‘No point in getting worked up about it, Mike. It won’t get us there any more quickly. I don’t suppose it’ll matter if we’re a few minutes late.’
In the event they made it with five minutes to spare. ‘I wonder if Fairleigh will be there,’ said Thanet as they got out of the car.
He was, looking very much at home, smoking a cigarette and lounging in an armchair. ‘Good evening, Inspector. We thought we’d give you a little surprise.’
Thanet wondered where Gwen was, and whether she had told her mother of her visit to Sturrenden to see him. He doubted it.
‘No surprise, Mr Fairleigh. When we heard you’d gone to London we rather expected to find you here.’
‘We decided to come clean, you see.’ Fairleigh smiled and tapped away the long worm of ash on his cigarette.
‘Ah, did you.’
‘Do sit down, Inspector,’ said Pamela Raven, perching on the broad arm of Fairleigh’s chair. Tonight she was more formally dressed in a navy pleated skirt and navy and white polka-dot blouse. Unlike Fairleigh she looked tense, nervous.
Fairleigh was obviously aware of this. He gave her a reassuring smile and took her hand. Don’t worry, everything’s under control. I’m here.
Thanet chose an armchair and Lineham seated himself at the desk near the window, adjusting the angle of his chair so that he could see everyone in the room and pushing aside a pile of exercise books to make room for his notebook.
‘It was obvious you were going to find out about us sooner or later, so we thought we might as well get in first. We’ve nothing to be ashamed of, after all, nothing to hide.’
Pamela was wearing open-toed sandals and, alert for small, betraying signs, Thanet noticed her toes curl up. People could school themselves to control facial expressions but it was much harder to prevent giving themselves away by the movements of feet and hands. So these two did have something to hide. What? he wondered. For the first time he contemplated the possibility that they might have been in it together.
‘Good. Then you won’t mind answering a few questions.’
Fairleigh waved his cigarette in an expansive gesture before leaning forward to stub it out. ‘Not at all,’ he said genially. ‘Go ahead.’
But Thanet noticed that almost immediately the MP lit up again. So he, too, was nervous, though he was hiding it well.
‘Mr Fairleigh. You knew Mrs Raven intended coming to the fête on Saturday?’
‘No.’ They spoke simultaneously.
Fairleigh twisted his head to smile up at her and nodded. You first.
‘It was entirely my idea. Hugo knew nothing about it. I told you last time, I was curious.’
‘About what, exactly?’
‘To see what the place was like. Whether it had changed. And, well …’
‘Perhaps I should make it quite clear, Inspector. Mrs Raven and I intend to marry. Thaxden is her future home. And as, at the moment, it is rather difficult to take her there …’
With your present wife in residence, supplied Thanet.
‘… well, it’s understandable that she should have taken this opportunity to look at it.’
That wasn’t how you felt on Saturday, thought Thanet, remembering how disconcerted the MP had looked when he spotted her – for by now he was convinced that this was what had caused the look which had aroused his curiosity. And it was that look, he realised, which had probably subconsciously prevented him from considering the conspiracy theory.
‘When did you make the decision to go down to Thaxden, Mrs Raven?’
‘Well, after Hugo told me about the fête, first of all I toyed with the idea. But as the date came closer it took hold more and more. It was as if … Oh, it’s difficult to describe … As if something was tugging at me, urging me to go. Perhaps it was sheer curiosity, to see if the place had changed at all, or perhaps because I knew that one day I should be living there, as Hugo says …’ She shook her head. ‘Anyway, I’d more or less made up my mind by Saturday, and then when I woke up it was such a lovely day … The thought of getting out of London into the country was so tempting … I knew there were always a lot of people at the fête, and I just intended to mingle with the crowd, take a quick look around and then come away. But then I found I was enjoying it so much … I thought I was quite safe, that no one but Hugo would know me … But I’d forgotten about his aunt.’
Fairleigh’s lips tightened.
‘Let me clarify this,’ said Thanet. ‘I gather, from my conversation with Miss Ransome when she told me she’d seen you, that she is still unaware of the fact that you two are back together again?’
