Murder by Suggestion

by Veronica Heley

Three o’clock? Three in the morning and all’s well. Except that it wasn’t.

  Ellie said, ‘Rafael! Fire extinguishers. You’ve got two. But I haven’t. I mean, I did think about it, but I never got round to getting any.’

  ‘I know. I saw. I got them for you this afternoon.’

  ‘You didn’t tell me.’

  ‘I didn’t want to frighten you. It might not have happened.’

  She breathed deeply, inclined to be angry with him, but aware he’d saved all their lives by his forethought. ‘Were you sleeping downstairs?’

  ‘Yes. Just as well, eh? I was chatting to Susan for a while on the phone, then started watching a late-night film. Must have dropped off. Something woke me. A sharp clatter. I think it must have been the letter box snapping shut. I couldn’t think what it was but then I smelt paraffin. Someone poured a bottle of the stuff through the letter box and tossed a match in after it. I heard it go whoosh and the fire alarm went off. I rang Susan to tell her to put some shoes on and get the hell out. I couldn’t remember for the moment where I’d put the extinguishers, and then I did. They were under the staging in the conservatory. It could have been a lot worse. No one’s hurt, right?’

  Thomas said, ‘For which I thank God, fasting.’

  Ellie tried not to giggle. The idea of Thomas going without food was so ridiculous that it made her want to laugh uncontrollably. She told herself she was hysterical.

  Susan talked into the landline phone. Her red-gold hair was all over the place, and she had dirty smears down her pyjamas, but she was awake and alive and functioning.

  So was Rafael. ‘I don’t think there’s all that much damage. We got on to it so quickly.’

  Diana said, ‘Someone is trying to kill me.’ She sank to the floor. She was still holding little Evan, who was beginning to wake up and grumble.

  ‘No, no,’ said Kat, giving Diana a hug.

  Ellie wanted to comfort her daughter but didn’t know what to say. Was someone really after Diana?

  Diana began to retch. She tried to get to her feet and didn’t make it. Her colour was dreadful. She was going to be sick?

  Kat took little Evan from his mother and helped Diana to her feet. ‘Come along then, Diana. Just a few steps back to your room, and you can settle down again. I’ll bring you a cup of mint tea.’

  Diana resisted. ‘I don’t want to stay up here. Suppose there’s another fire? It’s not safe!’

  Ellie tried to push her sluggish brain into action. ‘It’s safe enough, Diana. We don’t need to use these stairs to the hall, remember? There’s always the back stairs down to the kitchen.’ Her eyes smarted.

  Little Evan was waking up fast. He’d kept his father and his nanny awake the night before, he’d slept during the day so now he was raring to go. Was he going to howl the house down? Ellie cringed at the thought. She saw him fasten his eyes on some detail on Kat’s elderly, high-necked nightgown, and become fascinated by it. Hurray!

  Kat cooed at the little boy and, wide-eyed with speculation, he stared back at this strange woman who had come into his life only that day but who held him so securely. He banged her arm. ‘Biccy!’

  ‘In a minute, my sweetie pie,’ said Kat. ‘Let’s get your mummy back to bed first.’ She helped Diana back into her room and shut the door. Good for Kat.

  Ellie found she was trembling. She told herself the danger was over. She tried to smile at Thomas, who understood that she was recovering from her shock, and let her stand on her own two feet again.

  Rafael looked up at Ellie with narrowed eyes, asking a question without words. Did she know who had tried to burn the house down?

  She shook her head. She didn’t know who, and she didn’t know why.

  Susan put the phone down. ‘The fire brigade are on their way. Do we tell the police as well?’

  Rafael said, ‘The fire brigade will do that. It’s probably some kids. Vandals. Someone who likes setting fire to things.’

  Ellie thought that he didn’t believe that and neither did she, but it would serve as an excuse for the time being. The smell of burning paraffin filled her nostrils. Ugh!

  Diana was right. Someone was out to kill … her? Or someone else?

  If Rafael had not been sleeping downstairs! If he hadn’t renewed the batteries in the alarms! If he hadn’t bought the extinguishers!

  Ellie shuddered. Now they were all up and out of bed, what was going to happen next? She said, ‘Anyone like a cup of tea?’

  Susan said, ‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ and disappeared to the kitchen.

