by Sue Fortin
Harry cut her off. ‘Nothing that needs discussing here.’ He turned to Sonia. ‘Would you like to go somewhere more private, where we can talk?’
Sonia raised her eyebrows. ‘No. I wouldn’t actually. I’m quite happy to talk right here.’
Steph looked from one to the other. She had no idea what Sonia’s game was. As far as Steph was concerned, she was supposed to be here to make discreet enquiries, but now Sonia had turned up it was clearly putting Harry on his guard. She felt she should excuse herself, but the professional side of her knew she should stay rooted to the spot to glean as much info as possible.
‘I’d sooner we didn’t,’ said Harry, and then he turned to Steph. ‘Would you mind excusing us?’
‘Oh, yes, of course,’ said Steph, although it was the last thing she wanted to do.
‘Why don’t you stay?’ said Sonia. ‘I’d prefer to have someone else here.’
Harry leaned closer to Sonia and said something in low tones that Steph couldn’t make out above the buzz of the room. Sonia listened for a moment, her face hardening before she took a step back. ‘Please, Sonia,’ said Harry. ‘Not here. Not today.’
‘What? Are you worried I’m going to cause a scene? I don’t suppose you want me to start reminding everyone about what happened here two years ago, do you?’
Steph looked at Sonia, who swayed on her feet, and she and Harry simultaneously put a hand out to keep the older woman from stumbling. It was then Steph got the whiff of alcohol from Sonia’s breath.
‘Get off me,’ said Sonia, her voice rising enough to make the guests nearby turn around. There were tears in her eyes. ‘Don’t you care, Harry? Don’t you care what happened to your wife?’
Before Harry could answer Dominic appeared, his manner rather more abrupt than his brother’s. Steph could see the anger blazing in his blue eyes. ‘What the fuck is she doing here?’ Dominic hissed and then, noticing Steph, made a clear effort to regain his composure. ‘Mrs Lomas, this afternoon is strictly for the press. I’m afraid you can’t stay.’
‘That’s what you think,’ said Sonia.
Dominic turned his head and wrinkled up his nose. ‘Jesus. You’re drunk,’ he said. ‘Honestly, Harry, you need to get her out of here before I call Security.’
‘Go easy,’ said Harry, eyeing his brother. ‘I don’t think we need Security.’
Dominic looked at Steph. ‘And don’t even think about reporting this,’ he said. ‘You do what you’re here for. OK?’
Steph was rather taken aback at Dominic’s aggression. She was about to pull him up for it, but Harry spoke first.
‘No need for that.’ He turned to Steph. ‘Apologies; my brother didn’t mean to sound so rude. Did you, Dom?’
Dominic took a moment to collect himself. ‘No. Sorry. Very sorry. Please, let me get you a drink while Harry sees to his mother-in-law.’
Steph was pretty sure Dominic was anything other than sorry, but she accepted his apology all the same. However, she wasn’t about to be bought off with a drink. Fortunately, Sonia started up again.
‘Look, you two, don’t try to silence me like you did my daughter. I’m not scared of either of you. Any of you.’
‘No one wants you to be scared,’ reassured Harry. ‘Let’s talk about this – somewhere else. Please, Sonia.’
Steph watched Harry put a hand on her arm and offer a sympathetic smile. He seemed genuinely concerned about Sonia. He had a kind and calming way about him. Hardly the reaction of someone who might have murdered his wife.
‘Don’t touch me,’ snapped Sonia, clearly not ready to accept the olive branch.
Steph moved towards Sonia. ‘Why don’t you come outside with me?’ She smiled warmly at the other woman. ‘There’s no need to cause a big fuss here. If you want to be taken seriously, there are better ways to do it.’ She willed Sonia to agree to come with her.
‘I don’t know if that’s a good idea,’ said Dominic.
‘It bloody well is if you want me to leave quietly, and just because I’m going it doesn’t mean you’ve heard the last of me,’ said Sonia. She linked her arm through Steph’s. ‘I’d like to leave now. With you. No one else.’ Sonia looked defiantly at the older Sinclair brother.