‘She was until yesterday,’ said Fairleigh, bitterly. ‘We saw no point in telling her just yet. She’s very fond of my wife and she’s also rather strait-laced. She wouldn’t have approved of a divorce.’
‘But she’d have had to find out eventually.’
‘In time, yes. But we didn’t feel the right moment had come.’
‘But she knows now.’
‘My wife told her. I gather she and Letty were talking about the … about Saturday, and she mentioned she’d seen Pam at the fête. Then, of course, Grace realised why I wasn’t in too good a mood after seeing you yesterday and felt she ought to put Letty in the picture.’
‘And how did she react?’
‘I haven’t seen her since. But I imagine I’m not exactly her blue-eyed boy at the moment.’
Nor she his favourite aunt, Thanet guessed. Fairleigh was no doubt furious with her for having given away Pamela’s presence on Saturday and had probably deliberately been avoiding her.
He returned to his questioning.
‘You knew old Mrs Fairleigh was ill, of course, Mrs Raven?’
‘Yes. Hugo told me.’
‘And you knew about the living arrangements of the two households.’
‘Yes.’
She could see where his questions were leading, he could see her bracing herself.
‘Did you know that the day nurse had failed to turn up on Saturday?’
The question had caught her unprepared. She hesitated and her eyes flickered down at Hugo.
Seated as they were, they were ill placed for silent collusion.
‘No, Mrs Raven, there is no need to consult Mr Fairleigh. Surely the question is straightforward enough?’
She sighed. ‘Yes. Hugo rang me on Saturday morning.’
‘Especially to tell you?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Inspector!’ Fairleigh exploded: ‘Why on earth should I ring Pamela to tell her something like that? It was merely a … well, a social call. I often ring her, as you can well imagine.’
Thanet ignored this outburst and addressed himself to Pamela. ‘And did Mr Fairleigh also tell you what arrangements had been made for looking after the old lady during the day?’
‘Well, yes … I asked him how they were going to manage, as they were all so tied up with the fête, and he told me his wife was going to look in every half an hour or so during the afternoon.’
‘Right, that’s enough!’ Fairleigh was on his feet. ‘Pam, you’re not to answer any more questions. I’m going to ring my solicitor.’
Thanet was surprised at this reaction. Surely Fairleigh must have realised that Pamela would be questioned along these lines, especially as she must have told him she had been seen in the house. It occurred to him now to wonder why, in fact, Fairleigh had not insisted that this entire interview be conducted in the presence of his legal adviser. Perhaps Fairleigh’s natural arrogance had encouraged him to assume that together he and Pamela could pull the wool over the eyes of the police, that they would be able to reveal just what they chose to reveal and no more. Fairleigh was learning a valuable lesson, he thought: never underestimate your opponent. It was surprising that as a politician he hadn’t learned it long ago.
‘It is 7.30 in the evening, sir. You won’t be able to get hold of him now.’
Fairleigh shot Thanet a contemptuous look. That’s what you think. He too
k out a pocket diary and began to leaf through it.
Only people like Fairleigh would have the home number of their solicitors in their pockets, thought Thanet resignedly. Ah well, pity, just when they were beginning to get somewhere.
Fairleigh began to dial.
‘No, Hugo, stop!’ Pamela was tugging at his sleeve.
He ignored her, twitching his arm to shake her off.
She grabbed it again. ‘Hugo, please!’
He turned his head to look at her and a silent battle of wills took place. But Thanet was sure that the argument was not just about whether to ring Bassett or not. There was another issue involved, something they were afraid he would find out if he went on questioning Pamela. He wished he could see their faces properly.
It was Pamela who broke the silence. ‘It’s no good, Hugo. We’ll have to tell them.’ Her voice was flat, resigned.
‘For God’s sake, Pam,’ hissed Fairleigh through clenched teeth, shooting a sideways glance at Thanet.
Thanet’s face must have told him that it was too late, the damage was done.
‘Tell us what, Mrs Raven?’ said Thanet softly.
Fairleigh very deliberately replaced the receiver and cast a furious glare at Pamela. Now look what you’ve done!
