The Dead Wife

by Sue Fortin

  ‘You were never really interested in what went on here, even when you were a kid,’ said Dominic. ‘I think most of it passed you by.’

  ‘I had my reasons.’

  ‘Yeah, well, let’s not drag all that up now,’ said Dominic. ‘That’s all water under the bridge. We need to focus on what’s happening now, and that we’ve got a reporter who is related to an ex-employee and the DCI who headed up the enquiry surrounding Elizabeth’s accident.’

  ‘I don’t actually think there’s anything to worry about,’ said Harry as he contemplated the new information. ‘We have nothing to hide.’ He looked pointedly at his brother. Something about the way Dominic’s gaze shifted away from his bothered him. ‘Or do we?’

  Dominic rattled his pen between his teeth before speaking again. ‘Has this Steph Durham been asking any questions?’

  Harry thought back to earlier. ‘Not especially. We chatted, but not in detail about anything. Surprisingly, what happened to Elizabeth isn’t my favourite topic of conversation.’ Despite this statement, Harry wondered now if their conversation had been as innocent as he had originally thought.

  ‘Did she mention her mother at all?’ Dominic pushed on.

  Harry didn’t want to betray Steph’s confidence. She had told him some things that he got the distinct impression were very private, things she hadn’t spoken about to many people. Harry shook his head at his brother.

  Dominic pursed his lips. ‘Are you shagging her?’

  Harry sighed and gave a roll of his eyes. ‘What sort of question is that?’

  Dominic gave a shrug of indifference. ‘If you are, she could be playing you.’

  Harry made a conscious effort to keep his facial expression neutral. He’d be pissed off if she was. He repositioned himself in his seat and decided to ignore his brother. ‘How did she end up being invited? Who organised the guest list?’

  ‘Who do you think? Our baby brother. I knew I shouldn’t have given him the task but it seemed so straightforward. Invite one hundred of the most influential clients in the tourism industry for a freebie weekend. Might have known he’d cock it up somewhere.’

  ‘I think that’s a bit harsh. From what I know, it seems like a legitimate invite. Anyway, he would have invited the company – it’s up to them who they send, not us.’ Harry couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for Owen. He was Dominic’s scapegoat at times.

  Dominic spoke again. ‘We could use this to our advantage. Get to know her real reason for coming here.’

  ‘It’s just to do the feature. Relax. What exactly are you frightened of, Dom?’

  ‘I just don’t want any more bad publicity. Elizabeth’s death was bad enough, but I don’t want anyone digging around to see what Owen has been up to recently; it’s bad for business and bad for Mum.’

  ‘What exactly has Owen been up to recently?’ asked Harry, purposely shifting the conversation away from both Steph and Elizabeth. ‘I saw you two arguing outside your place yesterday.’

  ‘You don’t want to know.’

  ‘The drugs,’ interjected Harry, despondently.

  Dominic turned his palms up to the ceiling. ‘Now you can see why I don’t want anyone poking around.’

  ‘Nothing to do with your side-lines?’ Harry ventured, watching his brother’s face for a reaction. ‘You’re not helping him in any way?’

  Dominic’s eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared and he pressed his lips together. ‘Not in the way you think.’

  ‘And what way is that? Not like you haven’t before,’ Harry shot back without flinching. Gone were the days when he was intimidated by his brother, or even looked up to him. Christ, that had been a long time ago in their childhood and the big-brother admiration Harry had once felt had gradually waned during their adult lives. Sometimes Harry wondered how the hell they were related. Sure, he loved his brother, but he didn’t always like Dominic and he sure as hell wasn’t worried about upsetting him these days.

  Dominic pointed a finger at Harry.

  ‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ he said, his lip curling in the way it did when he was fighting to keep his anger in check. ‘Don’t play that card. You’re not so innocent. All that stuff before was recreational and you know it. Christ, even your wife indulged at times.’

  ‘Elizabeth?’ He swallowed hard at the thought.