‘Just get her out of here,’ said Dominic, glancing around the room. ‘Quietly. There’s a room directly across the hall. She can sober up in there. I’ll get someone to bring in some coffee.’
‘Thank you,’ said Sonia as she staggered slightly on the turn and allowed Steph to lead her towards the door.
Steph glanced over her shoulder at Harry, whose eyes she was sure had tracked them the whole way across the room. She could see the brothers muttering to each other and then Harry give a slight nod in her direction.
Across the hall and in the sitting room, Steph sat Sonia down on the sofa. ‘What are you doing here?’ she whispered. ‘I thought you were going to leave this to me.’
‘I changed my mind,’ said Sonia. She flopped back on the sofa and closed her eyes. ‘I’m not drunk, by the way.’
‘I’m not so sure about that.’
‘I’ve had a couple of drinks, but that’s all. A bit of Dutch courage.’
‘I still don’t understand what you’re doing here though.’ Steph was anxious to find out but Sonia was being vague. ‘Look, if you want me to investigate your daughter’s death, you’ve got to let me do it. You can’t come gatecrashing. All that’s going to do is put the Sinclairs on edge. I don’t need them getting suspicious and giving them any clue that I might be working with you.’ Sonia’s eyes remained closed. ‘Do you even understand what I’m saying?’
Sonia opened her eyes and looked at Steph. ‘Truth be told, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I don’t really know what I was hoping to achieve. I thought maybe I could cause a bit of a stir and get people talking about Elizabeth again.’
‘You need to leave it to me,’ said Steph. She could see the pain in Sonia’s eyes and a surge of sympathy welled up in Steph’s chest. ‘Please, let me find out things my way. If you go for a full-on attack, they are only going to close ranks. I need to win their confidence, not put them on their guard.’
Before Sonia could answer, the door opened and Harry walked in carrying a tray with two cups of coffee on it. ‘Thought you might like one too,’ he said to Steph.
‘Thanks.’ Steph looked at Sonia, whose eyes were once again closed. She could only assume Sonia was acting but she decided to play along with her for now.
‘How is she?’ Harry placed the tray on the side table and looked down at his mother-in-law.
Steph shrugged. ‘Sleeping it off, I guess.’
Harry let out a long sigh. ‘She never used to drink but I think what happened to Elizabeth has pushed her over the edge.’
‘It’s hardly surprising.’
‘You obviously know about what happened to my wife?’
‘Yes, and I’m sorry for your loss. I researched your family prior to coming here.’
‘Well, looks like you’ve got yourself a nice, juicy story. One for the gutter press. Get a couple of photos and you can probably make yourself a few pounds.’
Steph inwardly winced at the remark. Despite how accurate it may be, the way Harry said it made it sound callous and uncaring and she found herself challenging his assumption. ‘What makes you so sure I’m going to run a story on this?’
‘I thought that’s what all journalists did.’
‘We’re not all hacks. Some of us have integrity and, technically speaking, I’m here for PR and advertising, not scandal,’ said Steph, inwardly blanching at her contradiction. She, of course, had a hidden agenda but she wasn’t going to let Harry know that. She ignored the voice of conscience in the back of her mind.
Harry gave her a sideways look. ‘I’ll happily be proved wrong,’ he said.
Sonia let out a small groan and opened her eyes. Steph admired her acting ability as she took a moment to focus and take in her surroundings. Her gaze rested on the cup
of coffee. ‘I suppose that’s for me.’
Harry passed her the cup. ‘Black, no sugar and a splash of cold water. Just as you like it.’
Steph noted that Harry still remembered how Sonia liked her coffee and realised that he was more thoughtful than she would have expected.
‘Thank you.’ Sonia sipped at the warm liquid.
‘How did you get here?’ asked Harry.
‘Taxi from the station. I’d heard about the reopening and I found myself catching a train. I’m not sure why.’ She dipped her head but not before Steph saw the tears welling up in the older woman’s eyes.
Steph rummaged in her bag and pulled out a tissue, passing it to Sonia, who mopped at her eyes. Taking an audible breath in and releasing it slowly, Sonia placed the cup on the table and stood up. ‘I need to go.’
‘Where are you staying?’ asked Steph. ‘I could drive you back.’
