The Ties That Bind

by Anthea Fraser

  Jess nodded distractedly.

  ‘We don’t know each other well, obviously, so it won’t seem strange if either of us makes a mistake or doesn’t know something about the other. But I do need a few facts about the flat. Is the front door the only way in or out?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Apart from the fire escape, presumably?’

  ‘Oh yes, I’d forgotten about that. I think you access it from Maggie’s bedroom, but I’ve never seen it.’

  She expected a reprimand on safety grounds, but he only asked, ‘How many rooms are there?’

  ‘Just the two bedrooms, the main sitting room and the kitchenette through an archway.’

  ‘OK, now tell me what form this evening’s likely to take. Until we throw a spanner in the works, that is.’

  Jess tried to anchor her thoughts. ‘Well, as I said they drift in in ones and twos any time between seven thirty and eight and we drink and chat until the takeaway arrives about eight thirty.’

  ‘OK. Go through the group again for me.’

  She did so.

  ‘So it’s Maggie and Laurence, and Dominic and Di, as couples. Which leaves Sarah and Connor unattached?’

  Jess flushed. ‘Actually, Connor and I have started seeing each other.’

  ‘Ah! Sorry! And the others know?’

  ‘Oh yes.’ She stopped and drew a deep breath. ‘And here we are: Sussex Court.’ She could have wished their walk had been twice as long.

  They went into the building and up in the lift and as they approached Flat 5 they could hear laughter coming from inside. Perfect timing, Jess thought. Please let Connor be there!

  She put her key in the lock and gave Ben one last shaky smile. ‘Good luck!’ she said.

  It all seemed so normal; apart from Ben’s presence this scene had been replayed almost every Saturday for as long as she could remember. She’d been pleasantly surprised by the ease with which he fitted into the group – even Connor relaxed in his presence. He was an easy conversationalist and they’d accepted him without question. Jess even felt slightly guilty for having introduced a Trojan horse into their midst.

  She’d been letting the various conversations wash over her when she suddenly became aware they were discussing holidays. And as she registered the fact with a jolt of apprehension she heard Ben say, ‘You went to Italy this year, didn’t you, Jess?’

  Her fingernails dug into her palms and she forced herself to speak past the sudden lump in her throat. ‘Yes; how did you know?’

  ‘The postcard you sent the office is pinned up on the board. Pisa, wasn’t it?’ He smiled. ‘Did it make you queasy, going up that tower?’

  The rest of them, having heard about her holiday, continued to talk quietly among themselves.

  Jess raised her voice slightly. ‘Not nearly as queasy as I’d felt here.’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘The day I left I came back after work to collect my paperback, and had a terrific shock.’

  Conversation around her stopped as they registered the change in her voice.

  ‘And?’ Di asked, leaning forward to take a handful of peanuts.

  Jess was pulsatingly aware of the whiteness of Maggie’s knuckles as her grip tightened on her glass. She didn’t dare look in Laurence’s direction.

  ‘Well?’ Di again. ‘Don’t keep us in suspense! What “terrific shock”?’

  This was it. The moment had arrived. Jess said clearly, ‘There was a body lying here on the floor.’

  There was complete silence. Then someone – Sarah, perhaps – gave a nervous laugh.

  Connor said uncertainly, ‘Jess?’

  Laurence stood up suddenly and she tried not to flinch. ‘Enough of this nonsense. Anyone for another drink before the food arrives?’

  Jess said loudly, ‘I didn’t know who he was, but I do now. It was the Australian who’s been in all the papers – Bruce Marriott!’

  Laurence’s hand, reaching for his glass, briefly froze.

  Dominic said mildly, ‘If that’s a joke, Jess, it’s in pretty poor taste.’

  They were all staring at her now. ‘It’s not a joke,’ she said.

  Connor said again, ‘Jess?’, anxiety strident in his voice.

  Di’s tone had changed. ‘So what did you do?’ she asked.

  Jess moistened her lips. ‘I hadn’t time to do anything. I was still staring at him when I heard voices outside.’

  ‘I said that’s enough, Jess!’ There was a new note in Laurence’s voice too, one that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. ‘I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, but it’s gone beyond a joke.’

  Before her courage failed, she abruptly changed tactics. ‘You knew him in Australia, didn’t you, Maggie?’

  Someone gasped.

  ‘Didn’t you hear me?’ Laurence grated. ‘I said that’s enough!’

  But the damage had been done. Everyone’s attention now switched to Maggie and Jess watched dispassionately as the colour drained from her face.

  ‘Did you, Maggie?’ Di again. ‘Know him, I mean?’

  ‘Look what you’ve done, you little devil!’ Laurence hissed, his hand closing forcefully over Jess’s.

  Connor came to his feet. ‘Let go of her!’ he said sharply. ‘Can’t you see you’re hurting her?’

  Laurence ignored him and Dominic switched back to Jess’s first bombshell. ‘So what did you do, Jess? No’ – as Laurence moved threateningly – ‘let her go on, we can’t leave it there! There were voices outside, you said. Did someone come into the flat?’

