Lexie kissed her cheek and heaved her further up. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I am now.’
Lexie gave her another squeeze and patted her head gently, making sure Tilly faced away from the scene. She glanced across at Sean. ‘Shall I phone the police?’
‘They’re already on their way. Max moved things a little faster than I’d bargained on. Not that you and Tilly were part of the plan for tonight.’
‘Max helped save us, didn’t he,’ said Tilly.
‘He certainly did.’
Tilly still had her face buried in Lexie’s shoulder. ‘I’m glad we kicked that man. He’s not nice.’
Police cars tore into the compound, tyres screeching. Men spilled out of the vehicles into the hangar. She held her daughter, not sure if the quivering was her or Tilly.
The next minutes were a blur. Lexie was relieved to sit in a police car and cuddle Tilly. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ she kept asking her.
‘The man said rude words to Max and he didn’t have very nice biscuits.’
‘We’ll get lots of chocolate ones tomorrow.’
Sean spoke with one of the police officers then took Lexie to another car. ‘I’ll drive you home.’
Lexie sat in the back with Tilly. ‘So you were in on this from the beginning. Undercover, I mean.’
‘Not quite,’ said Sean, starting the car and driving out of the compound. ‘Undercover, yes, but on a fraud case. I work for Aubertin, Duval and Marquis. They’re an international art insurance company.’
‘But Peter Webber’s proud of the fact his paintings are fakes.’
Sean glanced over at her then back at the road. ‘So you know that.’
‘He told me that afternoon at his house.’
‘Someone like him makes a good cover for people who are passing off fakes as originals.’
Suddenly she couldn’t stop shaking. She and Tilly were safe. They were on their way home. Lexie leaned against the back of the car seat, cuddling Tilly.
Sean carried on talking. ‘My company knew about Peter’s authentic fakes but when the opportunity came to work for him we decided it was too useful to pass up. He could have been playing a double-bluff, or simply been too pleased with himself not to realise he was being used. I’d already discovered some of the students he sponsored were involved in creating fakes which had been sold as the real thing. There was a lot of money involved.’
Sean pulled onto the driveway at Cherry Tree Cottage. Two policemen stood outside the front door. As Lexie got out of the car, her parents rushed from the house. Jean picked up Tilly and Alistair gave Lexie a big hug. ‘You had us worried.’
After making sure they were both fine, Lexie sensed her father’s attention move to Sean.
‘The first police team stopped the van immediately after the phone call from Connor,’ said Sean. ‘The other team picked up Connor, Ian, and the second van driver at the compound. Just one left now.’
Inside the cottage, Lexie was amazed to see Helen and Gareth.
‘Rachel’s waiting for you in your bedroom,’ said Helen to Tilly. She turned to Lexie. ‘We couldn’t stay at home wondering what was happening.’
‘I never thought I’d be glad to see this place,’ said Lexie with a shaky laugh.
‘Can Rachel sleep over tonight?’ asked Tilly. Lexie nodded and a big smile lit up Tilly’s face. ‘I’ll go and tell her.’
She ran to the door but then came back to Lexie and hugged her. ‘I love you, Mummy.’
Lexie felt some of heaviness lift from her as Tilly disappeared up to see her friend. Perhaps one day this would be just a bad dream to Tilly. It was wonderful to know her children, parents, and friends were here, but most of all she needed Nathan to be with her.
26
Jean’s mobile beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket, frowning as she read the message. ‘I don’t understand.’ She looked at Alistair. ‘You said Dominique was in London?’
Both Lexie’s father and Sean nodded.
‘This text is from her,’ said Jean. ‘She says goodbye.’
‘Oh no,’ groaned Sean.
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Alistair. He held Jean tightly for a moment. ‘You stay here with Lexie and the children.’
Jean’s face was white as Sean and Alistair hurried out of the room.
Lexie glanced around. ‘What’s going on? I don’t understand.’