‘I’m not staying anywhere. I’m getting the train home.’
‘Not in that state you’re not,’ said Harry. ‘You need to sober up first.’
‘I’m not drunk. I’ve had two drinks, that’s all. God knows why I came here. It was a stupid idea. Might have known I’d hit a brick wall with you. I can’t believe how uncaring and cold-hearted you are about my daughter. I thought you loved her but you clearly didn’t.’
Sonia pushed past Harry and headed for the door. He looked shell-shocked and perhaps not without reason, Steph thought. He had been anything but uncaring and cold-hearted with Sonia since she’d turned up, but right now this wasn’t Steph’s main concern. She rushed after her and caught her up in the hall. ‘Let me drive you, please.’
‘No. I’ve got a cab waiting. I just wanted to say my bit and leave,’ said Sonia as she strode towards the main entrance.
Steph followed her out. ‘I will get to the truth,’ she said. ‘But, like I said before, I can’t promise it will be what you want to hear.’
Sonia paused and eyed Steph intently. ‘Just don’t be taken in by them,’ she said eventually.
‘I’ve been around long enough not to do that.’ Steph was slightly affronted that someone would think she was gullible. ‘I’ll find the truth even if it kills me.’
‘Let’s hope not,’ said Sonia as she climbed into a waiting taxi. Her eyes never left Steph as the driver started the engine and the car pulled away.
Steph turned to go back inside but hesitated when she saw Dominic Sinclair standing at the top of the steps, his hands in his pockets, watching her. Despite the warmth of the afternoon, she gave a small shiver. His eyes were as cold as ice and his face unsmiling. She forced herself forward and smiled. ‘She’s going home now. Won’t be bothering you again.’
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ said Dominic. ‘Sorry, what did you say your name was again?’
Steph held up the tag on her lanyard. ‘Stephanie Durham. Vacation Staycation.’
Dominic frowned. ‘Durham. Stephanie Durham. Have we met before?’
Steph smiled, hoping to disguise the unease she was feeling. ‘No, we haven’t. I’ve just got one of those faces that everyone thinks they recognise.’
Dominic smiled back. ‘I’m usually good with faces but even the best of us get it wrong sometimes.’
‘Right, better get back to the reception,’ said Steph, injecting false cheer into her voice. Her stomach gave an anxious roll. Something about Dominic Sinclair scared her and there was an undercurrent of danger to him that was unnerving. In Steph’s profession this made someone particularly interesting, although she sensed she would have to be very careful around him.
Chapter Eleven
Conmere, Friday, 10 May, 1.50 p.m.
Harry sighed. Sonia Lomas turning up had been the last thing he had expected and the last he needed. He wasn’t quite sure what she was hoping to achieve by her visit, but that wasn’t what troubled him the most.
It wasn’t the first time Sonia had appeared to remind him of Elizabeth’s death and to imply it had been anything other than an accident. Actually, she never implied anything; she wasn’t that subtle. No, Sonia said exactly what she thought – that Elizabeth had been murdered. But what had troubled him most today was that it had all played out in front of the reviewer from Vacation Staycation. Despite the lowly job title, she was still part of the press and Harry knew from past experience what they could be like. He’d better go and see that this Steph had managed to persuade Sonia to leave.
He stepped out into the hall and could see Dominic standing on the front steps of the house, just as the woman was coming back inside. He noted the small exchange between them and observed that Steph looked flustered as she came through the front door, unaware he was there.
‘Fuck,’ she muttered, not quite enough under her breath. She looked up and was obviously startled to see him standing in the middle of the tiled hallway by the centrepiece flower arrangement. ‘You frightened me.’
Harry gave an apologetic smile. ‘I was just coming out to check Sonia was OK.’
‘Don’t you mean, to check Sonia had left?’
‘Both, actually. You, on the other hand, don’t seem too OK.’ He nodded in the direction of Dominic, who was still standing outside, taking the opportunity to smoke a cigarette.
She straightened up and smoothed out her hair. ‘I’m fine. And you’ll be pleased to hear, your mother-in-law is on her way back home.’