  Jess, trying to blot out the pain in her hand, nodded dumbly. Ben must have slipped out of the room at some stage, because from the corner of her eye she saw him re-emerge from the corridor.

  Everyone spoke at once. ‘Who was it?’

  Suddenly, viciously, Laurence jerked her to her feet. ‘Get your bag, Maggie,’ he said over his shoulder, ‘and make sure your passport’s in it. No time for anything else. Go!’

  He thought she could identify them! Jess thought incoherently.

  Maggie sat frozen in her chair, her wide eyes on the tableau unfolding before her.

  ‘Maggie!’

  ‘No,’ she whispered. ‘No, Laurence, I can’t!’

  ‘Do as I say! We’ve prepared for this eventuality – Plan B! Everyone else sit down and don’t move, or Jess gets it!’

  And suddenly, unbelievingly, she felt the point of a knife at her throat. Someone screamed and amid the sudden chaos Ben’s voice rang out.

  ‘Police! DS Ridley. Put the knife down! Now!’

  ‘Not before I slit her throat!’ Laurence said through clenched teeth.

  Connor started forward and Laurence immediately increased the pressure so that a small bead of blood appeared on Jess’s neck. Everyone was on their feet now, Di clutching Dominic’s arm.

  ‘I said put your knife down!’

  But Ben’s last word was lost as the door crashed back on its hinges and four men burst into the room. ‘Armed police! Drop your weapon!’

  Caught completely off guard, Laurence hesitated – and in the same moment a strong arm pulled Jess away from him. Connor reached for her and she buried her face in his shirt while two men wrestled Laurence to the ground, handcuffing his wrists behind him.

  Maggie had started out of her chair and turned towards the passage but Ben stepped forward to block her path, nodding to one of the men, who seized her wrists and handcuffed them. Laurence was dragged to his feet, and in a sudden silence Ben stepped forward.

  ‘Laurence Pope and Maggie Haig, I’m arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Bruce Marriott on or around the twenty-first of June. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

  He nodded to the men, who escorted their still-resisting prisoners out of the flat, then turned back to his erstwhile companions.

  ‘Sorry about th
is, but I’m afraid I must ask you for contact details – names, addresses and phone numbers. We’ll need to speak to you later.’

  As they searched in their wallets for business cards he turned to Jess. ‘You did brilliantly. Are you OK?’

  Connor’s arm still round her, she nodded – then jumped as the intercom buzzed.

  Sarah spoke into it. ‘Supper on the way up,’ she told them.

  ‘That’s a point,’ Connor said. ‘How did your men get into the building?’

  ‘Fortunately they arrived as someone was leaving, and I’d unlatched this door while you were all arguing.’

  Dominic cleared his throat. ‘What will happen to them now?’

  ‘They’ll be held in cells until they’re brought before the magistrates on Monday.’

  ‘They won’t be released on bail?’ Sarah asked, sudden fear in her voice.

  ‘Not a chance of that.’

  A knock on the door interrupted them, and Ben, who was nearest, opened it.

  ‘Delivery for Haig,’ said a voice.

  Dominic came forward to take the carrier bags.

  ‘Will you join us?’ he asked Ben. ‘We’ll have two extra portions now!’

  ‘That’s good of you, but I’m still on duty and it’s time I was getting back to the station.’ He turned to Jess. ‘I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Thanks, everyone.’ And he was gone.

  Rather to their surprise, they found they were ravenously hungry. The usual selection of dishes had never tasted so good, and as they ate they plied Jess with questions, unable to take in the magnitude of what they’d just learned.

  ‘How could you have gone through all that without telling me?’ Connor demanded. ‘I knew there was something wrong! I even asked if you were OK!’

  ‘I know, I wanted to tell you, but by that stage I’d been told not to discuss it with anyone.’

  ‘How did you find out about Maggie knowing that man?’ Sarah asked, and Jess related the meeting with Tasha at the theatre.

  ‘It was a pure fluke and Maggie’s bad luck,’ she ended. ‘She must have recognized Tasha too – once seen she’s not easily forgotten – but she managed to hide it very well.’

  ‘I just can’t believe it!’ Di said for about the tenth time. ‘Had she and this Marriott kept in touch? If not, how did he find her? And if they had, why did she kill him? Or do you think it was Laurence?’

  ‘We’ll probably never know,’ Dominic said.

  ‘I feel a bit guilty,’ Jess confessed, ‘first for having shopped Maggie, and second for breaking up the group. None of you will want to see me ever again, added to which I’ve no idea what’s going to happen about the flat. I suppose it’s up to the landlord.’

  ‘Of course we’ll all keep in touch,’ Dominic said. ‘I can’t say I’d ever had much time for Laurence, but to give Maggie her due she helped us all over a rough patch and I for one am grateful. Stay on here if you can, Jess, and look for a new flatmate. Preferably one who isn’t a murderer!’

  Jess smiled, feeling Connor’s hand tighten on hers. ‘I’ll do my best!’ she said.