  ‘Unless you’ve got another wife somewhere. Jesus, Harry, surely you knew?’ Dominic sat back in his chair and gave a laugh, then leaned forwards again. ‘Better it came from me, where it was clean, than some shitty street dealer where it’d been cut with talc and God knows what else. Same goes for Owen. This way I can control it and manage him.’

  ‘You bastard.’ Harry clenched his fist. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to punch his brother’s smug face. Sure, Harry had suspected that once or twice Elizabeth had taken something more than alcohol at one of the parties, but he had never suspected his own brother had been the supplier. How had he missed that?

  ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself,’ said Dominic. ‘It was only a couple of times and I made sure she was OK.’

  Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. The foundations on which he’d built his memories of his marriage and Elizabeth were crumbling. He’d thought he knew everything there was to know, but maybe he’d got that wrong. Maybe she’d kept more secrets from him than he realised. He drew breath … Had one of those secrets led to her death?

  Harry forced himself not to say anything more about Elizabeth. It wasn’t constructive and didn’t change anything. He needed time to think this through.

  Owen, however, was another matter. He’d always felt sorry for his younger brother. He was weak – one big walking Achilles heel. ‘You should be getting Owen help, not feeding his addiction.’

  ‘You can lead a horse to water and all that.’ Dominic gave a shrug. ‘I keep an eye on him. I keep him out of Mum’s way. I look after him. I make sure it’s all kept in-house. Not for my sake, or even for his, but for Mum’s. Surely you appreciate that.’

  ‘You’re doing it for yourself. You’ve always looked after number one.’

  ‘I’ve looked after all of you.’ Dominic’s superior look had returned to his face. ‘You may not know it, or like it, but I’ve always made sure everyone is protected. If you don’t like my methods, tough, but I’ve never had any complaints about the outcome.’

  A shudder ran through Harry. How far was his brother prepared to go to protect the family? Dominic was pretty ruthless and conscience-free when he had to be, but … Harry hardly dared think it:’ had Elizabeth known something that had given Dominic reason to step in? … He looked up and met his brother’s eyes.

  ‘The means justifies the end, is that what you’re saying?’

  Dominic returned his gaze with equal intensity. ‘Something like that.’ And then, rather more dismissively, ‘Anyway, you’ve not been here, so it’s not really any of your business.’

  ‘That’s where you’re wrong,’ said Harry, unswayed by his brother’s attitude. ‘Anything that involves Conmere has a direct impact on Mum and by default that makes it my business, especially as she’s not well.’

  ‘Then you had better make sure that Steph Durham doesn’t cause any trouble.’

  Was that a threat? Had Elizabeth been a threat? Before Harry had a chance to answer there was a knock at the door, which opened at the same time, and Owen appeared in the office. ‘Hey, how’s it going? I’ve just been accosted by …’ He stopped speaking, looking from one brother to the other. Slowly he closed the door behind him. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Nothing; I was just checking with Harry if there was anything that needed doing for the gala dinner,’ Dominic answered smoothly. ‘Did you want me for anything?’

  Owen didn’t look particularly convinced but said nothing. ‘Just to say one of the guests complained their room hadn’t been serviced this morning,’

  ‘Well, sort it out, then. Get someone over there sharpish,’ snapped Dominic.

  ‘I h
ave,’ replied Owen, scowling. ‘I was just mentioning it. I spoke to Heidi, and she said she had already spoken to Harry about being short-staffed.’

  ‘That’s right. I’ve got it sorted now,’ replied Harry.

  ‘Yeah, he’s got one of the reporters staying on for the week,’ said Dominic in an incredulous tone which told Harry he still wasn’t fully on-board with the idea.

  ‘A reporter?’ questioned Owen.

  ‘Don’t,’ said Dominic. ‘Anyway, nothing for you to worry about. Haven’t you got some horses that need feeding or whatever it is you do with them?’

  Harry once again felt sorry for his younger brother. Dominic was so dismissive of him and almost seemed to revel in belittling him. ‘Thanks for sorting the problem out, Owen,’ he said.

  ‘Yeah. No worries. Nice to be appreciated by some.’ Owen emphasised the last word and looked at Dominic before he glanced back at Harry. ‘Catch you later,’ he said and left the room.

