Web of Lies

by Sally Rigby

  ‘Incident? What sort of incident?’ her aunt’s worried voice interrupted.

  ‘He’s fine,’ she reassured her aunt. ‘But in Market Harborough on Saturday night Sebastian got attacked.’

  There was a gasp on the end of the phone. ‘Are you sure he’s okay? Why did nobody tell me? I shouldn’t learn about it several days later.’

  ‘He visited me a short while ago and under the circumstances he’s doing well. I thought to myself that if it had been one of my boys I’d have wanted to know. I know he’s a lot older than them, but you never stop being a mother, do you?’

  ‘No, you don’t. Can you give me more information on what happened? I didn’t even know he was still in your neck of the woods.’

  She hesitated. She didn’t want the family to know about the investigation, because all they wanted was for Donald’s death and business practices to be forgotten.

  ‘He was helping me with a few things. He went out with a friend on Saturday night and as he was walking back to the Airbnb he’s renting he got attacked by two men. He was very badly beaten up.’

  ‘Oh, my goodness. How badly? Will he need surgery?’

  ‘Nothing’s broken apart from a couple of ribs, I understand, but he’s very bruised and swollen all over. His face especially is a bit of a mess.’

  ‘What’s he doing now? He should come back home.’

  ‘I think he’s taking it easy and resting. It wouldn’t be a good idea for him to drive back yet.’

  ‘Oh, this is dreadful. And you say he’s staying in an Air something. What’s that?’

  ‘It’s an online place where people rent out their homes. Sebastian is staying in a little house in the town centre.’

  ‘But why did they attack him?’

  ‘They took his wallet.’

  ‘So it was a mugging?’

  ‘Yes, I believe so.’

  ‘But surely at his size he could have stood up for himself.’

  ‘They caught him unawares.’

  ‘Why doesn’t he stay with you? Surely that’s better than being on his own.’

  ‘I did offer, but he’s happy where he is, and he’s got his dog with him.’

  ‘I’ll telephone him.’

  ‘He might not be pleased that I told you but, as I said, I’d want to know if it was me.’

  ‘Thank you for letting me know, Sarah. I appreciate you doing this, under the circumstances. I’ll speak to him later as soon as I come back from my meeting. I’m glad you’re well, and I’m sure we’ll get together soon. We’ve just got to let the dust settle for a little while longer.’

  ‘I understand. Thanks, Auntie Charlotte.’

  She ended the call but continued staring at the phone. Her aunt had seemed upset at the attack, yet she wasn’t going to phone Seb straight away because she had a meeting to go to.

  Sarah shook her head. Most bizarre.

  Chapter 28

  17 May

  Seb woke up with a start when his phone rang. He must have fallen asleep on the sofa after Birdie had dropped him off. It already was dark outside, what time was it? He picked up the phone and looked at his screen. It was his mother.

  What did she want?

  Had something happened to a member of the family?

  They usually spoke every couple of weeks, and he’d called her the other night. Everything had been fine then.

  ‘Hello.’ He gasped as pain shot through his jaw which had locked while he’d been asleep.

  ‘I’ve just heard.’ The worry in his mother’s voice echoed in his ear. ‘Sarah called me. How are you? What on earth happened?’

  He could cheerfully throttle Sarah. His mother was anxious about him at the best of times, and this would only add to it.

  ‘It was an accident,’ he said, downplaying it, not wanting her to worry further. ‘Sarah shouldn’t have contacted you. There was absolutely no need, as I’m perfectly fine.’

  ‘That’s not what Sarah told me. She said you were attacked, and your face is a mess. Why are you still there? Come home and let me take care of you.’

  Or, supervise the staff doing the caring. His mother wasn’t hands-on at all.

  ‘Thank you for being concerned but it’s not necessary, I’m not a child. What else did Sarah tell you?’ He forced his voice to sound calm, despite being annoyed at Sarah’s actions.

