The Devil's Reflection

by Colin Davy

  “Why would she want to?”

  “Because she’s an inveterate liar and she knows more than she’s saying about Deb’s death. She was after Deb’s money and nothing else, but she’ll be sorry.”

  “Oh?”

  “When she shook her head, her hair fell over her face and she yanked it back. “She wants to blame me because she needs a scapegoat.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did the slut dress provocatively for you?”

  “Not really.”

  “Are you sure?”

  ”I doubt she was trying to be seductive,” he said. “Not for me anyway.”

  “You’re male, it wouldn’t hurt. She’s hiding something and by dripping poison into your ear, she hopes to divert you from the truth.”

  “Why would she bother?” he asked. “I’m only a by-stander.”

  “She knows about my faith in you because Debs will have told her. She might fear my premonitions, she’s seen them come true.”

  A little far-fetched, he thought, unless this congregation had real problems. “She failed anyway,” he said.

  Her eyes flashed for a moment but she gradually calmed. “You should have told me where you were going.”

  “I know, but I didn’t want to worry you.”

  She nagged at her lower lip. “What did she tell you?”

  “Nothing major,” he said. “She told me Caitlyn Jones was a former friend of Debbie, a very close friend. Is that true?”

  She stared for a second. “They were close for a time, is she trying to throw suspicion on Caitlyn?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  “Then …?”

  He sat and wondered what to say. “She suspects William and his boyfriend might be involved somewhere.”

  She frowned “That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought of that.”

  Hadn’t she? He felt a prickle of anxiety, she was far too bright to miss that, surely?

  Chapter Twelve

  For a change, the Old Oak was crowded for a Thursday evening. The weather had marginally cooled and the three of them escaped the crush by grabbing a table outside. “Maria sends her apologies,” Gary said. “Perhaps tomorrow or the weekend …?”

  “I understand,” Sophie said. “Is she coming to terms with her loss?”

  “I think so,” he said. The loss of Debbie has shattered her old world. “She had a couple of errands this afternoon,” he added with a tight smile. “First of all, at the police station and then she intended to go for advice at the bank for some reason. She hoped to be back by now, but whatever happens, she wants me back at the flat before ten.”

  Sophie gave a knowing look.

  “It’s not what you think, Sophe.”

  “What do I think?” Sophie had thrown on an old jacket she felt comfortable in, but she’d underestimated the humidity, and now started to take it off.

  He smiled genuinely, he seldom had any idea what Sophie was thinking. “It’s not my cheery face she craves,” he said. “It’s because I might be meeting my other girlfriend.”

  She stared for a moment. “You’re serious?”

  “It’s what she accused me of last night.”

  “Last night? Weren’t you with her all the time?”

  “Ah …” He wondered how much to tell.

  “Come on, Gary,” she said. “You can’t throw that out and not explain.”

  “I suppose not.” After taking a sip of his beer, he wondered how to phrase things. Difficult, because however he phrased it, Sophie wouldn’t approve. “I met a girl called Gail last night,” he said finally.

  Scott roused himself to give a beaming smile. “You devil, I thought you had enough problems with the one you inherited.”

  “No,” Sophie said. “This is serious, Scott.” She turned back to Gary. “When you say you met a girl, what do you mean?”

  He sighed. “She’s wasn’t my girlfriend, she was Debbie’s girlfriend, and she wanted to clue me in about certain aspects. She reckons Debbie’s death was suspicious and she doesn’t rule out Maria being involved.”

  Sophie sat back and frowned. “Did the two of them get on?”

  “Which two?”

  It was her turn to sigh. “Maria and Gail.”

  He tried not to smile. “Definitely not. Gail thinks Maria is a homophobic witch and given her background, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a touch of that.”

  Scott leaned closer. “Sophie won’t totally approve either,” he said in a stage whisper. “You know what these Christian sects are like, even if ‘Witch’ is a bit of a stretch. They’ve only just stopped burning old ladies with strange pets.”

  “Shut up, Scott,” she said. “This isn’t a laughing matter. Carry on, Gary.”