  Thomas had his slippers on already and now inserted himself into his dressing gown. ‘I could do with a cuppa. I’ll make it. Ellie, you can go back to bed if you wish. I’ll wait up with Rafael.’

  Ellie shook her head. ‘I can’t sleep now.’ She fetched her own dressing gown, found her slippers and tested the stairs. They seemed untouched. The fire hadn’t reached them, thanks to Rafael’s prompt action. She followed Thomas down to the hall.

  Trish was ahead of them, going straight to her small pile of belongings which were still there. Rafael said, ‘Don’t touch anything yet,’ but Trish couldn’t resist trying to lift a carry-on bag and had to drop it because it was still too hot for comfort.

  Thomas and Rafael went into a huddle about timings, wondering how long it would be before the fire brigade could get there and whether one of them should stay in the hall to make sure nothing burst into flames again.

  Susan sang out, ‘Tea’s up!’

  Ellie sleepwalked into the kitchen and slumped into a chair, trying to think. Her hands gripped the edge of the table.

  Susan put a mug of tea in front of Ellie and bent down to catch her eye. ‘What is it?’

  Ellie said, ‘I don’t know. I’m afraid of … But no, surely not!’

  Thomas and Rafael came in for their mugs of tea. Thomas took one look at Ellie and said, ‘What’s up? You’re all right, aren’t you?’

  Ellie licked her lips. ‘It would be ridiculous to phone someone up at half-past three in the morning, just to see if they’re all right. Wouldn’t it?’

  Rafael caught his breath. ‘What do you know, Mrs Quicke?’

  ‘Barbie and Russet. I mean, if we rang them, they’d not hear it. Not in the middle of the night.’

  Susan said, ‘You think they might be targeted, too?’

  ‘Yes. No. I don’t know. I’m worried sick about them. Only, you can’t go phoning people at this hour, can you?’

  Rafael and Susan exchanged a long look. Those who are good friends as well as lovers can communicate without words.

  Susan said, ‘Would you like Rafael to go round there on his bike? If all is quiet, perhaps he could drop a note through their letter box asking them to ring us when they got up?’

  Thomas put his mug down. ‘Letter box. Someone poured paraffin through our letter box into the hall and set it alight. Ellie, do you really think someone might do it to them, too?’

  Ellie wailed, ‘I don’t know!’ And then, in a firmer tone, ‘Yes!’

  ‘I trust your instincts,’ said Rafael. ‘I’ll go. Write a note and give me the address.’

  The phone rang in the hall. Ellie stood up. ‘It’s too late for that.’ She hurried to the phone. Was it going to be Russet or Barbie?

  It was Barbie. In control, just. By the skin of her teeth. ‘I’m so sorry to trouble you at this hour, Mrs Quicke. I would have waited but—’

  ‘It’s all right. We’re all up. We’ve been fire-bombed—’

  There was a gasp. Barbie said, ‘Us, too. We’re at the hospital. Russet is hurt but her brother’s OK, sort of. He jumped from the bedroom window, got a sprained ankle and wrist and is moaning like mad but that’s not important, is it?’

  ‘Paraffin was poured in through the letter box and set alight?’

  ‘Yes, the firemen said that’s what it was.’

  ‘The house is all right? Wait a minute, you said Russet has been hurt?’

  ‘There’s consider
able damage to the property. To us, not so much. We could have been killed in our beds but luckily Russet got up for a drink and smelt something burning. She went out on to the landing and found the hall and staircase on fire. It’s a modern house, all glass and metal. She touched the handrail. It was so hot that she burned her hand. She kept her head and woke me and her brother. I got us into the room farthest from the fire, shut the door and phoned the fire brigade. Russet’s brother panicked. He wouldn’t wait to be rescued and jumped from the window, which is how he got hurt. I got Russet’s hand into cold water and we waited for the fire brigade to get us out. We’ve been at the hospital for ages, waiting for Russet’s burns to be attended to.’

  ‘When did it happen?’