  Had she told his mother about her suspicion regarding Donald’s death? He hoped not, if there was going to be more scandal, he needed to break it to them gently, and also be there to help work out some strategy for dealing with it.

  ‘To be honest, she was a little bit strange and cagey, which is most unlike her, though under the circumstances it’s understandable. She told me that you were helping her with something but didn’t elucidate. Why didn’t you tell me you were still in Market Harborough when we spoke? I thought you were in London. Shouldn’t you be at work?’

  He drew in a breath. He didn’t want to tell her about his job yet because she’d want to tell his father, and he needed to be more prepared for that. ‘I agreed to stay a while after the funeral as a favour for Sarah. She asked me to investigate into Donald’s suicide because she’s convinced that it wasn’t the correct verdict.’

  ‘Is she right?’

  ‘I don’t know. Possibly. I’m working with a member of the Market Harborough CID on it.’

  ‘How is Sarah coping, it must be very difficult for her?’

  His mother and cousin had always been close and kept in regular contact, until Donald had died. Now it was difficult. But Sarah had still felt able to phone his mother and tell her about the attack.

  ‘Not good. She’s being shunned by most people and has money issues. It would be hard for the toughest of people, of which she isn’t. Hardly anybody attended the funeral and that upset her greatly.’

  He hadn’t intended to apportion blame, but he hated seeing Sarah suffer. He also knew that given the chance, his mother would have most likely been there, except she didn’t want to rock the boat with the rest of the family.

  ‘You know what the situation is like with your father, it wasn’t possible for us to attend.’

  ‘Hence why I was instructed to represent the family as I don’t have his social standing to worry about.’

  Thank goodness.

  ‘It wasn’t an easy decision to make, and it pained me greatly not to be there for her.’

  ‘In which case, maybe you can make it up to her. She’s going to need support, especially now.’

  ‘I will try my best. Why wasn’t Sarah convinced by the suicide verdict?’

  ‘Several reasons, the most worrying for her was that the note Donald left, although written in his own hand, wasn’t worded in the way she’d have expected. She believed he might have been forced to write it and in there he left clues which only she would recognise.’

  ‘Did she inform the police of this?’

  ‘Yes, but they weren’t convinced.’

  ‘But you are?’

  ‘Initially, no. But I’m leaning towards agreeing with her now.’

  ‘If it isn’t suicide, what happens next?’

  ‘It would be classed as a suspicious death, most likely murder, and then needs further investigation.’

  ‘Were you attacked because you were getting too close?’

  ‘It’s a possibility and what we’re currently investigating.’

  ‘Surely if it’s murder you need to pass it over to the local police and not get involved. Although would you still be involved because you are the police?’

  ‘Ex-police.’ Damn, he hadn’t intended to tell her.

  Silence hung in the air, while his mother processed what he’d said.

  ‘Does that mean you’ve left the police force? Why? Is it for good?’ There was a lightness to her voice. Was she pleased?

  He let out a sigh. ‘After my unit was disbanded, all that was available for me was to return to working in uniform. I wasn’t prepared to take such a step, so I resigned
from the force.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell your father and me?’

  ‘I wanted to tell you face-to-face. Please don’t mention it to Father. As soon as I’m back in London I’ll make a time to visit and explain everything to you both.’

  ‘What are your plans for the future?’

  ‘I’ve yet to decide. The plan had been to use my few days here to think about my future and the direction I wanted to take. Then Sarah approached me and so I’ve ended up spending more time here than originally anticipated.’

  ‘I think you should come back home and speak to your father straight away. He’ll find you something on the estate. I’ll worry a lot less about you now I know you’re no longer in the police force. We were never happy with your choice of career, as you know. Working here is a far better option for you.’

  He sighed. ‘I’m sorry, Mother, but that’s exactly what I don’t wish to do. I had no desire to work on the estate when I left university, and nothing has changed. I will find another career in due course.’

  ‘Not one where you get attacked and disfigured, I trust.’