He could tell by the look she gave that she was less than impressed with the way things had been handled. ‘I’m not as heartless as you think,’ he found himself explaining. ‘I used to have a very good relationship with Sonia, but she’s taken her daughter’s death – my wife’s death – very badly. I’m in a position where I can no longer help her. She needs professional help and that’s way out of my comfort zone.’
‘When I was told I was coming here for the weekend and did my research, I was surprised that you were going to be here. It must be difficult for you too.’
Harry didn’t answer immediately. He was surprised by his reaction to this journalist’s questions. Normally, if anyone outside the family spoke about Elizabeth and her death he felt compelled to end the conversation there and then. Yet here he was, having to quell the urge to open up to her. Before he could form a response, the closing of the main door and footsteps on the tiled floor caught his attention. He looked beyond the journalist to see Dominic walking towards them, one hand casually in his trouser pocket, the other tucking his phone into his breast pocket.
‘Sorry, am I interrupting anything?’ said Dominic, a faux smile on his face. ‘I hope you’re not giving this young lady an exclusive.’ Dominic gave a tight smile in an effort to hide his annoyance, but Harry wasn’t fooled and, judging by the expression on Steph’s face, neither was she.
She gave a quick smile at Harry. ‘I’d better get back. I need to get one of those info packs before they all go.’ She glanced at Dominic and then disappeared back through the double doors and into the hubbub of the reception.
‘That was a bit unnecessary,’ Harry said. ‘I was just thanking her for seeing to Sonia.’ OK, that wasn’t quite the truth, but he didn’t need to share everything with his brother.
‘Do you know her?’
‘No. I spoke to her for the first time about ten minutes ago. Why, what’s up?’
Dominic gave a shrug. ‘Nothing, probably. I just thought she looked familiar. Stephanie Durham from Vacation Staycation?’ He looked at his brother.
‘Nope. Still doesn’t mean anything. Other than the Vacation Staycation site. They’ve got a good social-media presence – maybe you’ve seen her on Twitter or something.’
‘Maybe,’ said Dominic, not sounding convinced. ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about her that’s bugging me. I might do a bit of investigating myself.’
Harry wasn’t sure he liked the tone in his brother’s voice or what might follow. ‘I really don’t think you need to worry about her,’ said Harry, surprised at his reaction. ‘She’s just a featu
re writer, a reviewer, that’s all.’
‘Still a journalist, and I don’t want anyone poking around looking for a story that’s not there.’
‘I think you’re overreacting. No one is interested in what happened to Elizabeth.’ He swallowed to relieve the dryness in his throat and took a breath. ‘It’s old news.’
‘Don’t underestimate anyone,’ said Dominic. ‘Especially not a pretty female.’
‘You really think there’s something to worry about?’ The thought of Elizabeth’s death being dragged into the limelight again was like a black cloud looming on the horizon. Too many bad memories of their marriage, too much doubt and too much grief for him to want to face it all over again.
‘I don’t know and I don’t like not knowing, so I intend to find out. Keep your eye on her.’
Harry suppressed the sigh that was threatening to escape. He’d forgotten what it was like to be around Dominic for any length of time. The intensity, the brooding, the second-guessing and the need to be in control was tiring.
‘Hey, what’s going on?’ Owen joined them in the hallway. He looked from one to the other and settled on Harry. ‘Was that Elizabeth’s mother I saw with you just now?’
Harry nodded. ‘She’s gone now.’
‘What was she doing here? I don’t remember anyone inviting her.’
‘Of course no one invited her,’ snapped Dominic. ‘Why the fuck would anyone do that?’
Harry couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable for his younger brother’s embarrassment at being reprimanded by Dominic. ‘Hey, it doesn’t really matter; she’s gone now and that’s that. Just forget about it.’
‘Let’s hope she doesn’t come back,’ said Dominic, his annoyance still apparent. He turned to Owen. ‘Do you know that bird from Vacation Staycation?’
Owen looked blank and shook his head. ‘What bird, as you so nicely put it?’
‘That one who took Sonia out just now.’
‘I didn’t see her. What’s her name?’
‘Stephanie Durham,’ replied Dominic. ‘Blonde hair. Wearing black trousers and a short-sleeved top.’