Innocence by Mireille Pavane

Author:Mireille Pavane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, literature, mystery murder, myths greek, revenge drama, crime ficiton
Publisher: Mireille Pavane

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CHAPTER SIX

Lawrence’s rattling of the cage brings the two police detectives tumbling back, chastened, meek and apologetic, stating that the NYPD is always seeking to improve interdepartmental communications and that, now that they have been apprised of the facts from their colleagues, they have expanded the focus of their inquiries into the deaths of Terence Morton-Parker and Olivia Marlow as potentially being part of a larger plot targeting all those connected with the Leighton family in view of the attempts on my life—

“They were more likely accidents. The speeding driver could’ve hit anyone on that street. There were only a few poisonous mushrooms amongst the rest of the bunch which were of a harmless, edible wild species—an easy mistake of identification especially for an inexperienced forager—enough to make me very ill but not enough to kill. The trip-rope could’ve been for anyone— I’m not the only person who rides along that way. And Lawrence had made such a fuss over the mushroom incident and insisted on extra precautions that we found the rope before it tripped anyone. Three incidents and nothing since then. ‘Attempts on my life’ is a bit of a stretch. Your colleagues would surely have told you that their investigations proved inconclusive.”

“Regardless of ineffectiveness or ineptitude of the perpetrators, the incidents took place and you were the most probable target.”

“Detectives—”

“Additional information has also come to light—it isn’t confirmed yet, but it does raise some questions worth further examination. We would like to question you further—if you could give us the names of people who might wish you harm—who would stand to gain from your death?”

I come away from the interview with a lot to mull over. That the concern for my safety is now formalized into an official investigation is in no way mollifying. I dread what will come when the news spreads to certain ears; it is a danger far more imminent and real than vague surmises of potential threats to my life.

The mythical Atalanta is best known as the fierce and fleet-of-foot virgin huntress who was tricked into losing a footrace, distracted by three golden apples, and marrying the suitor Hippomenes who had been given those apples by Aphrodite to slow Atalanta down. Her story is attached to the fate of Meleager, the Greek hero who loved her. Atalanta begat such tragedy when she tempted the already married Meleager who, struck by the madness of his love, convinced the other Greek heroes to allow a woman to join in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar, awarding Atalanta the hide of the boar he killed, and slaying his uncles for insulting her, causing Meleager’s mother, in the wildness of her grief, to throw a charmed brand into the fire which consumed Meleager’s life as it burned, after which she and Meleager’s widow hanged themselves.

Such cautionary tales no more or less horrific than the ones found in the women’s shelters.

I had attained my maturity without any serious romantic attachments, upheavals or regrets. The freedom won for me

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