  He’d been hit a number of times since being in the police, especially during the short time when he was in uniform and on the beat, but she needn’t know that.

  ‘I haven’t been disfigured, just badly bruised. I won’t remain looking like this for long.’ He moved slightly as he was getting stiff. ‘Ouch.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing to worry about. I knocked my face with the phone. It’s still very tender.’

  ‘Sebastian, please come home now. I don’t like to think of you being alone there when you’re injured. I accept that you don’t wish to work on the estate, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid us at all costs.’

  His insides clenched at the hurt in his mother’s voice, but it wasn’t possible for him to leave at the moment, and he wasn’t ready to face his father, especially as he wasn’t fighting fit.

  ‘I can’t leave here until the investigation is over. Plus, there are other things needing my attention,’ he lied. It had always been the same. He much preferred to be in what he called the real world away from the aristocratic existence the rest of his family were a part of.

  ‘Please be careful and don’t be attacked again. I’d rather you had let me know yourself instead of having to hear about it from a third party.’

  ‘I understand, Mother. I’ll be in touch when I get back. Remember, please don’t tell Father. Leave that to me.’

  He ended the call and turned to Elsa.

  ‘That was tricky. I’d like to think she’ll do as I ask, but I wouldn’t bet money on it. Can you imagine having to work on the estate all the time?’ Elsa looked up and wagged her tail. ‘You’d probably like it. Having those grounds to play around in. Come on, let’s get you outside for a quick run around. Then it’s time for me to go to bed, as tomorrow is going to be a big day.’

  Chapter 29

  18 May

  ‘Come in,’ Seb said, when Birdie arrived. ‘I’m almost ready.’

  He was glad he’d agreed for the officer to take him. Although he was feeling much better, he didn’t fancy driving to Leicester and back, even if it was only thirty minutes away. His body still ached, and he knew from experience that the broken ribs would give him hell for a while longer.

  She followed him through to the kitchen and pulled out a make-up bag from her handbag, resting it on the table. ‘You’re going to need this,’ she said, as she opened it up.

  He held up two hands to block her from getting any closer, not liking where this was heading. ‘If you think I’m going to wear make-up you can think again.’

  ‘Look, I’m not going to plaster you with blue eyeshadow and red lipstick. Just some concealer over those bruises and a bit of powder. Trust me, by the time I’ve finished no one will be able to tell. You’ll thank me when you see it.’ She pulled out one of the chairs from the kitchen table and placed it in front of her, gesturing for him to sit.

  He did as he was told, not having enough fight in him to refuse. He was saving his energy for the interview with Edgar. ‘Okay, but if I end up looking like a painted doll then you can take it off again. I expect it to look natural.’

  Please don’t let him live to regret this.

  ‘Deal,’ Birdie said, pulling out what he assumed was the concealer. She removed the top and gave the tube a twist and then dabbed his face with the sponge end.

  ‘That’s enough,’ he said after a few seconds and she hadn’t stopped.

  ‘Shut up,’ she said, although she did stop and replace the cap.

  Then with her finger she gently rubbed all the places she’d been working on.

  ‘Ouch. Be careful,’ he said when she hit a painful spot to the side of his left eye.

  ‘You’re such a baby. I’ve almost finished. I’m just going to add some of this amazing setting powder. Don’t panic, it’s perfectly natural-looking.’ She took out a small black compact, and a large brush which she swished around in the powder and applied to his face.

  ‘How do you know all this? Have you done a course?’

  Birdie snorted. ‘It’s just make-up and it’s no big deal. I learnt the same way as most other people, from reading magazines and copying.’ She continued brushing his face and he bit down on his bottom lip to stop from moaning when she touched a tender area. Finally, she stepped back and scrutinised him. ‘Much better. Go and take a look.’

  He left the kitchen and went into the hall where there was a large mirror on the wall. He stared, turning his face from side to side so he could check from all angles. She was right, it was an improvement.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said, returning to the kitchen.

