Death in the English Countryside

by Sara Rosett

  “No, not for a few days, but those were his bags upstairs.”

  I’d planned to be vague about Kevin and get as much information out of Alex as I could without giving anything away, but I abruptly reversed my plan. For one thing, Alex was technically working for us, for Premier Locations. He’d want to keep the project moving along and squash any rumors as much as Marci and I did. Another reason was that Alex was observant. There was something about his piercing gaze that told me it would be hard to put one over on him. Better to get him on my side than have him resent me later for holding back information.

  I mirrored his posture, crossing my arms and leaning on the table. “Kevin is missing.”

  Chapter Four

  Alex’s forehead wrinkled into a frown. “Missing? I’m not sure I understand.”

  I blew out a sigh. “I don’t either. Kevin isn’t in L.A. His return ticket is still open. His rental car hasn’t been returned.” I glanced at the ceiling. “Kevin’s bags are in my room because he never picked them up after he checked out. The inn has been storing them.”

  Alex put his coffee cup down slowly. His look of puzzlement had changed to concern. “I assume you’ve tried to reach him? Not answering his phone?”

  “No. Marci—she’s the office manager—has been trying to reach him since Monday. That’s why I’m here.”

  “And you haven’t called the police?”

  I swallowed, wishing I’d thought out how much to tell him and how much to keep back. Our breakfast arrived, and I waited until the server left before I continued. “No. Kevin has some issues. Drinking issues.” I raised my eyebrows, and Alex nodded slowly. He got it. I leaned closer. “I’m telling you this in confidence. It’s not something that is generally known about Kevin. He’s always managed to…keep it under control. Well, mostly. I only know because I was his assistant. He slipped up once, missed an important meeting. I went to check on him. If I hadn’t done that, I probably never would have known.”

  “And it’s important that it be kept quiet,” Alex said. “The project with Mr. O’Leery and all.” His tone wasn’t snide or accusing. He was matter-of-fact. He understood the industry.

  “Yes,” I said with relief. “That’s it exactly. I honestly thought I’d get here, find Kevin boozing it up in a local pub, sober him up, and hustle him home. But he’s not here, not in Nether Woodsmoor.”

  “No, he’s not.” Alex looked up from cutting his tomatoes and caught the puzzled expression on my face. “I live in a cottage not too far from here.” He pointed with his knife. “Just up the road. It’s a small village. Word would get around if he was still here.”

  “Really.” I popped a bite of a scone in my mouth.

  “Oh yes. Los Angeles this isn’t. No anonymity here. Whole village probably knows by now that you checked in and are asking about him.” I sat back, shoulders slumping. He noticed. “But you don’t have to worry. I put out the word before Mr. Dunn and his group arrived that we needed to keep it quiet about the project. They won’t go blabbing it around.”

  “And you think that will work?”

  “When it is a matter of money, people here can be quite closemouthed.”

  “Money? From the film, you mean?”

  He went to work cutting some sort of fried sausage thing on his plate, nodding. “Yes. Nether Woodsmoor needs the economic shot in the arm that a film would bring, not to mention the follow-up tourism that could materialize if it is a hit. I made it clear that movie people value privacy and that discretion would give Nether Woodsmoor an edge.” He lowered his voice. “Between you and me, Nether Woodsmoor is already at the top of the list. The houses around here have the look that Mr. O’Leery wants. Not a lot of hotel rooms in Nether Woodsmoor itself, I’ll grant you that, but there is a resort in Upper Benning with plenty of hotel rooms for the crew, conference rooms for meetings, and ten private cottages for the star cast members. It’s less than a twenty-minute drive. Knowing that the village would close ranks around the film people, help them out, that was icing on the cake for Mr. O’Leery.”

  I dusted the crumbs from my fingers and sat back, studying Alex’s face.

  “Do I have something stuck in my teeth?” he asked warily.

  “No. It’s just—and I blame it on the jetlag that I’m only now noticing this—but you don’t sound British.”

  “What do I sound like?”