  ‘About two, maybe two thirty? I’ve lost count. What time is it now? I wanted to wait till morning to ring you, but Russet’s in pieces and … I’m sorry … I’m not far off it, too. The thing is we’re all in shock. And the house is … I don’t know how badly damaged, but the firemen have turned off the electrics and the gas. We can’t go back there. The firemen said one of their men would stay there overnight to make sure the flames didn’t break out again. I was going to ring for a taxi to go to a hotel, but then I thought that you might …’

  She started to laugh. There was a note of hysteria in her voice. And then, being Barbie, she controlled herself. ‘We’re in our nightwear and bedroom slippers. I snatched my handbag as we ran past the stairs to the end of the house. So I have cards and my phone. Russet has nothing. Neither has her brother.’

  ‘I understand. The house is uninhabitable and you have nowhere to go,’ said Ellie.

  Thomas, Rafael and Susan were all crowding around her, wearing identical looks of shock. ‘Come here, of course. All of you. Don’t take any risks. Keep together, whatever you do. Don’t let Russet go anywhere by herself. Or you. Get a taxi. If you haven’t any money or cards, I’ll pay at this end. Come straight away.’

  Thomas signalled to her. She said, ‘Wait! Thomas says he’ll come and get you. Which hospital are you at, and where will you be?’

  ‘Bless you,’ said Barbie, and gave directions.

  Thomas hurried up the stairs to put some outdoor clothes on.

  At that moment the fire brigade arrived. Rafael said he’d deal with them.

  Thomas left to fetch Barbie & Co from hospital.

  The fire brigade inspected the hall inch by inch and said Rafael had done a good job, but that they would clear the floor to make sure that none of the baggage strewn around would burst into flames again.

  Ellie retreated to the kitchen, trying to think where she could put three extra people to sleep.

  Kat came downstairs, carrying little Evan, who was wide awake and red-faced. ‘Biccy!’

  Ellie got the biscuit tin out and told him to choose one. He took two, of course, and proceeded to stuff his mouth with them. Kat put the kettle on for a peppermint tea for Diana.

  ‘Play!’ said little Evan. ‘Biccy!’

  Of course. Little Evan’s clock was out of kilter. It was now daytime for him.

  Kat said, ‘Now, now! One more biccy – only one, mind! Then we go play with toys, right?’

  Ellie was grateful to Kat, but … ‘No, Kat. I’ll take him for a bit. You need your beauty sleep, too.’

  ‘I manage OK,’ said Kat, in her element. ‘Back in two ticks.’ She picked up the mug of mint tea and disappeared. Little Evan saw his new comforter disappear and opened his mouth to voice his displeasure. Ellie distracted him with the offer of another biscuit, which he accepted.

  Susan sat down beside Ellie. ‘I can take someone in upstairs. Perhaps two, if one of them doesn’t mind sleeping on the settee.’

  Ellie said, ‘You’re brilliant, Susan. And Rafael. We’d all have died in our beds tonight if he hadn’t been looking after us so well.’

  Susan dimpled. ‘He likes you, Mrs Quicke.’ A shadow crossed her face. ‘I don’t want him taking any more risks.’

  ‘You think I’m risking a further attack by inviting Barbie and Co to stay here?’

  Susan was silent. Her troubled expression told Ellie that that was exactly what she thought.

  Ellie thought so herself. Somehow or other she had to get to the bottom of this tangled skein of motives, or someone else would die.

  One of the firemen asked Ellie to join them in the hall, and she picked little Evan up to take him with her. The floor there had been cleared of all the burned and charred luggage that had been cluttering the place up for days. The front door was open. Ellie could see the women’s belongings out in the driveway. It was starting to rain.

  Trish was out in the drive, oblivious of the rain, trying to see what she could rescue of her things.

  Ellie ached for these women. In the space of a couple of days they’d lost their husbands, their homes and now most of their possessions. Rafael stood by, eyes narrowed, ready to support Ellie if needed. Susan brought him a cuppa. He gave her a hug and drank the tea.

  Little Evan gave the firemen a look of bewilderment and twisted round in Ellie’s arms. ‘Down. Play now.’ The lure of his toy box was strong and, biscuit finished, he made his way into the sitting room to empty his toys out on to the floor again. It was daytime as far as he was concerned. The lights were all on, and there was a never-ending supply of biscuits in the kitchen. Business as usual.

  The firemen addressed Ellie. ‘Do you have any idea who might have wanted to set fire to your house?’

  Ellie said, ‘I suspect someone but have no proof. Will you be passing the case on to the police?’

  Yes, they would do that.

  Rafael gave Ellie a quizzical look. What did that mean? Did he know something that she didn’t?