No one answered.
Jean stared at the open door then rushed after Sean and Alistair. ‘You’re not leaving me behind.’
Lexie looked at the space where her mother had been, not sure what was happening or what to do.
‘Go if you want,’ said Helen. ‘Gareth and I are here and there are police outside. The children are safe.’
Lexie ran out of the cottage and leapt into the back of Sean’s car before she truly realised what she’d done. Her mother’s face was still pale in the dimness of the car.
‘Will someone please explain what’s happening? Where are we going?’ asked Lexie.
Sean screeched around the corner and onto the main road.
‘Longcross House.’ Alistair turned around in the front seat. ‘I’ve known some things for a few weeks and found out others in the past couple of days. Your mother told you about Dominique?’
Lexie nodded. ‘What’s Dominique got to do with all this and why Longcross House?’
‘Dominique only told me what she’s been doing when we met up here,’ said Jean. ‘Over the years she’s searched for the people who weren’t caught in that operation. She finally located the one she always hoped to catch. I didn’t want her to do anything dangerous. She told me she was working with the police.’
‘I’m confused. Art fakes and now Dominique? Where does Sean come into this?’ asked Lexie.
‘I met Dominique while working for Peter. She came on the scene with this sculpture exhibition just after I discovered it wasn’t Peter behind the fakes.’
‘Not Peter,’ Lexie murmured. ‘Longcross House? You mean that’s why Veronica was having an affair with him.’
‘No,’ said Sean. ‘Although I guess it could be another reason why Peter was being used. It’s Jed Middlehurst.’
‘Jed!’ Lexie stared around the car.
Alistair spoke. ‘We’ve found out most of this in bits and pieces. Dominique approached Veronica and Peter Webber and suggested the story for Icon and that the exhibition be staged at Longcross House. Veronica and Peter agreed. Dominique had been searching for the people behind the trafficking for years and followed the money. Jed did make some money from his companies, but it was mostly a cover for what he’d been doing for years. Organising distribution routes.’
Sean screeched around a corner and then spoke. ‘Dominique recognised Jed when she met him at one of the charity art functions. He’d used a different name for his business dealings and obviously for the trafficking. She couldn’t believe it when she was actually introduced to him. After that she created her plan for the sculpture exhibition.’
Lexie felt sick. She’d liked the man, felt sorry for him being married to Veronica. She’d been totally fooled.
‘Dominique is a smart woman,’ said Sean. ‘She realised I wasn’t who I said I was but she doesn’t trust easily. I couldn’t get any information from her. In the end I had to tell her about the art frauds and my initial suspicion of Peter Webber. I had become suspicious of Jed, but without her I wouldn’t have got the proof I needed that he was involved. It was while we worked on that she told me why she’d arranged the exhibition.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s awful just thinking about it. Because of my work I have contacts with the police. Dominique didn’t want to meet with them, but I persuaded her. Just as well really. What we finally discovered is they had a team working with police throughout Europe. They knew quite a bit about the other end and had people under observation, but they didn’t know Jed was the money behind it. That all changed when they met Dominique.’
‘The documents you sent us filled in the
gaps and gave us some information about tonight,’ said Alistair. ‘We didn’t have much time, but all the teams have worked together and police in half a dozen countries throughout Europe have moved in on the groups tonight and arrested the people involved.’
The car skidded along the gravel driveway to Longcross House. Lexie shook her head as she thought of the times she’d driven here to meet Veronica. The times she’d smiled at Jed and thought he was too nice to be lumbered with Veronica.
‘He was the one who set up my laptop,’ said Lexie. ‘He must have put that Trojan on it then. He knew everything I did.’ She bit her lip to keep quiet and thought of all the tiny details. Veronica must have mentioned Patrick and Caroline’s relationship at some point. It wouldn’t mean anything to her. She’d probably laughed about it as she told Jed about the office romance that Patrick and Caroline thought was secret. But when Jed needed leverage because Patrick had discovered too much that piece of gossip resulted in Caroline’s murder.