Pamela was still holding his sleeve. Now she gave it a little tug. ‘Don’t you see, Hugo. It was bound to come out eventually. Much better that it does. We’ve done nothing wrong, after all.’
Fairleigh was still glowering at her and now, once again, he shook his arm to cast her off. Then he returned to his chair, slumped down into it and felt in his pocket for his cigarettes.
Pamela remained where she was, watching him with a worried frown, as if awaiting a sign.
Fairleigh lit the cigarette, inhaled deeply and leaned his head back, blowing the smoke out in a long, thin stream. Then he shrugged, glanced at her and patted the arm of his chair.
Gratefully, eagerly, she went.
Like a little dog, thought Thanet, his dislike of Fairleigh intensifying. Despite her stand of a moment ago there was not much doubt about who called the tune in that relationship.
They both looked at him apprehensively.
‘You were saying, Inspector?’ said Fairleigh, with an attempt at nonchalance.
The man was a fighter, you had to grant him that.
‘Tell us what?’ repeated Thanet.
Again, they spoke together.
‘That it was –’ Hugo.
‘It was I –’ Pamela.
‘Let me tell them,’ said Pamela. Taking Fairleigh’s silence for assent she took a deep breath.
‘It was I who discovered that Mrs Fairleigh was dead.’
‘I see.’ So despite her earlier denials, she had been upstairs. ‘Perhaps you’d better tell us exactly what happened.’
‘I know I shouldn’t have gone up to see her, of course. I wish to God I hadn’t!’
They heard the front door open and shut.
‘Oh no, there’s Gwen!’
Hugo frowned. ‘I thought you said she was going to be out this evening.’
‘She told me she was!’
They all looked at the door.
It swung open. Gwen stopped dead on the threshold. ‘Well, well,’ she said, ‘quite a reception committee.’ Her eyes flicked an anxious, interrogatory glance at Thanet. Have you told her?
He shook his head imperceptibly.
Fairleigh was sharp. His eyes narrowed. What’s going on here?
Pamela was too disconcerted by her daughter’s appearance to have noticed. ‘Gwen …’ she said weakly. ‘I thought you were out for the evening.’
‘Yes, I thought you thought that. In fact, you were so keen to establish that I was going to be out that I began to wonder why. So I decided to come back, surprise you.’
‘Well you’ve seen why now, Gwen.’ Fairleigh was obviously trying to prevent himself sounding too impatient with her, but his irritation came through. ‘Your mother and I are talking to the police.’
‘I’m not an idiot, Hugo. I can see that. And don’t treat me like a child. As whatever you’re saying is bound to affect me, I’m sure the police won’t object if I sit in on this.’ And she walked across to a corner, picked up a pile of books from a low stool and dumped them on the floor. Then she plonked the stool down in front of the fireplace and sat down on it, hugging her knees.
How were her mother and Fairleigh going to deal with this? Thanet wondered.
‘Gwen,’ Pamela protested, ‘I’m sure you don’t want to hear all this.’
‘Oh but I do, Mum. In fact, I can’t wait.’ Gwen glanced at Thanet. ‘Do carry on, Inspector.’
It was Fairleigh’s turn to try. ‘Gwen! Surely it’s obvious that your mother would prefer you not to be present.’
‘Tough!’ She hugged her knees more fiercely. ‘I’m staying. If it concerns my mother it concerns me. So unless you want to physically throw me out …’
Pamela tried pleading. ‘Darling, it’s true that I really would prefer you not to be here. It’s all so difficult, so embarrassing …’
‘I see. It’s all right for Hugo to be present, but not for me!’
‘I didn’t mean that! At least …’ seeing that she was unable to justify that statement Pamela tried again. ‘It’s just that I don’t want you upset, that’s all.’
‘Upset! Mum, try and get it into your head that I’m not a little girl to be protected from all the unpleasant things in life, not any more. I’m quite tough enough to be upset and survive, you know.’
‘Yes, I know that. But –’
‘No! Sorry, Mum. I’m staying.’