  “I don’t know,” I said slowly. He didn’t have the clipped, crisp British accent, but he didn’t sound American or European either. “You don’t sound like you’re from anywhere, actually.”

  “Got it in one. Air force brat. I’m from everywhere and nowhere. Grew-up following my dad all over the States and then the world. He went on to diplomatic service, which to me and my sister, meant more of the same, still moving but less military bases.”

  “But you live here now? In Nether Woodsmoor?”

  “Yes. That surprise you?”

  “I assumed you were based in London or Manchester or somewhere like that.”

  “London is flooded with location scouts. I have the place to myself out here. Sole location scout. And it really is a great area with plenty to offer. Nether Woodsmoor is quintessentially English. Got the cottages with glorious flower gardens, rolling fields with hedgerows, drystone walls, and charming village complete with historic church and village green. I can see that you think I’m only taking it easy on myself, recommending my own village, but as I mentioned earlier, we have candidates for Pemberly, Netherfield, and Longbourn. We had to go farther afield for Rosings Park and Meryton, but all within a manageable distance. And all new locations.”

  “Sounds promising.” One of the challenges with doing the Pride and Prejudice film was that audiences already had locations and looks fixed in their collective mind because of the popularity of the BBC miniseries and the more recent feature film. The new film needed fresh locations, but ones that would be in keeping with the story.

  “So Kevin and Mr. O’Leery liked what you showed them here?”

  Alex nodded. “Yes, the whole group did. They made a short list before they left—well, before Mr. O’Leery left. I’ve been working the contracts and the permits for the top choices.”

  “Did Kevin mention anything new he wanted to show Mr. O’Leery? Perhaps something Kevin saw that Mr. O’Leery missed?”

  “No. We all looked at everything together. Why?”

  “Mr. O’Leery has been in touch with our office. He wants to see the ‘new stuff’ that Kevin promised him. Do you know what he’s talking about?”

  “No idea.”

  I sighed, thinking of the most important thing that was missing from Kevin’s things upstairs, his camera. Was the ‘new stuff’ on his camera? I shifted in my seat and refocused on my main goal—finding Kevin. Hopefully when I found Kevin, I’d find his camera and the ‘new stuff’ as well. “So when was the last time you saw Kevin?”

  “I feel like I’m in an episode of Masterpiece Mystery.” Alex grinned before he turned serious. “Thursday, late afternoon.” He glanced at a table on the other side of the room. “We sat there by the window and roughed out a list of top choices.”

  “And then what happened?”

  Alex shrugged as he put his napkin by his plate. “I shook hands with everyone and left.”

  “That’s it? That’s all you can tell me?”

  “I had the impression that they weren’t traveling to the airport together.” At that moment, the blond teen arrived and stacked our plates.

  “Henry,” Alex said, “those two Americans who were here last week…” I widened my eyes, attempting to telegraph that I didn’t want him to continue, but Alex went on. “Were you on the desk when they left?”

  “Half the group checked out Friday morning, early. Mr. O’Leery checked out later that morning.” Henry glanced at me quickly, obviously already up to speed on my connection to Kevin. “I wasn’t there when Mr. Dunn left.”

  “But did you talk to him that afternoon? See him go
out?”

  “Oh, yes. After Mr. O’Leery left, Mr. Dunn was in the lobby. I asked if he needed anything, and he said he was only nipping out to the pub to meet a mate.”

  “Looks like talking to Louise is our next step,” Alex said as Henry departed with our plates.

  I pushed back my chair and stood. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Hang on a minute,” Alex said.

  I turned back and saw him divert to speak to a woman seated at a table by the windows. As Alex approached, she reluctantly drew her gaze away from the newspaper propped between the teapot and her plate. Her face hardened into a glare at the sight of Alex, and he must have aborted any idea of having a conversation with her because he simply said, “Good to see you, Ms. Wallings,” and rejoined me on the way to the door.

  “Close friend of yours?”

  “You could tell, could you?”

  “I could tell how much she wanted you to stay away.”