Lexie thought about the searches she’d done on her laptop, the emails to Alec, all false trails, mostly because of Patrick’s obsessive secrecy. But when Jed found she’d copied Peter’s files, he must have realised she was inquisitive. Patrick’s notebook was the evidence that ruined the routes they had, but there were still little or no links to Jed. That was entirely due to Dominique.
Sean stopped the car in a shower of gravel. ‘Wait here,’ he called to Jean and Lexie, as he and Alistair leapt out of the car.
Jean didn’t pay any attention and ran with them into the house. Lexie hurried to catch up with her.
Sean and Alistair stopped in the hallway, glancing around.
‘I can hear voices from the direction of the sun room,’ whispered Lexie. ‘It’s down there.’
They crept along the passageway and into the bright room with its yellow and blue furnishings. Jed was next to one of the sofas. He glanced at them and then back to Dominique. She stood by the wall with a small gun pointed at Jed.
Did everyone but her have a gun?
Dominique never took her eyes away from Jed, but she turned slightly as they stood by the door.
‘Welcome,’ said Jed, attempting a smile. ‘As you can see I can’t offer you a drink or anything at the moment.’
‘We know about you,’ said Sean. ‘The men at the compound are under arrest, and we’ve got the van and rescued the women. Police in Europe are arresting everyone in your networks. It’s over.’
Jed’s shoulders sagged, but he still kept the half smile.
‘Lexie, nice to see you. Always the one with the questions, even if they were the wrong ones most of the time.’
‘Dominique, it doesn’t have to be this way,’ said Jean.
‘Listen to her,’ said Jed.
‘It always had to be this way,’ said Dominique. She spoke to Jed. ‘When we were introduced that first time at the art function, I knew you straight away. I was worried you’d recognise me, but all those times we’ve met here and you didn’t remember. Back then in London, I was just another body, another tick for your account book. Even when you raped me.’
Jed gripped the arm of the sofa and his smile disappeared.
If Dominique noticed she didn’t give any sign. ‘I’ve spent years searching for you and the others. And gradually I’ve found you all. You especially, you can say you’re just the money but I know better. It’s taken all my self-control to wait for this day but finally it’s arrived.’
Jed made a move towards Dominique. There was a loud bang. Jed fell onto the sofa, blood staining the yellow fabric. Lexie’s knees crumpled and she grabbed hold of the door frame.
Sean made a tiny movement and Dominique turned, shaking her head. ‘Don’t.’ She looked at Jean and smiled. ‘I told you not to come.’
‘How could I not?’ answered Jean. ‘You don’t have to do this. You’ve worked with the police. They wouldn’t have got this far without you. He moved towards you, it was self-defence. Alistair will speak up for you and so will Sean.’
‘I’ve finished what I needed to do,’ said Dominique. ‘There’s nothing left.’
Before Lexie could blink, Dominique raised the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.
‘No!’ yelled Jean. She rushed to Dominique, dropped down and cradled her, murmuring softly. Alistair knelt beside Jean. When the police arrived, he stood, gently helping Jean to her feet and held her as she cried.
Lexie stared at Nathan, willing him to open his eyes. ‘You’ve missed everything. You’re going to be so annoyed when you wake up, especially as you were right that it made more sense for this to be about Patrick’s investigations.’ Nathan had to wake up. She couldn’t bear to think of the alternative.
‘Dominique…’ Her voice shook saying the name. ‘Dominique found out Jed made his initial money from some dot-com businesses and then kept one or two as a cover, but the majority of his money came from trafficking. Apparently he owned the land that the compound and airfield are built on.’
She was babbling, still couldn’t get the sound of the gunshot out of her head. ‘Veronica was in London, probably a good thing.’ Jed’s death had shocked Lexie, but it hadn’t invaded her dreams as Patrick and Evelyn had done.
