Evil Under the Sun Read Online Free PDF

you, Ken.”
    â€œYes. I wondered if you were ready.”
    â€œJust a minute.”
    Kenneth Marshall strolled to the window. He looked out on the sea. His face, as usual, displayed no emotion of any kind. It was pleasant and ordinary.
    Turning round, he said:
    â€œArlena?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œYou’ve met Redfern before, I gather?”
    Arlena said easily:
    â€œOh yes, darling. At a cocktail party somewhere. I thought he was rather a pet.”
    â€œSo I gather. Did you know that he and his wife were coming down here?”
    Arlena opened her eyes very wide.
    â€œOh no, darling. It was the greatest surprise!”
    Kenneth Marshall said quietly:
    â€œI thought, perhaps, that that was what put the idea of this place into your head. You were very keen we should come here.”
    Arlena put down the mascara. She turned towards him. She smiled—a soft seductive smile. She said:
    â€œSomebody told me about this place. I think it was the Rylands. They said it was simply too marvellous—so unspoilt! Don’t you like it?”
    Kenneth Marshall said:
    â€œI’m not sure.”
    â€œOh, darling, but you adore bathing and lazing about. I’m sure you’ll simply adore it here.”
    â€œI can see that you mean to enjoy yourself.”
    Her eyes widened a little. She looked at him uncertainly.
    Kenneth Marshall said:
    â€œI suppose the truth of it is that you told young Redfern that you were coming here?”
    Arlena said:
    â€œKenneth darling, you’re not going to be horrid, are you?”
    Kenneth Marshall said:
    â€œLook here, Arlena. I know what you’re like. They’re rather a nice young couple. That boy’s fond of his wife, really. Must you upset the whole blinking show?”
    Arlena said:
    â€œIt’s so unfair blaming me. I haven’t done anything—anything at all. I can’t help it if—”
    He prompted her.
    â€œIf what?”
    Her eyelids fluttered.
    â€œWell, of course. I know people do go crazy about me. But it’s not my doing. They just get like that.”
    â€œSo you do admit that young Redfern is crazy about you?”
    Arlena murmured:
    â€œIt’s really rather stupid of him.”
    She moved a step towards her husband.
    â€œBut you know, don’t you, Ken, that I don’t really care for anyone but you?”
    She looked up at him through her darkened lashes.
    It was a marvellous look—a look that few men could have resisted.
    Kenneth Marshall looked down at her gravely. His face was composed. His voice quiet. He said:
    â€œI think I know you pretty well, Arlena….”
    IV
    When you came out of the hotel on the south side the terraces and the bathing beach were immediately below you. There was also a path that led off round the cliff on the southwest side of the island. A little way along it, a few steps led down to a series of recesses cut into the cliff and labelled on the hotel map of the island as Sunny Ledge. Here cut out of the cliff were niches with seats in them.
    To one of these, immediately after dinner, came Patrick Redfern and his wife. It was a lovely clear night with a bright moon.
    The Redferns sat down. For a while they were silent
    At last Patrick Redfern said:
    â€œIt’s a glorious evening, isn’t it, Christine?”
    â€œYes.”
    Something in her voice may have made him uneasy. He sat without looking at her.
    Christine Redfern asked in her quiet voice:
    â€œDid you know that woman was going to be here?”
    He turned sharply. He said:
    â€œI don’t know what you mean.”
    â€œI think you do.”
    â€œLook here, Christine. I don’t know what has come over you—”
    She interrupted. Her voice held feeling now. It trembled.
    â€œOver me? It’s what has come over you! ”
    â€œNothing’s come over me.”
    â€œOh! Patrick! it has! You insisted so on coming here. You were quite vehement. I wanted to go to