  ‘You’re too hard on him,’ said Harry. ‘You’re not his father, you know.’

  ‘Don’t start all that again. He’s fucking useless most of the time. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m actually related to him.’

  ‘Like I said before, you don’t give him enough credit.’

  ‘Honestly, Harry, now’s not a good time to start telling me about Owen. You only see him once in a blue moon. I have to see him every day and manage him every day. We’ve got more important things to discuss.’

  ‘And, as I said, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,’ said Harry, and then, really just to pacify Dominic, added, ‘but I’ll keep a closer eye on her.’ He hid the smile that threatened to creep across his face and give him away. He fully intended to keep a closer eye on Steph, but maybe not in the way Dominic envisaged.

  ‘Just making sure we’re on the same page,’ replied Dominic.

  Personally, Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to be in the same book as Dominic, never mind on the same page, but he left without further retort.

  ‘You sure know how to pick them,’ said Dominic as Harry reached the door. Harry threw him a blank look. His brother elaborated. ‘First there was Elizabeth, who was always stirring up trouble, and now you’ve got yourself involved with someone else who could be doing the same thing.’

  A rush of anger surged through Harry’s blood. ‘Fuck off,’ he snapped. ‘You know, I had hoped the apples had fallen a bit further from the tree, with all of us. Seems I was wrong about you.’ He went to leave, but stopped and added, ‘And, like I said before, leave Elizabeth out of this.’

  Dominic looked amused. ‘Touchy. A bit too close to home, was it?’

  ‘Fuck off,’ said Harry again and left the room. He’d had a gutful of this place already. It brought nothing but disharmony and bad memories.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Two Years Earlier,

  Kendalton Green Hotel, Kendalton, 1 September, 3.30 p.m.

  ‘So, let me get this right, you want to do this to see if your husband is cheating on you?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’ Elizabeth looked at the woman sitting opposite her in the foyer of Kendalton Green Hotel. She was probably in her late twenties, although she had the air of a much more experienced woman and had clearly been doing her job for a long time. Elizabeth didn’t like to use the word prostitute; it sounded coarse and common. She much preferred the term escort, and not just any escort, but a high-class escort. The agency she’d contacted had assured her they had someone perfect for what Elizabeth was looking for and had set up the meeting here at the hotel. ‘It’s Camilla, isn’t it?’ said Elizabeth.

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘I want a divorce but he won’t agree to my terms. I need something that will change his mind. I made the mistake of letting him hold all the purse strings, and out of spite he won’t co-operate. I can’t leave unless I’ve got some money.’

  Camilla shook her head. ‘Rule number one – never rely on a man for anything. Didn’t your mother teach you that? I’ve drummed that into my daughter since she was just a kid. Some people may disapprove of my chosen profession and say I’m letting men take advantage of me, but I’ll tell you now, that is not the case. I earn enough money to support myself and my daughter. And as for taking advantage of me, it’s the other way around. I’m using them to support my lifestyle, which isn’t cheap.’

  ‘No, I can see that,’ said Elizabeth. It was obvious from the moment she had first seen the woman that she liked to buy and wear the top brands, but it was an understated sophistication which actually made her even more sophisticated. ‘I actually admire you for that.’ Elizabeth didn’t really admire her, but it was the right thing to say to get Camilla on her side. When Elizabeth had called the agency and explained what she wanted she had been told her it was down to the woman in question whether she wanted to take the job or not, and Elizabeth was now on the charm offensive. She smiled at Camilla. ‘I wish I’d had the same foresight as you. I feel like I’ve lost myself since I’ve been married. I’ve gradually disappeared, and now I’ve finally found the courage to leave, he still wants to control me, and the only way he can do that is by cutting off my finances.’ She took a tissue from her bag and dabbed at her eyes, hoping to garner some sympathy.

  Camilla rested her hand on Elizabeth’s arm. ‘Don’t feel guilty. It’s not your fault. It took me a bad relationship before I truly worked it out. We’ll get this bastard of a husband and you can walk away from your shitty marriage. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.’

