AS LIVINGSTON DROVE once again up the road to St. Polycarp’s, he reviewed the case in his mind. If indeed Valerie Twyler had been the governess, why was she hiding it? Was the burglary of Helen Carvelous’s home which led to murder an inside job? What about this chap named Cameron Hardwick? Livingston had called Greece and asked them to pull out the files on the Carvelous murder investigation.

It was 9:05 A.M. when he pulled into the parking lot. As expected, Reginald Crane, the headmaster, was already at his desk.

“Nigel, this is the second visit this week.” Crane reached over and shook his hand. “Please sit down. What can I do for you this time?”

Livingston sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. He had to be careful. Her reputation was at stake. “Miss Valerie Twyler. Could you please get out her records?”

Without hesitation Crane got up and walked over to his battered-looking cabinet. “I assume I can’t ask why you’re interested in Val Twyler.”

“Just checking some facts,” Nigel replied as he pulled his notebook out of his pocket.

Tossing the file on his desk, Crane sat back down and opened it. He explained that the first page was the notes he had taken when he interviewed her for the position.

“When was that?” Livingston asked.

“April 23rd—ten years ago.”

Livingston felt energy dart through his body. That was the same day Athena Popolous disappeared. “Where was Twyler working at the time?”

“A school about seventy-five miles west of here. A place called Pearsons Hall.”

“Did she ever list any references from Greece or mention working there as a governess?”

Crane flipped through his papers. “No, she didn’t.”

“Do you know if she was ever married?”

“Apparently she had been divorced the year before she came here. She even went back to using her maiden name.”

“What was her married name?”

“Cook.”

The Inspector stood up. “Exactly where is Pearsons Hall?”

Chapter 45

AT SEA

WHEN SHE TIPTOED back to bed after talking to Livingston, Regan tossed and turned. Sleep was out of the question. Her mind would not stop racing. Violet Cohn. She had a mind like a steel trap. I’d lay odds that she’s right, Regan thought. Cameron Hard wick had been her waiter in Skoulis. If Val had been a governess there, maybe she’d met Cameron in town. Maybe she had tipped him off about the jewelry. The antique jewelry, in his own words, “the only jewelry worth having.”

Regan lay on her side and hugged the pillow, once again staring out at the terrace where Cameron had spent most of the evening. If Val and Cameron were somehow involved, was there a connection to Athena’s death? And what was Hardwick doing on this ship?

Chapter 46

OXFORD

INSPECTOR LIVINGSTON DROVE most of the seventy-five miles to Pearsons Hall barely noticing the tranquil English countryside.