‘Tilly keeps asking if she can visit you. I said she could come at the weekend.’
She understood what Dominique had done. The first time she’d seen Portal, she’d recognised something of the other-worldliness of it, the longing to be somewhere else. The search for the men behind the trafficking had probably consumed Dominique. Portal and Stargazer, so much talent, the moment of new life and the instant before oblivion.
She squeezed Nathan’s hand tightly. ‘Not you, that can’t happen to you. Do you hear me?’
Knowing Jed could no longer hurt them, and Ian and Connor were in police custody didn’t make her feel better. Tilly was safe at home, but Nathan was still here in hospital.
Lexie stared at her hand holding Nathan’s. She frowned, not sure if her eyes were deceiving her. Nathan’s fingers tightened fractionally on hers. She looked up at his face, into his eyes, open and gazing at her.
‘Hello, you,’ he whispered.
Thank you so much for choosing to read Still Death. If you enjoyed it — and I hope you did — it would be wonderful if you could leave a short review online. I love to hear what you think, and it makes such a difference helping new readers to discover one of my books for the first time.
I send out occasional emails about my current writing projects, my new books, and any special deals being offered. If you’d like to receive the email, you can subscribe on my website. I won’t share your email address with anyone and I won’t stuff your mailbox with heaps of spam. As a thank you I’ll send you an electronic copy of Jenny’s Story and Other Tales. This collection contains a new Lexie Wyatt story as well as a story linked to the novel Lives Interrupted plus other short stories.
Thanks again
Shauna
Say Hello
I love to connect with readers through my website and social media so please feel free to get in touch. On my website you’ll find news about new releases and bonus materials. I have images on Pinterest of scenes and settings from the books and things that inspire me while writing.
Alternatively you can follow me on Twitter, or send an email.
About the Author
Shauna lives in rural New Zealand and works as an instructional designer and technical writer to indulge her fiction writing habit.
She has had short stories published in magazines and anthologies in England, Australia, and New Zealand. Her short story, Recipe for a Dinner Party was selected for the Awesome Indies Anthology.
Shauna writes murder mystery crime novels as well as women’s contemporary fiction.
Women’s Fiction / Romance
A Kiwi Christmas Romance
The Second Chance Christmas
Writing the Stars
Lives Interrupted
Jenny’s Story and other tale
s (anthology)
Crime Fiction
The Worst Lie
Still Death
Lies of the Dead
You can find out a little more about each of the books on the following pages.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the audacious Rogues (Hilary, Jeannie, Tui, Katie, Pauline, Bron, Rod and Ted), for your feedback on early drafts.
Thanks to my great beta-readers for your comments on the book as a whole. Special thanks to Jeannie for some wonderful observations on the characters and plot, and to Bev for some great motivation when I wondered where my characters were taking me.
Huge thanks and appreciation to Andrew of Design for Writers for turning the prologue into an amazing cover.
THE WORST LIE
Their college days are long-gone, but their reunion will be murder…
When Lexie Wyatt’s close friend Helen is frightened by an unexpected visit from an ex- university flatmate, Lexie is determined to help. She contrives an invitation to a weekend reunion of the group at one of England’s ancient stone circles. While there one of them admits they believe their long-dead friend was murdered.
Digging into the flatmates’ secrets, Lexie discovers they have lied. Could they also have committed murder?
There is another murder at the stone circles, and Lexie uncovers information that may connect the two crimes… and implicate her good friend.
Is someone targeting the former students, or is the killer one of the group?
When a third friend is killed, Lexie is in a race against time to discover the killer before there are more deaths.
The Worst Lie is the second standalone novel in the exciting Lexie Wyatt murder mystery series.
If you like British crime novels featuring ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, then you’ll love this gripping tale of secrets, lies and obsession that leads to murder.
Still Death (A Lexie Wyatt murder mystery Book 1) Page 26