Neil or inquire about something else. In the end, he decided on the second and looked back at Karla.

  - And the other person? Red you said, right?

  - Yes, - continued Karla - Red has been occupying one of the rooms of the inn, on the top floor, for a year now.

  - For rent?

  - Yes.

  Tell me more about last night. Did the three of them come in together or did they meet each other here?

  - Hmm, you see, sometimes I go to the store for supplies and when I come back the customers are already seated, you know? Karla paused, trying to remember. I would say that she came in alone and met with Red first. Later, Neil came in and sat down with them.

  - Were you able to hear something from the conversation?

  - At first not at all, but the truth is that when they had taken a couple of beers, they began to speak louder ... and one cannot help but hear certain things when going around with the tray while serving ...

  The detective wrote down several things in his notebook and continued:

  - Please, tell me exactly what you heard them say
, if you remember.

  - I thought that ... - Karla stared at Shara, who gestured for her to continue. It seemed to me that both were trying to take her with them. The two were inviting her to spend the night with her. She just laughed about their efforts and did not reject any of them.

  - Were they there for a long time?

  - Yes, enough, I remember that I was beginning to feel sleepy and wanted to close. But we do not close until everyone is gone, - she said proudly -.

  - Did the three of them leave together?

  - No, of course not. Karla gestured with her hand as if the detective had said something stupid. She chose Red and they went upstairs. Neil was quite depressed. I served him another beer and talked some with him until he left.

  - What did you talk about?

  - Nothing important, you know. Things from the past, stuff about the future. But he often looked towards the stairs. I guess he kept thinking about Lisa. I really do not understand the effect she produces on everyone ...

  - Did he leave after your conversation?

  - Yes, yes. Well, I think he made a phone call first. Yes, and then he left.

  - Do you know whom he called?

  - No, this was before he left, I was picking up everything. I heard him whisper something, but I did not catch it. I asked him if he wanted something, but then I saw that he was on the phone, his mobile. He left, still talking.

  - At what time did he leave?

  - I did not notice the hour... but I know it was quite late because I was feeling tired.

  – Well, could you perhaps guess please?

  - I would say between two or three.

  The detective wrote it down in his notebook. I know it's not much, but I have been serving since early morning ...

  - Do you think we can talk to Red? You said he lives here?

  - He has not returned since last night, his room is empty, Shara said.

  The detective looked at her again, frowning, and wrote something down again in the notebook.

  - Thank you very much both of you. You have been very helpful to us. -

  The detective got up with the other two policemen getting up at the same time. The detective then addressed both. Do you mind if I call you if I have further questions?

  – Much better to call first, yes - answered Shara.