  He took a sip of his beer before continuing, but this seemed more and more unlikely the more he thought about it. “Gail thinks the next-door neighbours could be involved in drug-taking.”

  “Has she any evidence?”

  “None that I know of.”

  She nodded. “Did Gail appear upset when she spoke to you.”

  “Very much so, upset and bitter. She asked me not to tell Maria about our meeting, so I didn’t.”

  Sophie’s frown was telling. “Maria found out?”

  “Sort of. I thought she’d gone to sleep, so I slipped out for this assignation, and when I got back, Maria was waiting and assuming the worst.”

  “But you were seeing another woman,” she said. “Weren’t you?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “You made a right mess of things,” Sophie said, and although Scott laughed, she continued to look concerned. “Did you come clean?”

  “I told her the truth” he said. “I decided I owed her that, even if I’d promised Gail I wouldn’t.”

  “You told her the whole truth?” she asked. “About what Gail said about her?”

  “Yes and no.” He’d decided not to tell Maria about Gail’s Sapphic accusations. He didn’t believe them for a moment, and he wouldn’t tell Sophie either – she’d always had a touch of Victoriana in her soul. He’d also neglected to tell Maria of Gail’s accusation about her involvement in her own sister’s death. That would have only antagonised her further. “I did tell her Gail’s theory about the neighbour’s being involved.”

  Sophie gave a suspicious glance but said nothing. However, Scott looked amused. “It sounds like she’s barmy.”

  “Upset, certainly,” Gary said. “But that was one of Gail’s more believable arguments, even if Maria has no time for it.”

  “More to the point,” Sophie said. “Did Maria believe your explanation?”

  “I think so,” he said. “I thought she might come with me tonight, if only to keep an eye on me. But she knows in her heart what Gail wants from a man. Absence.”

  She smiled. “You seem to have wriggled out.” When she shuffled in her chair, he wondered if she’d added another kilo or two in the last couple of days. “Do you want my advice?” she asked.

  Uh-oh, a lecture looked to be in the offing. “Maria wants me to investigate Debbie’s death myself,” he said quickly, hoping it might divert her.

  It did. “Surely that’s a job for the police?” she said, and he saw Scott give an emphatic nod.

  He shrugged. “Obviously. On the face of things, it looks an open and shut case.”

  “Then perhaps it is,” Sophie said. “There’s a guilt thing that surfaces when people die, especially if it’s young people in circumstances like this. Could they have prevented it? Did they interact when they could have done? Why, oh why, did they have that silly argument?” She finally manoeuvred herself into a comfortable position. “Time’s always the best healer but you can’t expect her to be rational yet.”

  “So, you’re saying I should bear with her, Sophe?”

  She frowned. “Do you mean put up with her?”

  He thought carefully. “No,” he said. “I mean bear with her.”

  “That’s up to you?”

  “I quite like her,�
� he said. “I think she’s pretty even if …”

  “You have doubts about your compatibility?”

  That was a nice way of putting it, he thought. “It’s not the obvious thing,” he said. “It’s the religious aspect too; she’s full of it and I’m vaguely agnostic.” He sighed. “If we all end up intermingled into a cosmic brain, I think we should filter out the undesirables, but Maria would want them all lumped in.”

  “Religion’s only a problem if you make it one,” she said. “Look at me and Scott, I put up with his peculiarities.”

  Yes, Sophe, he thought, but I wasn’t hoping to have sex with you. As a sounding board, she was brilliant, but in an older sister way. “The problem is she thinks I have a super power that enables me to identify an embezzler who probably doesn’t exist, and a murderer for a crime that never happened. Even worse, Gail believes I might have this power too.”

  Scott gave a sympathetic smile. “It’s no fun if it’s too easy.”

  Sophie ignored him. “What do you want to do, Gary?”