  Ellie said, ‘There’s something else you should know. Earlier this morning another house was set alight in the same fashion, and a lot more damage was done. We know the people there. They ended up in hospital.’

  A shrug. ‘Not our fire. That’s another crew.’ Notebooks were flapped open. Details taken. They would pass details on to the police. The fire was completely out and the firemen would leave, provided they could be assured someone would stay awake and on guard. Rafael said he would.

  They left.

  Trish brought an armful of bits and pieces back into the house. Her face was streaked with rain and tears, her clothes sodden. ‘Photographs … certificates …’ The proof that she had been born, worked and married.

  Ellie gave her a sympathetic hug, but it was Susan who swept Trish off to the kitchen to dry her and her belongings out.

  Ellie looked hard at Rafael. ‘What is it?’

  Kat came downstairs, saying Diana was asleep. She wondered if she should heat up some hot milk for little Evan before trying to put him to bed again.

  Ellie started to object, till Kat said, ‘I sleep when I wish. I wish to look after little boy. He likes me. I like him. You leave us be.’ She departed on her errand.

  Rafael followed Ellie into the sitting room. The lights were on, and little Evan was sitting in a ring of toy Lego pieces.

  Ellie said, ‘Who was it who said time flies when you’re having fun? It’s nearly four o’clock. Thomas should be back from the hospital soon.’

  Rafael grinned. ‘You are embroiled in another mystery, aren’t you, Mrs Quicke? Why didn’t you tell the firemen what’s been going on?’

  ‘I suspect the two fires are connected, but I don’t know who’s behind them. Or who was responsible for Bunny’s death. Or Walt’s. I’ve tried to get the police interested but so far, no go. Yes, I’m sure they will get more involved soon. There have been two deaths already and there could have been more tonight. Let’s hold off for a day. We are on our guard now, and I’m hoping it might be possible to save a couple of marriages before we get the police involved.’

  Rafael raised his eyebrows.

  Ellie sighed. ‘Yes, I know. The prospect of these wives returning to their husbands is not one of unalleviated rapture, but these women have suffered
greatly, and they should be given the choice.’

  ‘There’s no choice for Russet and Barbie.’

  ‘There would be closure.’ Little Evan knocked on her knees, trying to give her some pieces of Lego which he wanted her to fit together. She obliged. He was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. In a moment he would ask for breakfast. It was going to be a long night.

  She said, ‘In the morning I’ll ring around, try to get everyone round the table for a conference.’

  It was indeed a long night. At half past four, Thomas brought an exhausted Barbie and Russet back to the house. Barbie looked more like Lauren Bacall than ever, her cheekbones sharply defined. She was wearing a housecoat over her nightdress and a decent pair of mules. She was also carrying her handbag.

  Russet’s left hand was bandaged, and she shivered under a hospital blanket, wearing nothing but a skimpy nightdress and hospital slippers. She was in a bad way, in considerable pain.

  Barbie explained that Russet’s brother had decided not to risk his skin by being around his sister and had phoned his wife to collect him and take him home.

  Ellie nodded. There were certain people you could rely on when you were in trouble, and there were others whom you couldn’t. Younger brothers did occasionally fall into the second category. Barbie was trying to tell Ellie that Russet didn’t need to hear her brother criticized. Point taken.

  By this time Ellie, Kat and Susan had worked out who should sleep in which bed. Ellie damped down hysteria, thinking, Who’s been sleeping in my bed? asked Mummy Bear.

  Kat said she would sleep on the settee in the sitting room as and when she could persuade little Evan to go upstairs to bed again.

  Russet would occupy the end bedroom which had clean sheets on the bed. The refugees were dosed with sleeping pills and hot drinks where appropriate and sent off to bed.

  Trish carried an armful of her reclaimed belongings upstairs with her. Ellie hoped none of Trish’s paperwork was still capable of bursting into flames but was too weary to remonstrate.

  Susan gave Rafael a hug and went upstairs to the top flat, taking Barbie with her.

  Thomas and Rafael went into a huddle over how to protect the house. They decided that Thomas should take first watch and doss down in his reclining chair in the sitting room, while Rafael made do with the big chair in the kitchen for a couple of hours. Then Rafael would move to the sitting room and Thomas would join Ellie in bed.