  “Yes, that sums up my relationship with Eve Wallings. She just wants me to go away.”

  “Let me guess, she has a nice property?”

  He groaned. “Amazing. Well, it’s her uncle’s, but he’s elderly. She’s the power behind the throne, so to speak. She makes all the decisions, and she’s decided I’m to be avoided, but that is a battle for another day.” We had crossed the lobby and were at the foot of the stairs, which were opposite the main door. “To the pub?” Alex asked.

  I moved to the stairs. “We can’t drop questions about Kevin and not expect the word to get out that something is wrong. I don’t care how tight-lipped you think the village is here, word will get out.”

  He draped an arm over the newel post. “What other choice do we have?”

  “We?”

  “Well, you came to me for help. I have the morning free.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I thought I’d hang with you, help you track down the missing Mr. Dunn.”

  As he said the last words, Doug came down the stairs, nodded at us, then continued on into the restaurant.

  I closed my eyes for a second and blew out a calming breath. “Might as well put up a billboard on the village green,” I muttered, climbing the stairs quickly.

  Alex pounded up behind me. “No need. They all know already.”

  I continued down the hall to my room, and Alex kept up, only a pace behind me. “This isn’t the big city. No secrets here. You might as well use that to your advantage.”

  I unlocked my door and paused before stepping inside. I put up a hand, palm out, in a gesture that was partly a warning and partly a ‘back-off’ gesture. “I appreciate your help, and I know you think everyone will keep quiet about Kevin, but I can’t depend on that. You can’t seriously expect me to believe that no one here is a gossip. This is about the survival of the company I work for, which employs three other people besides me. I don’t want carelessness on my part to be the reason they are out of a job in a few weeks, okay?”

  Alex studied my face, his dark eyes radiating concern. “I understand what you’re saying. I want to find Mr. Dunn, too, you know. I have something at stake. Films set in the English countryside with directors like Mr. O’Leery are few and far between. I’ll grant that there are a few people around here who find it hard not to pass on a bit of interesting news, but,” he stepped closer and lowered his voice. His breath fanned over my cheek as he said, “I know who is trustworthy.”

  I was very aware of his face only inches from mine, and I realized that my breathing was doing funny things.

  “Believe me,” he continued, “I know who can keep things quiet. Louise Clement is one of the people you can trust.” His tone was different. Was there a trace of bitterness or maybe wariness there? He stepped back before I could decide.

  He switched to a playful, inviting tone as he waved his arm in a sweeping gesture. “So I leave it up to you. You’re in charge. If you’d like to have me along, I’m yours for the morning.” He placed his hand on his heart and bowed.

  “Hmm…I bet you say that to all the girls—when you’re trying to recruit their homes as a potential filming location.”

  “Only to the ones with a cozy cottage or stately manor.”

  “Okay. I know the value of someone with local knowledge, but we do it as quietly and as carefully as we can.”

  “Agreed.”

  “I’ve already talked to Louise. I asked her about Kevin—in a general way. I said I’d heard he was in the area and had she seen him? She said not since Friday.”

  “Did she say anything about the friend Henry mentioned?”

  “No.”

  “Well, we know it wasn’t Mr. O’Leery. He left that morning, so it had to be someone else. Maybe Louise saw this other friend.”

  I looked at my watch. “Isn’t it a little early?”

  “No, it will be perfect. Louise will be there, getting ready and the door will be unlocked.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “That the door will be unlocked? That Louise won’t gossip? Yes, to both.”

  I reluctantly said, “Okay, just let me get my coat.” I didn’t want to talk to Louise again, but unless I was going to visit pubs in an ever-widening circle, I didn’t know what else to do.

  Alex waited at the open door while I slipped on my coat. “You weren’t kidding about being a neat freak, were you? You cleaned up before you came down to breakfast, didn’t you?”

  “Wouldn’t you? It was a mess.”

  “It wasn’t that bad.”

  I closed the door. We retraced our steps down the stairs and went outside, turning to walk along the path to the pub.