  ‘See, I told you. You should learn to trust me.’

  ‘I do. Sometimes.’ He arched an eyebrow in her direction. ‘Come on, it’s time to leave.’ He sorted out Elsa and they left the house.

  ‘What’s the address?’ she asked, as they got into the car.

  ‘King Street, in Leicester. Edgar’s a partner at Cross, Barker and Witherspoon Accountants.’

  ‘I know the street. He must be making a packet if he’s a partner, so why is he claiming to have lost everything?’

  ‘He has hefty outgoings. School fees, a big mortgage and fancy holidays. None of which he can now afford. That’s why his kids are going to have to come out of school.’

  ‘I’m sure they’ll manage just fine having a state school education like the rest of us.’ She looked at him. ‘Well, most of us.’

  They drove to Leicester and parked outside the Victorian three-storey terraced house where Edgar’s company was situated.

  Seb pulled down the visor in front of him and checked his face, wanting to reassure himself the make-up wasn’t obvious. It wasn’t.

  ‘Okay, let’s go inside,’ he said.

  ‘Will he see us without an appointment?’

  ‘We’ll soon find out. If he says no, we’ll play the police card, assuming you’ve got your ID with you.’

  ‘Of course, I always have it with me. Unless I’m going out on a real bender.’ She grinned. He had no idea whether she was telling the truth or not.

  They walked up the three stone steps and through the dark brown painted door into a rectangular-shaped vestibule. The reception desk was in the centre. ‘I’d like to see Edgar Witherspoon. I’m Sebastian Clifford,’ he said to the woman seated behind the desk.

  ‘Is he expecting you?’

  ‘He’s not, but I’m a member of his family, if you wouldn’t mind asking him if he would see me.’

  She picked up the phone. ‘I have Sebastian Clifford here.’ She paused. ‘Yes, of course.’ She ended the call. ‘He has fifteen minutes before his next appointment, if you’d like to go along to his office. It’s down the corridor and is the first room on the right. He said to just walk in.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  They headed to his office, a square room with high ceilings and cornices, which wa
s painted off-white. On one wall hung a painting, which Seb believed was a Turner print. Edgar was seated at his desk, but he stood as soon as they’d entered.

  ‘Good God, man, what on earth happened to you?’ He walked around to where they were standing and stood in front of Seb, shaking his head.

  His shock appeared genuine. And clearly the make-up wasn’t as efficient at hiding his bruises as he’d hoped. Then again, without it he’d look even worse.

  ‘I was attacked on Saturday night.’

  ‘Attacked. Where and by whom?’

  ‘Market Harborough town centre, when I was walking back to the place I’m renting. I was mugged and beaten up.’

  ‘What did they take?’

  ‘My wallet, but it didn’t have much in it. Five pounds and a credit card, which obviously has now been cancelled, so they can’t use it.’

  ‘Who’d have thought it would happen there, of all places. And you are?’ he nodded at Birdie.

  ‘This is DC Bird. ’She’s assisting me looking into Donald’s death.’

  He scrutinised Edgar’s face after announcing there was a police officer in the room, but it didn’t change. Unless it didn’t register. He hoped the man wasn’t going to clam up, as he often did when there was more than one person talking to him. Although being at work he might be better. He’d have to be, or how would he be able to conduct his business?

  ‘Oh, you’re still on that, are you? I’m surprised as I didn’t think you’d find anything. The suicide seemed pretty clear cut to me.’

  ‘I have a few more questions about your relationship with Donald, if you don’t mind.’

  ‘We’ve already discussed this, and I told you everything. Nothing has changed since then.’

  ‘It won’t take long.’

  ‘That’s good because I don’t have long. Okay. Take a seat.’ He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk, and he returned to his.’

  ‘First of all, did you tell anyone of our chat in the pub and the questions I asked you about Donald?’

  ‘Only Celia. You didn’t say not to. Shouldn’t I have?’ He fidgeted in his seat.