Fairleigh and Pamela both looked at Thanet as if to implore him to exercise his authority. The trouble was, as usual, he could see all sides. Pamela genuinely wanted to save her daughter distress and at the same time did not want to lose face in front of her. Fairleigh merely found the girl’s presence an embarrassing irritation. And Gwen herself was, beneath all that bravado, genuinely concerned for her mother. True, she was no doubt partly motivated by a dislike of Hugo, but after all she was, as she said, beyond the age when she should be protected by adults for her own good. How would Bridget feel in the circumstances? he wondered. She, like Gwen, would be desperate to know what was going on. There was nothing worse than uncertainty in a situation like this. If Pamela were innocent Gwen would be relieved and delighted. If not, somehow she would have to come to terms with the fact, learn to live with it. And in either case it would not help her to be treated as a child.
‘I think Gwen is sufficiently sensible to stay, if she wishes.’
Gwen smiled and ducked her head at Thanet in gratitude. Hugo scowled and Pamela sighed, her mouth tugging down at the corners.
Still, thought Thanet, the decision really should not be his alone. This particular issue was a family matter. Much as he himself would regret having to cut the interview short at this point, perhaps Pamela ought at least to be given a choice.
‘However,’ he added, ‘there is a possible alternative. If you wish, Mrs Raven, you could come down to Sturrenden with us and make your statement there.’
He sensed Lineham stir in protest, and it was true that this would not be an ideal solution. Much of the impetus of the present interview would be lost. Pamela had obviously not intended to tell them what she had been about to tell them, and would not have prepared her story. If she chose the way out he had offered her she would have plenty of time to rehearse herself on the way down. He hadn’t thought of that. He was an idiot to have suggested it.
Fairleigh had obviously come to much the same conclusion. ‘Good idea,’ he said, rising and putting out his hand to pull Pamela to her feet. ‘I’ll drive you down.’
But she did not respond. ‘No, wait …’
They all looked at her expectantly.
After a moment she said reluctantly, ‘Gwen’s right. She isn’t a child any more and all this does concern her.’
‘But Pam …’ said Hugo.
Gwen jumped up and crossed to put an arm around her mother’s shoulders. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
Fairleigh scowled. ‘Pam! I really don’t think this is a good idea.’
She looked up at him and shook her head. ‘I’d like to get it over with.’
He stared at her in exasperation and glanced irritably at the two policemen.
Thanet was sure that if they hadn’t been present the MP would have put pressure on her to change her mind. Time to intervene. ‘Right,’ he said pleasantly. ‘That seems to be decided, then. If you’d just sit down again,’ he added, glancing from Fairleigh to Gwen, ‘we can proceed.’
Fairleigh hesitated and seemed about to argue further but apparently decided that there was no point. He sat down ungraciously, face set, refusing to look at Pamela who was watching him anxiously.
Gwen shot him a triumphant glance and sat down on the stool again.
When they were settled Thanet said, ‘I’ll just fill you in, Gwen. Your mother was just telling us that it was she who discovered that old Mrs Fairleigh was dead.’
‘What?’ Gwen stared incredulously at her mother. ‘But how? Why?’
‘That is precisely what we were about to find out,’ said Thanet. ‘And perhaps I could just add one condition to your being present. No interruptions. Understood?’
She gave him a mutinous look but nodded reluctantly.
‘Right, then, Mrs Raven. Perhaps you would continue.’
‘Well … I certainly hadn’t planned to see her, or to go into the house at all for that matter. But it was true, what I told you last time. I did want to go to the loo, and I was wearing high heels and my feet were hurting, and I couldn’t face trailing all the way back to the car park. I knew there was a loo just inside the back door. Before the house was split up it was the one we all used when we were playing tennis, it was so convenient. So I thought there’d be no harm in using that. But when I got inside, although I could hear voices in the kitchen there was no one about and I knew the stairs were only just along the corridor … It was just one of those things you do on impulse … Oh, it was so stupid of me! It’s just that I was curious to see what Hugo’s mother looked like after all these years, and to find out how ill she really was.’
Wake the Dead Page 18