  “I wish it had been like this when Mr. Dunn and Mr. O’Leery were here,” Alex said as we walked. “First truly nice day we’ve had in a week.”

  The air was cool but clear and fluffy white clouds dotted the sky. Tiny green buds were visible on the tree limbs. “It wasn’t this gorgeous?” I asked.

  “No, gray and rainy off and on the whole time they were here.”

  “Don’t worry. Kevin is able to see the potential no matter what the weather.”

  When we got to the pub, we both reached for the door. “Allow me.” Alex pulled it open, then stepped back so I could go in first. I couldn’t remember the last time a man had held a door open for me. Most guys I’d been out on dates with were usually so busy sending or receiving texts or phone calls that it was a wonder they didn’t collide with the doors themselves. The ambush date guy, the gamer, hadn’t held the door open for me. In fact, I had serious doubts about whether he’d actually showered before the date.

  I smiled at Alex as I stepped by him. I paused on the threshold, then spotted Louise at one of the chalkboards, writing the specials of the day in florescent yellow. I straightened my back and strode forward confidently. She saw Alex following me in and greeted him. “That bad of a day, is it? Need to start early?”

  “No, just a question or two,” Alex said. “We’d like to keep it between the three of us.”

  Louise nodded. I glanced around. A clatter of dishes sounded from the kitchen, but the area with the tables and behind the bar was empty. “I asked yesterday about a friend of mine, Kevin Dunn. You said he was in here Friday at lunch.”

  “Right.”

  “Did you happen to notice if he met someone?”

  “Sure. He and Frank Revel sat by the fire, had a few pints. I kept an eye on them. At first it seemed friendly enough, but then they got a bit heated.”

  Alex looked at me, and I shrugged. “I’ve never heard of him.”

  Alex and Louise exchanged a look, then Alex said, “I know him slightly. I met him one night here at the pub.”

  Louise nodded a confirmation. “He’s a regular. Comes in a couple of times a month.”

  “So what happened? Did they leave together?”

  “No. They were having a go at one another. Just words, you understand, but I was about to send Phil over there to tell them to settle down when your friend stormed out. Frank followed him. That’
s the last I saw of them.”

  Chapter Five

  “So you know this Frank Revel?” I asked as we left the pub.

  “In a way.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I know him professionally. He was a producer. Retired recently and moved to this area about a year ago. He lives in Upper Benning.”

  “You’ve been to his house?” I asked.

  Alex held up his phone. The screen displayed a map. “No, but only one ‘Frank Revel’ shows up anywhere near here. Are you driving or am I?”

  I wasn’t anxious to navigate the roads again and even less anxious to do it with someone observing me. “You.”

  “My car’s back at the inn.”

  We made the short walk back to the inn along the footpath. I almost changed my mind about driving when he opened the passenger door of a classic red two-seat convertible and a sheaf of paper slid out. He caught it before it hit the ground and walked around me to deposit it in the trunk. “Sorry. Been doing a bit of research.”

  The woman who’d given him the cold shoulder in the restaurant came into the parking lot. Small-framed and thin, she wore a mud-colored tweed coat with surprisingly stylish ankle boots embellished with buckles. The sun glinted on the silver threads in her black hair, which was short around her ears and neck, but a longer sweep of bangs brushed her forehead above dark eyes. Her gait was determined and purposeful. She moved through the parking lot as if she had a plane to catch. She gave Alex a sharp nod without actually making eye contact and moved to her car, a faded and rusty mint-green Range Rover. She climbed in and slammed the door, catching a portion of her coat in the door.

  Alex trotted over and tapped on the window. She wound down the window. “I have told you not to bother me. If anyone comes on my property again, I’ll call—”

  Alex raised his hands, palms up. “It’s your coat. You’ve shut it in the door.”

  She frowned down at her coat, then opened the door and rearranged the fabric so that it was inside the car. “Thank you,” she said gruffly and cranked up the window. She turned the engine on and was moving almost before Alex had time to step back.