  “I don’t know,” he said honestly. “Yesterday, I’d made up my mind we should split as soon as convenient. Today, I’m not so sure. It feels surreal. In a few days, I’ve met an odd woman with a peculiar sister who is suddenly found dead. I end up hosting this odd woman who I find strangely attractive despite her oddities. Add in the sympathy element, and I’m conflicted. There’s a limit to my selfishness, but it’s a major disruption to my life. Do I want it or need it?”

  “If you’re staying out of sympathy,” she said. “Then probably no, but disruption isn’t always bad. I find Scott disruptive, I never know where he is, but he’s an overall plus.” She smiled encouragingly. “Give her a few days,” she said. “The main thing is to humour her a little, but don’t go too far. Don’t forget, she’s very vulnerable. If you decide you want to disengage, do it slowly.”

  Scott put on his serious face. “Or chuck the whole thing completely, Gaz, the police won’t appreciate you meddling.” For once, Sophie didn’t argue with him.

  “I have been thinking about that,” Gary said. “Personally, I think her worries about the Southport disappearances were always over-played, and she’s beginning to change her mind.”

  “Perhaps she has a point,” Sophie said. “Perhaps you are a genius, keep thinking that.” Her sceptical smile took away some of the gloss.

  But think about it, he did, on the way home, and onto the staircase before he almost bumped into someone coming down.

  “Whoa, young man.” William stopped in front and peered down. Was the man short-sighted and too vain to wear glasses, Gary wondered. “Glad I bumped into you,” the man continued. “How is your pretty girlfriend coping? I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot earlier, but in these circumstances, it’s hardly surprising.” When he gave a tentative smile, Gary recognised a peace-feeler. “She’s coping as well as can be expected, thanks,” he said. “How’s …” What was his boyfriends name now?

  “He’s fine, I suspect,” William said. “Alas, he’s now an ex-partner. Perhaps we were incompatible and his wandering eyes found someone new. He was never too fussy about gender, so the world’s his oyster. I’m not bitter, though, I wish him well.”

  His eyes were hooded and Gary wondered how bitter he really was or wasn’t. “That’s a pity,” he said, and it was, the man could have been a useful source of information, if only to eliminate the pair of them.

  “I’d better get on,” William said, in the tone of someone in no mood to linger, and pushing gently past he made his way down. Gary watched him go for a few seconds before climbing up the last few steps. A little camp, as Debbie had written in her diary, but perhaps he’d been too ready to take offence at what he thought unwarranted intrusions.

  Maria was home and greeted him enthusiastically, pulling him inside to hug him gently. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I was a total bitch last night, am I forgiven?”

  He smelled her hair and felt the warmth of her body through her light shirt, a blue colour which matched her denim jeans. It was strange, he thought, Maria suspected Gail had some involvement, and Gail suspected Maria in turn. More likely, neither was guilty. “There’s nothing to forgive,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the call, but Gail made me promise not to.”

  “You don’t like breaking promises?”

  “Not unless forced to.”

  “That’s good,” she said soothingly, before pulling at his arm and leading him to the settee. “I’ve a lot to tell you.”

  “News?”

  She nodded. “Riya told me Deb’s flat isn’t a crime scene anymore.” She screwed up her face in distaste. “She’s given me the keys to it.” He waited for her to go on. “No,” she said. “I couldn’t face it yet. It’s too soon, I’d keep seeing Debs there smiling at me.”

  “I understand.” Sophie was right, he was in for the medium, if not the long haul. That settee would serve a dual purpose for a while.

  “There’s going to be an inquest,” Maria said, looking into his eyes expectantly.

  He nodded. “That was expected,” he said softly.

  “I know,” she said. “But it complicates matters. With no results from the post-mortem, we can’t set a date for the inquest. Riya went over the police procedures, but I was only half-listening. Deb’s body has been released for burial now they have the samples they need.” When she took a deep breath, he hugged her tightly, but she went on in a determined tone. “That means I can apply for an interim death certificate from the coroner.”

  “Hang on,” he said. “You’ve lost me now, why is it urgent?”

  “Because something funny is going on,” she said. “I went straight to the bank afterwards.”