  ‘Oh, you’re so kind. I’m sorry about getting upset. I don’t usually,’ said Elizabeth. She smiled at Camilla. ‘I really appreciate you agreeing to this. Your employer tells me you’ve actually done this before.’

  ‘Admittedly, it’s not my usual task, but in answer to your question, yes, I have done this before. I’m not as innocent as I look.’

  ‘I’m sure you’re not,’ replied Elizabeth. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘You don’t have to go the whole way and have sex with him if you don’t want to. I just need proof that he was about to, that the intention was there. You don’t need to show your face or anything like that. I’ll set the camera up so that it’s aimed at the bed. I’ll put it on the dressing table, hidden in plain sight.’

  Camilla laughed. ‘This is like a spy movie. I’m actually quite excited by the prospect.’

  ‘After he’s gone, message me and I’ll come in. If it’s good, then there’s some extra cash in it for you.’

  ‘I like your style. I think we’ll make a good team.’

  Elizabeth took a photograph from her pocket and passed it over to her accomplice, together with a piece of paper. ‘Here’s what he looks like, and he’ll be here on Friday afternoon. I’ve booked a room upstairs.’

  ‘How do you know he’ll be here? What if he doesn’t turn up?’

  ‘He thinks he’s meeting a potential client. Someone who wants to do business with him,’ explained Elizabeth. She’d gone to a lot of trouble to set this up and everything relied on her plan working.

  ‘So, I’ll text you once I’ve got his attention and then you’ll message to cancel the appointment?’

  ‘That’s right, then he’s all yours.’

  Camilla looked at the photograph. ‘Not a bad-looking man, your husband. What’s his name? Not that I’ll use it, of course, until he tells me himself, I’m just curious.’

  ‘Owen. Owen Sinclair.’

  Elizabeth couldn’t help smiling to herself as she drove back to Conmere that day. This was a fail-safe way of getting something on Owen. She had gone to Kendalton the week after she’d seen him at the betting office and then the pub – she’d wanted to see if he was there but she’d obviously spooked him enough to put him off returning. No doubt he had changed his whole routine and found another day and another town to feed his gambling and drinking habit, but Elizabeth had been unperturbed. This time he wouldn’t even know he’d been caught with his trousers down until she showed him the fi
lm, and before that she’d make sure she had made several copies of the footage. There’d be no dropping it in a pint of lager this time. She fully intended to ensure there would be no wriggle room for Owen.

  Two Years Earlier

  Kendalton Green Hotel, Kendalton, 9 September, 4.10 p.m.

  The following week couldn’t come soon enough for Elizabeth. There had only been a few times in her adult life when she had felt this excited. One such time was when she’d first met Harry at a dinner party and, after sitting next to her for the evening, he’d asked if he could see her again. That night she had felt as though she was walking on air. Not only was Harry very good-looking, charming, knowledgeable and engaging, but he was also extremely wealthy. It wasn’t until she had done a bit of digging in the ensuing week that she had realised quite how wealthy he was. Yes, she’d been excited then.

  Another time was when Harry had proposed to her while they were on holiday in Canada. And her wedding day, of course. That day had been pretty exciting. It was weird how someone who had once had such a dazzling effect on her now seemed dull and boring. What was the saying? All that glitters is not gold. Well, she’d discovered that. Being married to a Sinclair brother had turned out to be more on the bronze side of things, certainly not gold – silver had slipped by too. Still, she couldn’t deny, today was exciting. Today she was going to catch Owen literally with his pants down and the consequence would certainly put a bit of sparkle back into her life.

  Elizabeth parked her car several streets away from the centre of town and after a few minutes’ walk was standing at the reception desk of the Kendalton Green Hotel.

  ‘Elizabeth Sinclair. I have a reservation.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ replied the receptionist.

  Elizabeth waited patiently while she was assigned a key card and given directions to her room.

  The room was a reasonably sized double which overlooked the street, something she had specified when making the booking over the telephone earlier in the week. It was perfectly arranged too. The bed was in the centre of the room and on the opposite wall was the television with a small writing desk below it. This would be the perfect place to site the spy camera.