Maggie felt awkward being witness to the exchange between the two men. It was clear Philip had no idea how to console Johnnie, who was now sitting at the table weeping into his hands. He delicately patted him on the shoulder and said ‘there, there’ in a manner that was more uneasy than reassuring. Maggie thought about saying something herself but didn’t want to undermine Philip’s efforts, however ineffectual they were.
In the end Johnnie did them both a favour by releasing a big sigh and drying his eyes and cheeks on a paper serviette plucked from the chrome dispenser in the middle of the table.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said gruffly. ‘Don’t know what came over me.’
Compared to Philip, who was as neat in appearance as he was in deportment, Johnnie looked like he’d emerged from a skip. He had dirty blond hair almost as long as Maggie’s and the weathered face of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors – telltale white creases fanned out from his eyes from being screwed up against the sun. She guessed his age was early thirties and he was scantily dressed but weather appropriate in a singlet vest and scruffy shorts. She couldn’t see his feet under the table but would put money on him wearing battered Birkenstocks or Havaianas.
‘It’s perfectly understandable,’ said Philip kindly, then turned to Maggie. ‘Johnnie is the son of my best friend, Howard. Patricia and I are his godparents and Howard and his wife, Lydia, are George’s. Our children grew up together and Johnnie and Katy were always tremendously close.’
Maggie’s gaze flickered towards Johnnie. He was about to say something when Annika glided over to ask if they wanted to order food yet. They all declined anything to eat, but Philip asked for coffee for him and Johnnie, while Maggie requested a glass of water.
After Annika went, Johnnie began to talk.
‘My parents owned the villa where these guys were staying when Katy was murdered,’ he said to Maggie. ‘We were all devastated, and still are. That’s what set me off – being back here and seeing Philip and being reminded again how awful it was to lose her. She was an amazing girl.’
‘Is your father here too?’
‘No, just me. He’s not well enough to travel. Heart problems. And no, I don’t have any siblings, before you ask.’
For someone whose physical appearance suggested a relaxed attitude, Johnnie Hickman-Ferguson was coming across as uptight and prickly. Maybe he resented Maggie, a stranger, seeing him cry and intruding on his reunion with Philip, or maybe he was simply distrustful of the police. He wouldn’t be the first.
‘Well, I am grateful you’ve made the effort,’ said Philip, ‘and I know Patricia will be too.’
‘Where are you staying?’ asked Maggie.
‘I’ll crash on my boat. I’m moored in the marina.’ He turned to Philip. ‘You’re not really staying there are you? Dad told me.’ He tilted his head towards the security gate that led from the restaurant into the Orquídea complex. Philip clasped his hands tightly as he answered the question, as though clinging onto himself for support.
‘Patricia thought it would be helpful if we were close to where the memorial service will be, for reasons of practicality. We did look at alternative accommodation, but ultimately Orquídea was the most convenient.’
Johnnie arched an eyebrow.
‘Bit morbid, isn’t it?’
Philip struggled to answer and Maggie felt sorry for him, because however he argued otherwise, it was morbid staying in an apartment that directly overlooked the dumping ground where his daughter’s body parts had been scattered.
‘It’s what Patricia wanted,’ said Philip feebly.
Thankfully, Johnnie chose not to labour the point.
‘Where’s George?’ he asked.
‘He was asleep when I left to meet Maggie, but I imagine he’s working now. He has a big trial next week to prepare for. Declan will be arriving shortly. I think his plane touched down around eight a.m., but don’t quote me on that.’
Johnnie reared back and bared his teeth, like a dog seconds before it unleashes a volley of barks.
‘You’re letting that fucker come?’
‘Johnnie, please,’ implored Philip. ‘There’s no need for that kind of language.’
‘There is where he’s concerned.’
‘You two were friends once, don’t forget.’
‘Yeah, I hadn’t forgotten,’ said Johnnie grimly.
‘Whatever is causing this anger, you need to let it go,’ Philip replied warily. He hated any kind of confrontation and his hand shook as he removed his hat to wipe the sweat that had accumulated under the rim.
Maggie shifted in her seat.
‘I think I’ll go inside to hurry up our drinks.’
‘No, let me,’ said Philip, scrabbling to his feet, patently grateful for the opportunity to escape his godson’s ire.
Watching him walk away from the table, Maggie noticed – not for the first time – that he had the gait of someone much older than sixty-one: his back was stooped and his stride uncertain.
‘I take it you’re no fan of Declan’s,’ she remarked to Johnnie, once Philip was beyond earshot.
‘No, I can’t stand him. Never could.’
‘Can I ask why?’
Johnnie gazed at her, as though weighing up whether to trust her or not. After a few moments he evidently decided he could.
‘He was too controlling. He wanted to know where Katy was twenty-four seven. She was sick of him and wanted to call it off.’
That stopped Maggie in her tracks. Aside from the claims that Katy had slept with the waiter Julien Ruiz, which he denied, nowhere was it documented that Katy had been anything but happy with Declan.
‘How come you’re so sure she wanted to call it off?’
‘She told me and I believed her. She wasn’t happy.’
‘Why?’
Johnnie shifted in his chair.
‘She was only seventeen and he treated her like they’d been married for thirty years. His behaviour was suffocating. She was going to tell him before the holiday that it was over, because he was starting to guess something was up. I was surprised when the holiday still went ahead.’
‘She must’ve changed her mind.’
Johnnie shook his head.
‘The last time I saw her she was fired up about dumping him. She couldn’t wait to go to uni and leave him behind.’
‘If Katy was the one planning to end the relationship, why all the hatred for Declan?’
Johnnie raked a grubby hand through his stringy hair. ‘This is starting to feel like an interrogation,’ he grumbled.
‘I’m sorry, but this is significant. It’s never been suggested before that Katy was unhappy with Declan. If she wanted to end their relationship as you claim . . . well, that raises questions.’ Maggie paused. ‘Did you ever suspect he was involved in her murder, like the police did?’
Perhaps it was the sun canopy throwing shadows, but as Johnnie glared at Maggie his light-brown eyes seemed to darken until they were almost black. He was disconcertingly intense and she quelled the urge to lean away from him.
‘You guys accepted his alibi. Case closed.’
‘That’s not what I asked.’
His eyes bored deeper into hers.
‘Did I think Declan was capable of killing her? Yes, I did.’
‘But, as you say, he had an alibi. Katy’s mum and dad.’
‘I know,’ said Johnnie unhappily.
‘I don’t remember seeing anything from you among the witness statements I’ve read.’
‘You wouldn’t do. The police never interviewed me because I wasn’t on the island when it happened. My parents owned a few properties in the Balearics back then, so while the Popes were staying in our villa here I went to our apartment on Ibiza with Camila, my girlfriend at the time, in a place called Es Cana. It’s where I’ve been staying since coming back from Brazil. We don’t own the villa here any more; my parents sold it after Katy died.’
‘When exactly did Katy tell you she wasn’t happy?’ Maggie hoped he’d answer quickly: she could see Philip starting to head back towards their table.
‘A few weeks before the holiday. I was passing through London for a couple of days and we met for a coffee.’
‘Why didn’t you come forward afterwards with that information?’
‘I didn’t want to upset her parents by telling the police. They were devastated enough.’
‘Surely they’d have wanted the police to know? It’s pretty crucial, their daughter being so unhappy with the boyfriend who was later accused of killing her,’ said Maggie hurriedly. Philip was almost upon them.
Johnnie shook his head.
‘It would’ve meant them admitting they knew how she was feeling – and that they were the ones refusing to let her dump him.’