  “Why?” he asked. “Why the rush?” She had an odd sense of priorities today.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “It appears my visit to the bank was premature.”

  “Premature? In what way?” Now, he was totally lost.

  “Deb’s left a will naming me as the executor and it’s lodged at the bank.”

  He frowned. “Can an executor be a beneficiary too?”

  “Yes,” she said. “He’s a lovely man that Mr Nowak, we met him when we came here first.”

  “Here?”

  “The UK.”

  “Right,” he said.” Is Mr Nowak Polish and is he the bank manager?”

  She nodded, but the whole episode didn’t seem right to him. It was a strange way of grieving for her sister. Unless it was her way of coping. “Both our wills are with his bank” she said. “I named Debs as executor and main beneficiary and she did the same for me.” She paused, but only for a second. “Mr Nowak’s almost a father to us, he has two daughters around our age so ….” She trailed off at his expression. “Anyway, he can’t tell me anything on the record,” she continued. “Not until it’s all official, but there’s been recent activity on Deb’s account. I assume he means massive withdrawals.”

  “She bought her flat recently,” he said. “And no doubt, there were lots of incidental expenses.”

  “He knew that,” she said with a trace of impatience. “That’s a drop in the ocean.”

  “I see.”

  “Mr Nowak is disturbed by recent withdrawals,” she said. “I was right, Gary. Debs was looking into what the Church did with its money while her own was disappearing. Only when that money’s in my executorship account, will it be safe.”

  He didn’t share her sudden enthusiasm for financial matters. Gail’s words were too recent to ignore, and he remembered them clearly. ‘Don’t let Maria fool you too, she hated Deborah. In her world, money is everything.’ She was certainly biased against Maria, but the sentiments echoed in his head. “Did Mr Nowak tell you officially who gains from the will?” he asked.

  “Not officially, he couldn’t. Not until the will money moves over to me. Not that it matters because Debs and I had an agreement. All the money goes to the survivor, and if we don’t marry, then and only the
n, it goes to the Church. So, you can forget about the neighbours and their irrelevant party on Sunday evening.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Because the Church is the only group with a clear motive.”

  Although she’d lost him in her financial explanations, motives were a different matter. “In theory, you’re the only one with a clear monetary motive,” he said. “The Church gains nothing unless you … expire.” Oddly enough, he didn’t like the sound of her dying and couldn’t bring himself to say the word. He was getting used to her presence, he supposed, and if putting up with her whims was the worst that could happen, he wouldn’t complain.

  Her face fell. “You don’t think I had anything to do with Deb’s death?”

  “No,” he said firmly. “I’m saying motive isn’t everything.”

  She pursed her lips and stared. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  He sighed, she could read him like a book. “It’s your sudden concern about money,” he said. “Money isn’t everything.”

  “I know that,” she said. “But it’s not my money remember, it’s ours.”

  “It was,” he said. “But Debbie won’t be gaining any benefit.”

  Her eyes flashed, “Not mine and Debs,” she said. “Mine and yours, it’s our money.”

  Whoa … he thought, steady on. Squeezing her hand, he looked into her eyes. “It’s not our money,” he said. “It’s yours alone, I don’t want any of it.” When her eyes watered, she pulled away for a second. “Don’t say that,” she said. “Especially not in that tone, please.”

  “I’m sorry about the tone,” he said. “But you make me uneasy.”

  “How?”

  “The sudden change in your expression when you spoke of money,” he said. “It caught me by surprise, and it seems early to be worrying about money when Debbie’s death is all that matters.”

  Her mouth opened slightly but she said nothing.

  “Money isn’t everything,” he repeated.

  She tensed. “I know it’s not,” she said and her eyes gradually softened. “You’re right, but you don’t know the whole story.” When she rose to her feet and walked into the kitchen alcove, he felt as if she’d put a mental barrier as much as a physical barrier between them. Settling on the high stool, she looked out at him. “I appreciate money, but only for what it can do if used properly. If I seem to be acquisitive, there’s a reason for that, and it’s not greed.”